LOCATION: Gillis Theater

PANELISTS:

• Jeff Steers; Director of Central Operations (Moderator)
• Michael Rolband; Director, DEQ
• Michael Dowd; Director, Air and Renewable Energy Division
• Melanie Davenport; Director, Water Permitting Division
• Jutta Schneider; Director, Water Planning Division
• Kathryn Perzyck; Director, Land Protection and Revitalization Division
• Tiffany Severs; Director, Enforcement Division

LOCATION: Gillis Theater

Featuring directors from Virginia Departments of Conservation and Recreation, Environmental Quality, and Forestry.

PANELISTS:

• Rob Farrell, State Forester of Virginia and Director of the Virginia Department of Forestry
• Mike Rolband, Director of Department of Environmental Quality
• Matt Wells, Director of Department of Conservation and Recreation

Sewage Systems: Mapping Data & Spill Response

LOCATION: Shenandoah | Session Moderator: COL Tom Timmes (VMI Civil and Environmental Engineering)

Building State-wide Onsite Sewage System Inventory Using Real Estate Data and a Supervised Classification Model

PRESENTERS:

• Sonal Iyer; Director, Division of Data Management and Process Improvement, Virginia Department of Health
• Megan Senseman; Environmental Data Coordinator, Virginia Department of Health

ABSTRACT:

In Virginia, permits are required for installation and maintenance of septic systems, but the digital statewide septic system inventory remains incomplete. VDH used real estate assessment data with sewer information for thirty-five counties/localities and merged it with the existing inventory of septic systems using geocoding techniques, adding 551,611 new records to the existing 344,475 records.

To streamline resources, VDH developed a three-step supervised, predictive classification model using parcel data for Henrico County and Roanoke City. Step 1 determined the minimum distance of 32.5m for a parcel to have a sewer connection with accuracy of prediction of 94.2% for Henrico and 95.8% for Roanoke. Step 2 classified the parcels using five variables from the State/local/county codes into predefined classes for septic system feature requirements. The output showed 6.9% of parcels in Henrico and 3.4% in Roanoke as not meeting appropriate requirements. Step 3 combined results from step 1 and step 2 to assign a septic/no septic classification for each parcel, which changed the classification for septic/no septic (11.1 % (Step 1) to 10.9% (Step 3) for Henrico and 6.7 % (Step 1) to 6.1% (Step 3) for Roanoke). A proportional Z-test showed that this difference was significant at 95% confidence for both Henrico (Z score = 2.07) and Roanoke (Z score = 3.72). Step 1 and step 2 together improve the predictability of the septic/no septic classification model, but each step can be used independent of each other depending on availability of only sewer mapping data or only State/county/locality codes.

Present and future responses to sewage spills and shellfish growing area management

PRESENTERS:

• Dr. Todd Egerton; Marine Science Supervisor, Virginia Department of Health
• Dr. Raul A. Gonzalez; Environmental Scientist, Hampton Roads Sanitation District

ABSTRACT:

This presentation provides an overview of both the processes that are currently in place to manage shellfish growing areas in response to sewage spills as well as introduce novel and emerging technologies that can better inform public health decisions and how they are being utilized in Virginia.  The talk discusses the 29 million gallon wastewater spill into the James River in January 2021, and the multi-agency responses associated with the communication, monitoring, risk assessments and follow-up activities.   Virginia Department of Health and the Hampton Roads Sanitation District worked together in utilizing a number of water and shellfish monitoring metrics in a months-long effort to track the impacts of the spill over time.   Following the presentation, conference attendees will be informed on the process of spill response and the coordinated risk management of shellfish beds in Virginia.  The presentation introduces different bacterial and viral indicators and promising advances in monitoring pathogens directly and how Virginia is prepared for future spills and other environmental health concerns.

Virginia Heat Watch

LOCATION: New Market

Virginia Heat Watch: Heat Mapping to Assess and Address Climate Vulnerability in Virginia Communities

PANELISTS:

• Dr. Karin Warren; Professor and Herzog Family Chair of Environmental Studies & Science, Randolph College (Moderator)
• Trevor Brooks; Bridgewater College
• Katherione O'Niell; Roanoke College
• Eva Pontius; Randolph College
• Olivia Richards; Randolph College
• Tracy Spencer; University of Lynchburg
• Rachel Turner; Emory and Henry College
• Marcus Smaltz; Virginia Wesleyan University
• Brynn Vandegriff; Virginia Wesleyan University

ABSTRACT:

Twelve institutions in the Virginia Foundation of Independent Colleges collaborated on “Virginia Heat Watch”, a project to analyze heat islands and climate vulnerabilities. We used the procedure by Climate Adaptation and Planning Analytics (CAPA) Strategies to map heat during a high heat day on July 15, 2021, with volunteers contributing to data collection. Points of interest were identified to help ensure that sampling routes incorporated potentially vulnerable locations. Volunteers drove, rode bicycles, or walked prescribed routes through their communities at 6 AM, 3 PM, and 7 PM. Temperature and humidity were recorded with vehicle-mounted sensors, and data was processed by CAPA Strategies. Previous heat mapping studies in other cities demonstrated that historically red-lined areas are most vulnerable. Our data similarly reveal that vulnerabilities to heat are disproportionate throughout our communities, and we will need prioritized strategies to address these risks. Undergraduate student research teams from six participating institutions will be featured on this panel. The Panel Chair (a faculty mentor) will provide a brief overview of Virginia Heat Watch, each student team will then briefly summarize projects in their communities to develop equitable initiatives for mitigating health impacts of heat, and we welcome questions and discussion thereafter. “Virginia Heat Watch” received support from Capital One, the Science Museum of Virginia, Virginia Department of Forestry, and the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges.

Community Engagement at DEQ

LOCATION: Pogue Auditorium

Community Engagement at DEQ

• Tiffany Severs; DEQ Enforcement Director (Moderator)
• Renee Hoyos; DEQ EJ Director
• Jerome Brooks; DEQ Deputy EJ Director
• Greg Bilyeu; DEQ Director of Communications
• Anissa Rafeh; DEQ Senior Communications Strategist

ABSTRACT:

Communications and engagement…what’s the difference? Understanding the distinction -- and how we move towards two-way conversation -- leads to better outcomes for all of us.

This panel will share DEQ’s outreach efforts to provide consistent access to agency news, information and updates while raising awareness and building relationships. The discussion will include an overview of the agency’s social media platforms with examples of lessons learned and best practices.

Panelists will discuss the agency’s efforts to support meaningful involvement among vulnerable communities to encourage awareness and participation in decision-making about activities that will affect their environment or health.

Offshore Wind Energy

LOCATION: Gillis Theater

Offshore Wind Energy

PANELISTS:

• Mary Rafferty; Executive Director, Virginia Conservation Network (Moderator)
• Al Christopher; Director, RE & EE Program, DEQ
• Jason Ericson; Director, Environmental Services, Dominion Energy
• Chris Stone; Senior Principal, Clark Nexsen

ABSTRACT:

In 2020, Virginia committed to a goal of producing 5200 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. This positions the Commonwealth to not only be a leader in this clean energy technology but also to become a hub for thousands of new jobs. This panel will give an update on Virginia's progress to this goal including the regulatory and community outreach processes currently underway. The panel will dive into the economic and environmental challenges and opportunities of this historic development.  

Food Waste

LOCATION: Shenandoah

Session Moderator: Meghann Quinn (DEQ)

PRESENTER:

• Thomas Gilardi, P.E., LEED AP; President, Totemic Sustainable Solution

ABSTRACT:

Food Waste or Wasted Food is considered a significant factor in climate change. One-third of food is wasted before it reaches the consumer and post-consumer food waste constitutes greater than 20% of landfill volume. There are other costs to consider when looking at food waste; multiple modes of transportation, unnecessary land use that reduces habitat, excess fertilization, and years of methane management at landfills. Many people consider food waste to be the number one factor affecting climate change.

One way to fight climate change is to reduce the volume and weight of food waste at the source, using on-site equipment before it is sent to the landfill. Readily available technologies include: dehydration, pulping, in-vessel composting, digestion and open air composting. Many Virginia Universities are implementing sustainable practices to reduce food waste. In-fact, VMI is one of the first Universities in the country to implement food waste dehydrators at their Mess Hall to quickly reduce food waste by 85%.

Many of these technologies have been in use worldwide for decades but are unfamiliar within the United States. All of the technologies are applicable in different situations and it's important to select a technology to meet the needs of each individual location. This presentation will compare and contrast the pros and cons of each technology.

PRESENTER:

• Craig Nargi, owner, Stable Craft Brewing at Hermitage Hill

ABSTRACT:

Central Virginia’s Stable Craft Brewing at Hermitage Hill, an authentic working farm brewery and winery, is the first brewery on the East Coast to launch a zero food waste initiative for its award-winning brewery, restaurant and wedding and banquet facility. The brewery transformed its entire restaurant, wedding and banquet operation to zero food waste through an innovative onsite bokashi composting program. Bokashi, originating from Asian cultures, uses fermentation to break down all food scraps – including meat, dairy and oils, in less than half the time of conventional composting while avoiding unpleasant odors and deterring pests.

The end product is a natural liquid fertilizer that greatly increases the population of beneficial microbes that add valuable nutrients to the compost and helps improve the health of soil and plants. The brewery utilizes the bokashi, compost, and compost tea on their organic herb garden that Executive Chef Stephan Klein incorporates into Stable Craft’s agri-pub and special event catering menus.

Stable Craft Brewing owner Craig Nargi estimates Stable Craft Brewing’s voluntary adoption of their Zero Food Waste initiative diverts more than five and a half tons of food waste from landfills to their organic herb garden.

The sustainable brewery also grows its own hops, utilizes the brewing wastewater to water their hops, co-ops with a local farmer to use the spent grain for food for the cattle and has planted 1,100 trees on the farm to help with erosion and air quality. Stable Craft Brewing also has its own chickens for eggs and grows their own herbs and captures rainwater from their expansive roof system funneling it back into a holding pond for watering landscaping.

Land Conservation

LOCATION: New Market

Session Moderator: Ruth Debrito (Smithfield Foods)

Introduction to the Virginia ConservationVision Watershed Impact Model

PRESENTER:

• Dr. Kirsten R. Hazler; Landscape Ecologist, Virginia Natural Heritage Program

ABSTRACT:

The Virginia ConservationVision Watershed Impact Model is a screening tool to determine where activities on the land are expected to have the greatest impact on water resources. The model relies on spatial data representing conditions that drive the terrestrial influence on aquatic systems, including precipitation, geology, soils, topography, and hydrologic flow. Although land cover exerts a key influence on pollutant loads reaching streams, it is not included as a factor in this model. Instead, potential impact is calculated under a "worst case scenario" of barren land. By leaving land cover out of the equation, the model can be used in conjunction with the most detailed and current land cover maps available, rather than becoming obsolete when land cover changes. In addition to the model's primary raster output representing potential impact, we provide several intermediate outputs that can be combined in various ways depending on end users' needs. These include scores based on potential for stormwater runoff and soil loss, and landscape position relative to surface waters and karst features. This presentation will cover how the model was developed and where to find the output datasets produced. It will also demonstrate how these outputs can be used in conjunction with other data to help prioritize conservation, restoration, and management efforts geared toward maintaining and/or improving the ecological health of aquatic systems and the quality of drinking water sources in Virginia.

ConserveVirginia: Virginia’s Land Conservation Strategy, Version 3.0 

PRESENTER:

• Joe Weber; Natural Heritage Information Manager, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

ABSTRACT:

ConserveVirginia was codified into law in 2021 (§ 10.1-104.6:1) as the Commonwealth’s strategic, quality over quantity land conservation initiative focused on the most important areas to conserve for a variety of values important to citizens. It has become a key tool in guiding state investments to ensure the best conservation outcomes. This data-driven approach to prioritizing land conservation is revised regularly, with Version 3.0 launched in the fall of 2021, and it relies on priorities identified by an array of state and federal agencies, universities, and conservation non-profits.  ConserveVirginia is a synthesis of 25 mapped data inputs, which have been partitioned into seven categories, each representing a different overarching conservation value. The categories are: Agriculture & Forestry; Natural Habitat & Ecosystem Diversity; Floodplains & Flooding Resilience; Cultural & Historic Preservation; Scenic Preservation; Protected Landscapes Resilience, and Water Quality Improvement.  The strategy prioritizes the most important lands from a statewide perspective, focuses limited resources toward those areas, and measures the progress made toward achieving multiple conservation goals.  ConserveVirginia can serve as Virginia’s information-driven, collaborative road map toward achieving contributions to the state’s conserved lands that address various needs benefitting communities across the Commonwealth.

Water Sustainability

LOCATION: Moody Activities

Session Moderator: Meryem Karad 

Developing a Strategy to Meet Water Sustainability Goals

PRESENTER:

• Ted Douglass; National Tech and Innovation Lead - Compliance and Permitting Brown and Caldwell

ABSTRACT:

Recent shifts in sustainability have enhanced the need for companies to develop new aggressive water sustainability goals. Implementation of these goals pose difficult execution challenges.  The process of establishing appropriate goals, developing a plan to execute them, and preparing a method for tracking and reporting progress can be challenging. Having worked through all phases of this process, we will discuss what it means to make a water sustainability commitment. Once these commitments are made, an inferred financial backing must be executed on the project’s objective and timeline. We will explore methods for identifying, prioritizing, and selecting projects that best suit an organization’s sustainability commitment and operational objectives. An upfront investment must often be made even though the sustainability results cannot be measured for 12 to 24 months. The way a company presents progress on its goals and return on investment is critical to the program’s success. Various methods for presenting this data will be evaluated to justify the investment both fiscally and from a project planning perspective.

Imperatives for 21st Century Resilient Water Management Strategies

PRESENTER:

• Dr. Tamim Younos; Founder & President, Green Water-Infrastructure Academy

ABSTRACT:

The combined effects of urbanization and population concentration are documented well in literature. Significant risks including but are not limited to: lowered groundwater table due to combined effects of excessive groundwater withdrawal and reduced natural groundwater recharge; saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers; widespread pollution of surface waters caused by stormwater runoff; water scarcity and urban flooding. Significant problems in water infrastructure including but are not limited to overall deterioration of water infrastructure; significant energy use and loss via water distribution systems; cyber security concerns in centralized drinking water infrastructure; and environmental justice in low income communities. The problems noted above are exacerbated partly by climate change and its impact on water resources and water infrastructure. 

Obviously technologies and strategies developed based on the 20th-century state of knowledge are no longer adequate and effective to meet the emerging challenges of this century. Needed now are novel holistic approaches that integrate natural and engineered systems into the planning and design of urban water infrastructure systems, and solutions that recognize the nexus between water, energy, and food production in urban environments. A holistic approach can be best realized by incorporating small-scale, decentralized water and energy production systems into urban environments. This presentation will include an overview of 20^th century accomplishments and problems, and highlight case studies of futuristic approaches to water management, and also discuss potential impediments to holistic water management approach in urban environments.

Partnerships in the Chesapeake Bay  

LOCATION: Shenandoah

Session Moderator: Chris Stone (Clark Nexsen)

A Local Government Guide to the Chesapeake Bay

PRESENTERS:

• Laura Cattell Noll; Local Government Projects Manage, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
• Justin Williams; Office Director, Office of Watersheds and Local Government Assistance Programs, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

ABSTRACT:

A Local Government Guide to the Chesapeake Bay are non-branded, editable modules that can be tailored and adapted for local decision makers in your network. Created to connect directly with the local government priorities of economic development, public health and safety, infrastructure maintenance and finance, and education, the modules cover topics like stormwater, trees, land use, climate resilience and more. Hear how several organizations and agencies have used the modules to increase the knowledge and capacity of local officials and explore how these materials can help meet your organization’s local government engagement goals.

Identifying, incentivizing, and implementing best management practices (BMPs) with our business and industrial partners to improve water quality and provide flood protection

PRESENTER:

• Dr. KC Filippino; Senior Water Resources Planner, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission

ABSTRACT:

Funded by a small watershed technical assistance and planning grant through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) we identified opportunities, incentives, and barriers towards voluntary implementation of BMPs by businesses and industrial property owners. The goal of this effort was to identify large-scale parcels for BMP implementation to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution that reaches the Chesapeake Bay. Identifying future funding and incentives like. reductions in permit fees, green marketing campaigns, team building, or carbon credits was also a key component to motivate the private sector to adopt behaviors that benefit water quality while also tackling flood concerns. Many industrial partners in the Hampton Roads region are already environmental stewards and through this work we found they are willing to implement and report BMPs to improve local water quality and address needs through incentives. This presentation will provide: 1) an overview of typical projects that can be implemented on industrial properties, 2) implementation that incorporates co-benefits, 3) incentives identified, 4) partnerships that could be leveraged in the future, and 5) impediments to success.

Plastic Pollution in Virginia

LOCATION: New Market

Plastic pollution in Virginia: solutions to decrease bags, bottles, boats & more

PANELISTS:

• Laura McKay; Manager, VA CZM Program (Moderator)
• Jefferson Flood; Co-facilitator of the Virginia Abandoned & Derelict Vessels Workgroup; Coastal Planner, Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program
• Karen W. Forget; Executive Director, Lynnhaven River NOW

ABSTRACT:

Virginians are increasingly aware of and concerned with plastics pollution that litters neighborhoods, clogs streams and storm drains, and enters our oceans as harmful marine debris. This panel will provide an overview of the sources and impacts of mismanaged waste in Virginia and will focus on solutions to the growing plastic pollution problem -- including single-use food and beverage items.

Topics include:

• The 2021-2025 Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan (VMDRP) by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM) and Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW) offers solutions to address single-use consumer items, microplastics, derelict fishing gear, and abandoned watercraft. The VMDRP, calls for specific actions to decrease marine debris through behavior change, removal, prevention and legislation.

• Solutions to the growing problem of abandoned derelict vessels. Updates on emerging science, best practices, and lessons learned will equip attendees with the knowledge and tools to increase awareness of these problems and define potential solutions in their communities. While abandoned and derelict vessels (ADV) have long been an issue in Virginia's coastal and inland waters, a concentrated effort to address the threat they pose to public safety and to the natural environment began in December 2020 by CZM and CVW. A diverse stakeholders group has worked to better define the ADV issue and propose a series of policy recommendations to increase funding, regulatory authority, and removal capacity, as well as to strategize future public outreach to prevent additional occurrences of ADV.

Corporate Sustainability Efforts (ESG)

LOCATION: Pogue

Corporate Sustainability Efforts (ESG)

PANELISTS:

• Meghann Quinn; Manager-Office of Pollution Prevention, DEQ (Moderator)
• Brooke Wynn; Senior Director of Sustainability, Smithfield Foods
• Erika Pagel; Chief Investment Officer of Sustainable Investing, Brown Advisory
• Mark Vigil; Environmental Coordinator, Luck Companies

ABSTRACT: 

Sustainability has become a key component of today’s decision-making process for corporations.  Some companies have successfully weaved sustainability efforts into the fabric of their everyday goals and value creation. Increasingly, investors are looking into a company’s environmental, social, and corporate governance, evaluating how the company performs as a steward of nature; manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers and communities; and deals with leadership. Join us to hear from companies who have a long history of incorporating their values into their operations and investors who are driving others towards sustainability.

Wastewater and SARs-CoV 2

LOCATION: Moody Activities

Session Moderator: Bryan Chrisman (Town of Luray)

Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in Virginia

PRESENTERS:

• Dr. Rekha Singh, MPH; Wastewater Surveillance Program Manager, Virginia Department of Health

ABSTRACT:

Wastewater-based epidemiology is the monitoring of the influent to wastewater treatment plants to screen the contributing population for evidence of bacterial or viral pathogens or other human health parameters of concern. Because the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, is shed in the feces of infected individuals, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) created the COVID-19 National Wastewater Surveillance System or NWSS.  NWSS is a collaboration between CDC, local and state health departments, wastewater treatment plants, laboratories, state and local stakeholders with the goal of gathering wastewater surveillance data from the various communities across the nation into one spot through the NWSS data portal.  The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) applied for and received funding through CDC to develop a wastewater surveillance program.   The Virginia wastewater surveillance program has three key elements to it:  (1) a sentinel monitoring program; (2) variant detection through molecular sequencing; and (3) local project monitoring programs.  The core of the program is the sentinel monitoring program where 25 wastewater treatment plants have been sampled weekly since September 2021.  VDH will present how the program was developed, the programmatic lessons learned, and ultimately what we are learning from the data. 

Chesapeake Project: A Joint Public Health and SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance Research and Intervention Project

PRESENTERS:

• David Jurgens, P.E.; Utilities Director, City of Chesapeake
• Cynthia Jackson, M.S., REHS/RS, MAOSE; Environmental Health Manager; Virginia Department of Health- Chesapeake Health Department
• Dr. Raul Gonzalez; Environmental Scientist, Hampton Roads Sanitation District

ABSTRACT:

The Chesapeake Project is a joint collaboration between wastewater utility partners, public health, and academic researchers, with the goal of using localized community wastewater SARS-CoV-2 viral loads to better inform public health intervention. Weekly wastewater sampling for SARS-CoV-2 was performed at five subsewershed sites in Chesapeake, Virginia for over five months. Sites were selected based on availability of flow data, geographic coverage, and community factors including vaccination rates and Health Opportunity Index. Weekly meetings informed group members of current viral wastewater trends, of which the local health department used to help inform their intervention efforts. Interventions included targeted vaccination clinics, clinical testing sites, and public education campaigns. One affiliated academic researcher used the data to make predictive analytics for which sites were most likely to increase in viral load. Study was funded and facilitated by the Virginia Department of Health’s Wastewater Surveillance Program (VDH WWS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Wastewater Surveillance System (CDC NWSS). Overall, the Chesapeake Project created real-time, actionable information to help support public health intervention efforts against COVID-19 spread.  

SARS CoV-2 pooled wastewater surveillance for as an early warning system for congregate living

PRESENTER:

• Dr. Amy Mathers, MD, D(ABMM); Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathology, UVA

ABSTRACT: 

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly contagious virulent respiratory virus which has caused major outbreaks in people who live in congregate settings such as nursing homes, prisons and dormitories.  Performing surveillance is critical to limiting transmission because people can be contagious without having symptoms and therefore transmission can occur unnoticed resulting in many infections.  Use of wastewater based testing (WBT) for pooled surveillance from a building with congregate living could serve as an early warning system to identify contagious individuals and limit outbreaks.

The presentation with demonstrate the efficacy, logistics and challenges of wastewater pooled surveillance for SARS CoV-2 RNA on college dormitories as a use-case congregate setting.  Topics will cover logistic and scientific barriers and how these issues were addressed.  Examples of the application limiting spread in a populations when applied in conjunction with other mitigating strategies will be provided.   Lastly, coverage of limitations with a focus on the challenge of persons continuing to shed SARS-CoV-2 RNA in their stool well after the contagious period. This highlights the need for refinement of the methodology to broaden the application of wastewater pooled surveillance for building outbreak detection. Going forward, it will be critical to have methods sensitive enough to detect a single new positive within a building that can also distinguish between new contagious infectious shedding versus persistent shedding after the contiguous period has passed.