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…

Federal Grant Award Summary

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality received a Formula Grant award of $2.98 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 under the Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants program (CFDA 66.460), effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2030. This award supports the implementation of Virginia's EPA-approved Section 319 nonpoint source management program, focusing on reducing water quality impairments caused by polluted runoff in targeted watersheds. The deliverables include design and installation of structural and non-structural Best Management Practices (BMPs), watershed planning and monitoring activities, technology demonstrations, and education and outreach initiatives. Key project areas encompass conservation planning, nutrient management, pollutant load reduction, watershed plan implementation, and ditch/wetland/stream restoration activities. The anticipated outcomes include millions of pounds of reductions in nitrogen, phosphorus, bacteria, and sediment loads, ultimately leading to restoration of impaired waterbodies and attainment of water quality standards.

The award is administered through subawards to multiple implementing partners, including soil and water conservation districts, regional planning commissions, and nonprofit organizations. Subrecipients include the Big Sandy Soil & Water Conservation District, Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, Holston River Soil & Water Conservation District, New River Valley Regional Commission, Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, New River Land Trust, Peter Francisco Soil & Water Conservation District, and Henricopolis Soil & Water Conservation District. These entities are implementing on-the-ground BMPs such as livestock stream exclusions, septic system improvements, pet waste management practices, and stormwater controls in EPA-accepted watershed-based plans to address fecal coliform bacteria, E. coli, sediment, and nutrient exceedances across multiple Virginia watersheds including the Mattaponi River, South Fork Holston River, Crab Creek, Guest River, Roanoke River, and Slate River watersheds.

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: five 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 subaward 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. Direct beneficiaries of this program include all commonwealth residents and occupants, both permanent and temporary.