Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Meeting

Department of Environmental Quality

Department of Environmental Quality

Meeting:

Notice of Public Meeting and Public Comment Period for a No Discharge Zone Application for selected waters in Richmond, Lancaster, Northumberland, and Westmoreland counties

Meeting Details
Date / Time	2/25/2025 6:30 pm
Type	Physical Location Only
Location	A.T. Johnson Museum, 18849 Kings Hwy, Montross, Virginia 22520. In the event of inclement weather causing the cancelation of the meeting, a meeting will be held on March 11, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the A.T. Johnson Museum,18849 Kings Hwy, Montross, VA 22520
Board Website	http://www.deq.virginia.gov
Agenda document	Meeting Agenda 2/10/2025 (6k)
Minutes document	agency has not posted
Purpose of the meeting PURPOSE OF NOTICE: The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold a public meeting and seek public comment on an application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate federal No-Discharge Zones (NDZ) for selected waters in Richmond, Lancaster, Northumberland, and Westmoreland counties. It is illegal to discharge raw sewage in the U.S. territorial waters. An NDZ designation additionally prohibits the overboard discharge of treated vessel sewage from marine sanitation devices in waters. § 62.1-44.33 of the Code of Virginia resolves that all tidal creeks in Virginia be designated federal No-Discharge Zones and directs DEQ to pursue the designation. NDZs are federal designations, therefore an NDZ is established by EPA upon satisfactory application from a state congruent with federal guidance. DEQ will seek to adopt the NDZs into 9VAC25-71-70, Regulations Governing the Discharge of Sewage and Other Wastes from Boats, after EPA approves the designation. The 9VAC25-71-60 of the Virginia Administrative Code specifies the requirements that apply within designated NDZs in Virginia. The application has been completed for selected waters of Richmond, Lancaster, Northumberland, and Westmoreland counties and describes the vessel population, vessel sewage pump-out needs, and vessel sewage pump-out options in those counties. Public meetings will be held by DEQ to present a summary of the application. Citizens are invited to provide comment on the application. NO-DISCHARGE ZONE LOCATIONS: The NDZ application addresses the waters listed below. Maps showing locations for these waters is provided in the draft application (link provided below). Rosier Creek, Mattox Creek and Monroe Bay, Nomini Creek and Currioman Bay, Lower Machodoc Creek, Ragged Point. Gardner Creek, Jackson Creek, Bonum Creek, Yeocomico River, Coan River and the Glebe, Judith Sound, Cod Creek, Little Wicomico River, Great Wicomico and Ingram Bay, Cloverdale Creek, Dividing Creek, Indian Creek, Dymer Creek, Tabbs Creek, Antipoison Creek, Windmill Point Resort, Little Oyster and Windmill Point Creek, Mosquito Creek, Carter Creek, Corrotoman River, Greenvale Creek, Deep Creek, Mulberry Creek, Lancaster Creek, Morattico Creek, Farnham Creek PUBLIC MEETING: A public meeting on the application will be held at the A.T. Johnson Museum, 18849 Kings Hwy, Montross, Virginia, on February 25, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. In the event of inclement weather causing the cancelation of the meeting, a meeting will be held on March 11, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the A.T. Johnson Museum, 18849 Kings Hwy, Montross, VA 22520. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: DEQ will accept comments beginning February 26, 2025, until April 7, 2025. HOW TO COMMENT: DEQ accepts written comments by e-mail or postal mail. All comments must be received by DEQ during the comment period. Submittals must include the name, organization they represent (if any), mailing addresses and telephone numbers of the commenter. CONTACT FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, DOCUMENT REQUESTS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Anne Schlegel, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218; Phone: (804) 774-9368; E-mail: Anne.Schlegel@deq.virginia.gov. The public may review the application at the following website address: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/water-quality/implementation/no-discharge-zone-program
Meeting Scope	Public hearing to receive comment on a proposed stage X General business of the board Discuss particular regulations / chapters

Contact Information
Name / Title:	Anne Schlegel
Address:	DEQ - Central Office P.O. Box 1105 Richmond, 23218
Email Address:	Anne.Schlegel@DEQ.Virginia.gov
Telephone:	(804)774-9368 FAX: ()- TDD: ()-
Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, such as sign language interpreters and/or real-time captioning services, are available upon request. Please send accommodation requests to the meeting contact as early as possible but no later than seven business days before the date of the meeting.