This cooperative agreement provides funding to the virginia department of environmental quality (VADEQ) to control the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous…

Federal Grant Award Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 awarded $13.56 million to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ) under the Hazardous Waste Management State Program Support program (CFDA 66.801) effective October 1, 2025, with completion by September 30, 2028. This cooperative agreement funds hazardous waste management activities and disaster recovery efforts following Tropical Storm Helene, enabling VADEQ to control the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste while protecting public health and environmental resources from inactive hazardous waste facilities. Primary deliverables include identification, prioritization, and removal of storm-related solid and hazardous debris across multiple Virginia counties; comprehensive site cleanup at identified locations; disaster debris management planning; and regional tabletop exercises to support ongoing and future disaster response capabilities. Additionally, the funding addresses unmet needs for hazardous materials response equipment identified during Tropical Storm Helene recovery operations.

VADEQ will establish a specialized program to collect high-definition imagery and conduct remote sensing data analysis for post-disaster debris identification, quantification, and risk assessment, delivered in partnership with Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech) as a sub-awardee. These analytical and operational capabilities directly address the substantial public health and environmental risks posed by unmanaged storm debris dispersed throughout streams, rivers, and floodplains, while supporting regional economic recovery in tourism-dependent areas affected by the disaster.

This cooperative agreement provides funding to the virginia department of environmental quality (VADEQ) to control the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste; to minimize hazardous waste production; and to protect health and the environment from inactive hazardous waste facilities. Funding will address virginia's unmet needs and the consequences resulting from tropical storm helene flooding that generated extensive storm-related debris, including vegetative debris, construction/demolition debris, and solid and hazardous waste dispersed throughout streams, rivers, and floodplains. Funding will also facilitate comprehensive debris removal, disaster debris management planning, regional tabletop exercises (TTXS), aerial assessment capabilities to assist with the on-going recovery efforts and to support future disaster responses, and to provide unmet needs for hazmat response equipment identified during tropical storm helene. Activities:the activities to be performed include identifying, prioritizing and removing remaining storm-related solid and hazardous debris in multiple counties along with complete site cleanup for all identified sites. VADEQ will establish a program to collect high-definition imagery and remote sensing data, and to conduct data analysis, for post-disaster debris identification, quantification, and risk assessment. The unmanaged debris poses public health and environmental risks, exacerbates flood risks, and undermines the recreational and tourism-dependent economy of the impacted areas. Subrecipient:the virginia department of environmental quality (DEQ) would serve as the primary grantee or lead agency responsible for administering the EPA grant funds received through the american relief act. To support the efficient and effecfive distribufion of grant funds for disaster debris removal and for increasing response and recovery capabilifies, DEQ has idenfified subaward recipients, such as regional planning district commissions (PDCS), state agencies, and a university.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables and outcomes include the comprehensive cleanup of identified debris sites that pose a risk to public health and the environment, while identifying and prioritizing remaining storm-related debris sites. VADEQ will utilize the planning district commissions (PDCS) and their relationship with localities to develop local or regional disaster debris management plans. VADEQ will secure a cache of hazardous materials response equipment and supplies to address unmet needs and to support the immediate response to inland flooding events. The intended beneficiaries include communities and will provide economic benefits by prioritizing work and aligning debris hazards.