Announcements 2025.7.2

[Walker, Jane]

1.) Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management (VESM) Updates and Trainings
   ++ Amendments to VESM Act – Effective Date: July 1, 2025
   ++ Training Courses -- Various dates and locations, starting: July 9, 2025
2.) Expanded Polystyrene (EPS Foam) Ban – Effective Dates: July 1, 2025 and July 1, 2026
3.) Lecture: Cooling Our Cities with Tree Canopy – July 8, 2025
4.) Webinar: Reaching Beyond Residents -- Smarter Public Education for Your MS4 – July 10, 2025
5.) Request for Proposals: Feed the Need – Application Deadline: July 11, 2025
6.) EPA Tools and Resources Webinar Series
   ++ Elevated Temperature Landfills: Case Studies, Indicators, and Knowledge Gaps -- July 16, 2025
   ++ Microplastics -- August 20, 2025
   ++ PFAS -- September 17, 2025
7.) Backyard Stream Repair Series (Non-Credit) – Available Until August 12, 2025 -- https://extension.psu.edu/backyard-stream-repair-series-non-credit
8.) Report: State of the York Watershed System – https://yorkriverroundtable.org/soty/
9.) Imported Fire Ant Quarantine Zone – https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/plant-industry-services-imported-fire-ant.shtml
10.) Highlights: Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) 2025 Annual Gathering – https://www.pecva.org/land-conservation/a-great-day-at-eldon-farms-annual-gathering-recap/ and https://www.youtube.com/@PiedmontEnvironmentalCouncil
11.) Guide: Virginia Cave and Karst Trail – https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/vacavetrail
12.) Guide: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s Grants and Loans Key – https://www.deq.virginia.gov/get-involved/decision-keys
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.) Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management (VESM) Updates and Trainings
   ++ Amendments to VESM Act – Effective Date: July 1, 2025 – Sources for determining compliance with the revised threshold for the total phosphorus load of new development projects and specifications for best management practices (BMPs):
      == Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook, Version 1.1 (https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/stormwater/stormwater-construction/handbooks),
      == Virginia Runoff Reduction Method (VRRM), Version 4.1 (https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/stormwater/stormwater-construction/guidance-vrrm)
   ++ Training Courses -- Various dates and locations, starting: July 9, 2025 -- https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/training-certification/continuing-education
      == Using the Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook
      == Large Scale Construction Site Inspections
      == Regulatory SWPPP Inspections for Localities
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2.) Expanded Polystyrene (EPS Foam) Ban – For more information, see https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/land-waste/litter-prevention/foam-free-resources.
   ++ Effective Date: July 1, 2025 -- Food establishments with 20 or more locations in Virginia must stop using EPS containers
   ++ Effective Date:  July 1, 2026 -- All remaining food establishments must stop using EPS containers
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3.) Lecture: Cooling Our Cities with Tree Canopy – July 8, 2025 (6:30-7:30pm) – Virginia Beach, VA – This event will focus on the use of urban tree canopies for combating the impacts of climate change, building community resilience, and supporting healthy and sustainable environments.  For more information and registration, see https://events.cbf.org/treecanopy. Organized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
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4.) Webinar: Reaching Beyond Residents -- Smarter Public Education for Your MS4 – July 10, 2025 (10:30-11:30am) – Attendees will learn how to implement active and passive education in MS4 programs and perform smart documentation and reporting to meet permit requirements and demonstrate compliance. For more information, see https://www.seswa.org/webinars. Organized by the Southeast Stormwater Association.
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5.) Request for Proposals: Feed the Need – Application Deadline: July 11, 2025 – Mini-grants will be awarded to sustainable farmers in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia who grow food for a food assistance program of their choosing. For more information, see https://futureharvest.org/resources/resources-for-farmers/feed-the-need/.  Organized by Future Harvest.
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6.) EPA Tools and Resources Webinar Series – Webinars are free of charge and open to the public. For more information and to register, see https://www.epa.gov/research-states/epa-tools-and-resources-webinar-series. Organized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
   ++ Elevated Temperature Landfills: Case Studies, Indicators, and Knowledge Gaps -- July 16, 2025
   ++ Microplastics -- August 20, 2025
   ++ PFAS (Including biosolids and impacts to crops and/or food) -- September 17, 2025
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7.) Backyard Stream Repair Series (Non-Credit) – Available Until August 12, 2025 -- During this on-demand webinar series, participants will learn simple and affordable techniques to help repair their stream. Credits were only awarded for attending the live webinar. Learn more and register for the on-demand webinar at https://extension.psu.edu/backyard-stream-repair-series-non-credit. Offered by the Penn State Extension.
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8.) Report: State of the York Watershed System – This report shares the status, trends, and opportunities of the York River, Piankatank River, and Mobjack Bay basins. For more information, see https://yorkriverroundtable.org/soty/.  Published by the York River and Small Coastal Basin Roundtable.
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9.) Imported Fire Ant Quarantine Zone -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture and VDACS Office of Plant Industry Services attempts to eradicate fire ant occurrence outside of the quarantine zone.  When the imported fire ant is established in an area, it is included in the Quarantine Zone, and VDACS will no longer treat infestations in those areas. Areas covered by the Imported Fire Ant Quarantine include the counties of Chesterfield, Lee, Nottoway, Pittsylvania, Prince George’s, and Surry, and the independent cities of Colonial Heights, Danville, Hopewell, and Petersburg. For a map and more information, see https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/plant-industry-services-imported-fire-ant.shtml. Provided by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
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10.) Highlights: Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) 2025 Annual Gathering – Held: June 8, 2025 – Theme: “Inspiring Conservation” – Links to presentation slides, resources, and more are available at https://www.pecva.org/land-conservation/a-great-day-at-eldon-farms-annual-gathering-recap/. Videos of some talks and related presentations are available at https://www.youtube.com/@PiedmontEnvironmentalCouncil. Organized by the PEC.
   ++ Workshop: A Walking Tour of Conservation at Eldon Farms
   ++ Workshop: Connectivity and Larger Landscapes - from Blue Ridge to the Bay
   ++ Workshop: How to Meet the Demand for Native Plants - The Importance of Native Plants in Restoring the Upper Rappahannock
   ++ Workshop: Data Centers & Virginia’s Clean Energy Future
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11.) Guide: Virginia Cave and Karst Trail – This trail guide provides information on more than two dozen opportunities to learn about cave and karst features. For more information, see https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/vacavetrail.  Provided by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
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12.) Guide: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s Grants and Loans Key – Applicants can use this guide to help determine potential funding sources for various projects.  For more information, see https://www.deq.virginia.gov/get-involved/decision-keys. Provided by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
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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 Water Resources Research Center. Thank you to our sponsor!

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.