Announcements 2025.10.14

[Walker, Jane]

1.) Public Hearings and Comment Opportunities – Various Dates, Starting: October 15, 2025
2.) CRC Roundtable Webinar -- A Tale of Two Species: The Connection Between Menhaden and Osprey -- October 15, 2025
3.) Input Sought: 2026-2030 Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan (VMDRP) – Various Input Opportunities, Starting: October 15, 2025
4.) Webinar: Building Partnerships for Conservation Success -- October 16, 2025
5.) Virginia Sea Grant 2026 Graduate Fellowships -- Virtual Q&A: October 20, 2025; Applications due: January 5, 2026
6.) USGS National Water Availability Assessment Cyberseminar Series -- October 22, 2025 and November 19, 2025
7.) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Cleanup Studies and Implementation Plans – Wolf Creek (Washington County) Meeting: October 28, 2025; Comments Due: December 5, 2025
8.) Voter Information: College Students, Military and Overseas Voting, Accessible Voting – Next Election: November 4, 2025 – https://www.elections.virginia.gov/
9.) Call for Abstracts: 2026 NC Water Resources Research Institute Annual Water Resources Conference -- Submission Deadline: November 10, 2025; Conference: March 25-26, 2026
10.) Call for Topical Session Proposals: AWRA 2026 Geospatial Water Technology Conference -- Submission Deadline: November 18, 2025; Conference: May 18-20, 2026
11.) Webinar: Achievable Actions to Reduce Pollution with Salt Watch -- October 28, 2025
12.) Host Offices Sought: 2026 Commonwealth Coastal & Marine Policy Fellowship -- Fellowships start: October 1, 2026
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 Hearings and Comment Opportunities
   ++ 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: Dominion Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center Project -- Comments due: October 23, 2025 -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42270
   ++ Environmental Permit: Land Application of Biosolids and Water Treatment Plant Residuals in Orange County – Informational Briefing & Hearing: October 23, 2025 (Briefing: 6pm; Hearing: 6:30pm); Comments due: November 7, 2025 -- Orange, VA – https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42315
   ++ Public Hearing: General Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Watershed Permit Regulation for Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus Discharges and Nutrient Trading in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in Virginia (9VAC25-820) -- November 10, 2025 (10:30am) -- Glen Allen, VA -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42313
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2.) CRC Roundtable Webinar -- A Tale of Two Species: The Connection Between Menhaden and Osprey -- October 15, 2025 (12-1pm) -- This webinar will cover current population trends of both osprey and menhaden, the ecological connection between them, and what’s being done to support their recovery. For more information and to register, see https://chesapeake.org/crc-roundtable/. Organized by the Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC).
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3.) Input Sought: 2026-2030 Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan (VMDRP) – This plan aims to reduce the flow of debris into Virginia’s waters. Input will be taken from both in-person and virtual meetings in which different types of debris will be discussed. For more information about the VMDRP, see https://www.cleanvirginiawaterways.org/vmdrp. Sign up to attend a session at https://forms.gle/keb9YDnmp32kSKqo9. For more information, contact Zach Huntington at za...@cleanvirginiawaterways.org.
   ++ October 15, 2025 (11-12:30pm) -- Microplastics/Microfibers (Virtual)
   ++ October 16, 2025 (10-11:30am) -- Consumer Debris and Plastic Pollution (Virtual)
   ++ October 21, 2025 (11-12:30pm) -- Abandoned and Derelict Fishing Gear (Virtual)
   ++ October 28, 2025 (1-4pm) -- Northern VA
   ++ November 6, 2025 (10am-2pm) -- Central VA
   ++ November 19, 2025 (10am-2pm) -- Hampton Roads, VA
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4.) Webinar: Building Partnerships for Conservation Success -- October 16, 2025 (6:30-7:30pm) -- Explore tools and strategies that connect land, waters, and wildlife.  Learn about the Southeast Conservation Blueprint, a living map that identifies places for the conservation community to work together towards a connected network of lands and waters across the Southeast and Caribbean. The Blueprint also identifies wildlife corridors that connect coasts to inland areas and links across changing climates. To learn more and to register, see https://wildvirginia.org/. Offered by Wild Virginia and the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS).
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5.) Virginia Sea Grant 2026 Graduate Fellowships -- Virtual Q&A: October 20, 2025 (3pm); Applications due: January 5, 2026 -- This fellowship provides up to $40,000 per year for up to two years and professional development opportunities for graduate students to address issues relevant to Virginia communities and of importance to coastal and marine resources. Register for the webinar (virtual Q&A) at https://vaseagrant.org/grf-for-applicants/, and learn more at https://vaseagrant.org/graduate-fellowships/. Provided by Virginia Sea Grant.
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6.) USGS National Water Availability Assessment Cyberseminar Series -- October 22, 2025 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. (CUAHSI).
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7.) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Cleanup Studies and Implementation Plans – Learn more about TMDL studies under development across Virginia at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quality/tmdl-development/tmdls-under-development. Learn more about Virginia’s cleanup implementation plans under development at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quality/implementation/implementation-plans-under-development.
   ++ Meeting and Comment Period: TMDL Cleanup Study for Wolf Creek (Washington County) -- Meeting: October 28, 2025 (3pm); Comments Due: December 5, 2025 -- Abingdon, VA -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42424.
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8.) Voter Information: College Students, Military and Overseas Voting, Accessible Voting – Next Election: November 4, 2025 -- The Virginia Department of Elections provides information on voter registration, casting a ballot, candidate information, election laws, and more at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/. The website includes deadline information associated with the November 2025 election and more.
   ++ College Students: Provides information specific to college students and explains residency requirements for voter registration. See https://www.elections.virginia.gov/registration/college-student-info/
   ++ Military & Overseas: Learn about the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to register to vote and apply for an absentee ballot at the same time. Also, includes information on using a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB), and more.  See https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/military-overseas/
   ++ Accessible Voting – Learn about accessible voter registration and voting options (absentee voting, accessible polling places, curbside voting, other available assistance, and more) at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/accessible-voting/
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9.) Call for Abstracts: 2026 NC Water Resources Research Institute Annual Water Resources Conference -- Submission Deadline: November 10, 2025; Conference: March 25-26, 2026 -- Raleigh, NC – Seeking abstracts for presentations on research and on-the-ground practices and implementation. Accepting abstracts related to water resources for oral and poster presentations, full session and panel discussions, and lightning talks.  For more information, see https://wrri.ncsu.edu/events/conference/call-for-abstracts/. Organized by the NC Water Resources Research Institute.
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10.) Call for Topical Session Proposals: AWRA 2026 Geospatial Water Technology Conference -- Submission Deadline: November 18, 2025; Conference: May 18-20, 2026 -- Niagara Falls, NY – Seeking sessions that can highlight innovative applications of data science, AI, and geospatial tools in water management.  Particularly welcoming projects that apply data science and emerging technologies to address real-world water challenges. For more information, see https://www.awra.org/Members/Events_and_Education/Events_and_Education_Conferences.aspx.  Organized by the American Water Resources Association.
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11.) Webinar: Achievable Actions to Reduce Pollution with Salt Watch -- October 28, 2025 (1-2pm) -- Salt Watch Coordinator, Abby Hileman, will explain what to expect and what’s new for the upcoming monitoring season. Hear from volunteers with the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy (VA) and Friends of Sligo Creek (MD). Learn more and register to attend at https://iwla.org/event/clean-water-webinar-achievable-actions-to-reduce-pollution-with-salt-watch/.  Organized by The Izaak Walton League of America.
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12.) Host Offices Sought: 2026 Commonwealth Coastal & Marine Policy Fellowship -- Fellows start: October 1, 2026 -- Fellows receive on-the-job training by working with a host office to address coastal and marine resource issues while learning about the policy and management process occurring at the state level. This 12-month paid fellowship aims to increase the capacity of host offices by supporting fellows who are working on mission-relevant programs, and leveraging the knowledge and capacity of Virginia’s academic institutions. Learn more at https://vaseagrant.org/commonwealth-fellowship-host-offices/. The program is supported by Virginia Sea Grant (VASG), the Virginia Environmental Endowment (VEE), and the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (VA CZM).
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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.