The Department of Environmental Quality is seeking comments on proposed Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF) cost control guidelines and policies, as presented in this DRAFT Report.  The DRAFT Report responds to a mandate from the 2007 General Assembly (HB 1710/SB 771) to identify and evaluate options to ensure the efficient use of grants awarded from the WQIF.  The process used to develop these cost control measures involved considerable public participation, through formation of a Technical Advisory Group with representatives from local government, publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities, the conservation community and DEQ technical staff.  Comments will be accepted for 30 days, by e-mail, fax and postal mail. All written comments must include the full name, address and telephone number of the person commenting and be received by DEQ by 5 p.m. on September 14, 2007.  Send comments to:  John Kennedy, DEQ-Chesapeake Bay Program, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, E-mail: jmkennedy@deq.virginia.gov, Phone:  (804) 698-4312, Fax: (804) 698-4116.

The DRAFT Report is available on the DEQ-WQIF webpage: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/bay/wqif.html.  The FINAL report will consider any comments received, and be provided to the applicable General Assembly committees by October 1, 2007.