This agreement provides support to the commonwealth of virginia to implement its nonpoint source management program, focusing on watersheds with water quality impairments caused by polluted runoff…

This $3,043,197 federal Formula Grant award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants program (CFDA 66.460) provides support to the Commonwealth of Virginia to implement its nonpoint source management program. The key products and services to be delivered include:

• Implementation of best management practices (BMPs) to reduce bacteria, nutrient, and sediment pollution from nonpoint sources such as livestock operations, septic systems, and urban runoff in impaired watersheds. This includes funding for residential septic system improvements, technical assistance, and education/outreach activities.
• Watershed planning, monitoring, technology demonstrations, and other initiatives to address water quality impairments caused by nonpoint source pollution.

The award will fund projects led by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality as well as sub-awards to entities like the New River Soil and Water Conservation District, George Washington Regional Commission, and Northern Virginia Regional Commission. These sub-awards focus on targeted implementation of BMPs, public outreach, and regional coordination of salt management strategies to mitigate environmental impacts.

This agreement provides support to the commonwealth of virginia to implement its nonpoint source management program, focusing on watersheds with water quality impairments caused by polluted runoff from nonpoint sources. Nonpoint source implementation projects include a variety of structural and non-structural best management practices (bmps), watershed planning, monitoring, technology demonstrations, and a variety of education/outreach programs.activities:the proposed work in this agreement includes: eight projects that will support bacteria, nutrient, and sediment load reductions, coordination with partner agencies and nonpoint source management planning. Nonpoint source implementation projects will be conducted by both the state grant recipient as well as subrecipients and include a variety of structural and non-structural best management practices (bmps), monitoring, technology demonstrations, and education/outreach programs. The projects to be funded with this grant award will develop and implement projects and bmps primarily in the areas of conservation planning, nutrient management, pollutant load reductions, watershed plan implementation, and ditch/wetland/stream restoration. Subrecipient:the activities to be implemented through subawards to multiple recipients, including soil and water conservation districts, will primarily include the implementation of on the ground best management practices aimed at improving water quality in nonpoint source impaired waterbodies as guided by EPA accepted watershed-based plans.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables and expected outcomes include pollutant load reductions in watersheds with clean water act section 319 approved watershed-based plans, ultimately leading to restoration of waterbodies and attainment of water quality standards. IT is anticipated that BMP installations such as livestock stream exclusions and septic improvements will result in the reduction of millions of pounds of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment and a significant amount of bacteria from entering targeted watersheds. Additional anticipated deliverables include watershed roundtable support, technical assistance and database development. Direct beneficiaries of this program include all commonwealth residents and occupants, both permanent and temporary.