RD346 - Office of Pollution Prevention 2011 Annual Report


Executive Summary:
For more than twenty-five years, pollution prevention has played a key role in the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) mission to protect and enhance Virginia’s environment. DEQ’s Office of Pollution Prevention (OPP) hosts a number of programs and initiatives that serve as a conduit for non-regulatory assistance to businesses, institutions, and communities. These efforts are aimed at motivating Virginia facilities to minimize their environmental footprint through actions that often exceed requirements while enhancing their bottom line. A few of the highlights from 2011 are:

• Significantly expanding membership in the Virginia Green tourism program, including meeting the target of 1,000 members and presenting the first-ever Virginia Green Travel Stars awards;

• Awarding 26 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards to manufacturing facilities, government agencies, and partnerships for their environmental stewardship accomplishments; and,

• Completing the stakeholder engagement process for the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program, which resulted in a series of recommendations to enhance and grow the program.

DEQ’s reputation both nationally and regionally as a leader in promoting collaborative partnerships and engaging audiences through non-regulatory environmental programs continues.