DEQ’s Office of Pollution Prevention (OPP) promotes pollution prevention through incentive programs and technical assistance. OPP hosts a number of programs and initiatives that support the Pollution Prevention Act as a conduit for non-regulatory assistance to businesses, institutions and communities. These efforts are aimed at motivating Virginians to minimize their environmental footprint through actions that exceed regulatory requirements while enhancing their bottom line. A few of the program’s accomplishments from 2018 are:

• Engaged organizations by hosting an energy efficiency webinar and planning a free regional workshop promoting sustainable practices;

• Presented 17 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards at the Environment Virginia symposium in April, including five gold awards to recognize exemplary programs; and,

• Worked to enhance the Virginia Green Tourism program’s membership process by providing resources, including the Sustainable Event Toolkit.

Virginia is a leader among states in promoting collaborative partnerships through non-regulatory environmental programs. OPP’s programs serve Virginia organizations by providing tools to implement environmental programs that reduce risk and environmental footprints, recognizing innovative programs and leveraging what has been successfully implemented and can be duplicated.