Announcements 2025.9.20

[Walker, Jane]

1.) Public Meetings, Hearings and Comment Opportunities – Various Dates, Starting: September 23, 2025
2.) USGS National Water Availability Assessment Cyberseminar Series -- September 24, October 22, and November 19, 2025
3.) Virginia Association for Environmental Education (VAEE) News
   ++ Call for Conference Session Proposals: VAEE Annual Conference – Proposal Deadline: September 26, 2025; Conference: February 26-28, 2026
   ++ Project WET Mailing List -- https://vaawwa.org/events/project-wet
4.) Professional Development Workshop: Adaptations -- September 26-28, 2025
5.) Meet the BMPs: Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Green Infrastructure Tour -- September 29, 2025
6.) Piedmont Environmental Council’s 2025 Annual Photo Contest -- Submission Deadline: September 30, 2025
7.) Friends of the Occoquan River Cleanup 2025 – October 4, 2025
8.) Making Waves 2025 Benefit -- October 11, 2025
9.) Help Collect Data: Chasing Salt Community Science Project -- Sign-up Deadline: October 15, 2025; Sample-return deadline: January 15, 2026
10.) Call for Abstracts: 2026 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference -- Submission Deadline: October 31, 2025; Conference: April 14-16, 2025
11.) 2024 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report – https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/water-quality/assessments/integrated-report
12.) VDH Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program – https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/leadsafe/educational-materials/
13.) Water Center Jobs Board – https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/jobs/ 
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See recent announcements and learn more about the Virginia Water Monitoring Council (VWMC) at www.VirginiaWMC.org. Feel free to forward these announcements. When forwarding, please acknowledge the VWMC. If you have a water-related announcement of regional or statewide interest, send it to vw...@vt.edu and ask that it be distributed to the VWMC membership. If someone forwarded this message to you, you can join the VWMC for free by sending your name, water-monitoring affiliation (if applicable), and contact information (email address, mailing address, and phone number) to vw...@vt.edu.  Thank you to Julia Porter, VWMC intern, for developing and organizing this week’s set of VWMC announcements.
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1.) Public Meetings, Hearings and Comment Opportunities
   ++ Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation (9 VAC 25-875) – Hearing: September 23, 2025 (10am; Richmond, VA); Comments Due: October 10, 2025 – https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42097
   ++ Environmental Permit: Withdrawal of water from the Rappahannock River –; Comments Due: September 25, 2025 –https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42143.
   ++ High Bridge Trail State Park Master Plan Public Comment Meeting -- October 6, 2025 (6:30pm) -- Farmville, VA -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42245.
   ++ Environmental Permit: Land Application of Biosolids and Water Treatment Plant Residuals in Dinwiddie County – Informational Meeting: October 7, 2025 (6pm) -- McKenney, VA -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42319
   ++ Environmental Permit: Dominion Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center Project -- Hearing: October 8, 2025 (5pm, Chester, VA); Comments due: October 23, 2025 -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42270.
   ++ Proposed Reissuance of Four Virginia Water Protection General Permits – Hearing: October 15, 2025 (11am, Glen Allen, VA); Comments due: October 24, 2025 – Accepting comments on the following proposed regulations:
      == 9VAC25-660 for Impacts Less Than One-Half Acre;
      == 9VAC25-670 for Facilities and Activities of Utility and Public Service Companies Regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or the State Corporation Commission and Other Utility Line Activities;
      == 9VAC25-680 for Linear Transportation Projects; and
      == 9VAC25-690 for Impacts from Development and Certain Mining Activities. – https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42111.
   ++ Environmental Permit: Release of Treated Wastewater in Loudoun County -- Hearing: October 22, 2025 (6:30pm); Comments due: November 6, 2025 -- Waterford, VA – https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/Viewmeeting.cfm?meetingid=42310.
   ++ Environmental Permit: Land Application of Biosolids and Water Treatment Plant Residuals in Orange County -- Hearing: October 23, 2025 (6:30pm); Comments due: November 7, 2025 -- Orange, VA – https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42315.
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2.) USGS National Water Availability Assessment Cyberseminar Series -- September 24, October 22, and November 19, 2025 (12-1pm) -- This series will walk through the key findings of the assessment, ways to access the data through the Data Companion, and how data science and visualizations were used by USGS to communicate findings to various audiences. For more information, see https://www.cuahsi.org/cyberseminars/series/usgs-national-water-availability-assessment. Organized by the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc.
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3.) Virginia Association for Environmental Education (VAEE) News
   ++ Call for Conference Session Proposals: VAEE Annual Conference – Proposal Deadline: September 26, 2025; Conference: February 26-28, 2026 – Richmond, VA – Proposals are requested that will engage, educate, and energize attendees while utilizing best practices in education. Learn more at https://www.eevirginia.org/conference. 
   ++ Project WET Mailing List -- To learn more about Project WET Educator Training and to join the mailing list, see https://vaawwa.org/events/project-wet. Sponsored by Virginia AWWA (American Water Works Association).
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4.) Professional Development Workshop: Adaptations -- September 26-28, 2025 -- Chincoteague, VA -- This workshop is for K-12 educators and will focus on hands-on activities teachers can use to teach students to examine plant and animal adaptations in their region. For more information, see http://www.cbfieldstation.org/pd.html. Organized by Chincoteague Bay Field Station.
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5.) Meet the BMPs: Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Green Infrastructure Tour -- September 29, 2025 (10am-5pm) -- Roanoke, VA -- This free event will allow attendees to work with the CBLP team and local stormwater professionals to gain knowledge about local green infrastructure practices and CBLP training opportunities while also networking. For more information and a link to register, contact Gabi at Ga...@cblpro.org. Hosted by CBLP & Wetlands Watch, in partnership with the City of Roanoke, Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, and Blue Ridge SWCD; funded by the Virginia Environmental Endowment.
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6.) Piedmont Environmental Council’s 2025 Annual Photo Contest -- Submission Deadline: September 30, 2025 -- Photos must be taken within: Albemarle (and Charlottesville), Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange or Rappahannock counties -- This year’s categories are “Beautiful Landscapes and Streetscapes,” “Native Plants and Fungi,” “Wonderful Wildlife,” and “Youth Category.” For more information, see https://www.pecva.org/resources/press/enter-pecs-annual-virginia-piedmont-photo-contest-now-through-sept-30/. Organized by the Piedmont Environmental Council.
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7.) Friends of the Occoquan River Cleanup 2025 – October 4, 2025 (9am-12pm) – Multiple Locations: Lake Ridge Marina; Town of Occoquan; Occoquan Regional Park; Fountainhead Regional Park; Bull Run Marina -- Preregistration recommended. Refreshments provided. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own filled water bottles to reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles. In case of inclement weather, check the FOTO website (www.friendsoftheoccoquan.org) or Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/www.Friendsoftheoccoquan.org/) for updates. Organized by Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) River.
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8.) Making Waves 2025 Benefit -- October 11, 2025 (5:30-10pm) -- Alexandria, VA -- This event will feature live music, dinner, live auction, and dancing. Proceeds support the work of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network. For more information, see https://www.potomacriverkeepernetwork.org/calendar/. Organized by the Potomac Riverkeeper Network.
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9.) Help Collect Data: Chasing Salt Community Science Project -- Sign-up Deadline: October 15, 2025; Sample-return deadline: January 15, 2026 – Western areas of Virginia -- This project will investigate how road salt and agricultural runoff stress riparian-stream ecosystems. Teachers, students, families, and community members can participate by collecting soil and water samples, and monitoring how cotton strips deteriorate in streams this fall. For more information, see https://sentrekin.com/communityscience/. Led by Dr. Sally Entrekin at Virginia Tech in partnership with the University of Arkansas.
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10.) Call for Abstracts: 2026 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference -- Submission Deadline: October 31, 2025; Conference: April 14-16, 2025 -- Charlotte, NC -- Theme: “Building Resilient Watersheds: Advancing Innovation and Partnership in Rapidly Changing Environments” -- Submissions can share research, practical tools, and field-tested strategies. For more information, see https://www.cwp.org/2026_conference_abstract.php. Organized by the Center for Watershed Protection.
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11.) 2024 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report – This report provides a summary of the water quality conditions in Virginia from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2022. EPA approved the revised report on July 28, 2025. To read the report or for more information, see https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/water-quality/assessments/integrated-report. Published by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
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12.) VDH Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program – This statewide lead awareness campaign consists of a PSA video, a toolkit of graphics, and an educational activity for families. Learn more at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/leadsafe/educational-materials/. Developed by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
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13.) Water Center Jobs Board – View a listing of current job opportunities and employment resources on the Jobs Board at https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/jobs/. Developed by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center (Water Center).
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The VWMC announcements are provided with support from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. Thank you to our sponsors!

You too can sponsor the VWMC announcements.  Tax-deductible contributions can be made to the VWMC to support information updates and other VWMC activities.  Make checks payable to: “The Virginia Tech Foundation” and on the memo portion of the check include “VWMC Fund #872802.” Mail contributions to the Virginia Water Resources Research Center (0444, Attn: Jane Walker) at 210 Cheatham Hall, Virginia Tech; 310 West Campus Drive; Blacksburg, VA 24061.