DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

Announcing the Availability of the 2026 Water Quality Monitoring Plan and Requests for Nominations for Monitoring

Purpose of notice: The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is announcing the availability of the 2026 Water Quality Monitoring Plan and requests nominations of water bodies for inclusion in the 2027 monitoring plan. The 2026 monitoring plan is now available at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/water-quality/monitoring/water-quality-monitoring-plan. To nominate water bodies for monitoring, please follow the instructions in the agency's nomination form at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/4344/638718402131230000.

Background: Every year, DEQ staff from central office and the agency's six regional offices collect water samples for testing at more than 1,000 locations across the Commonwealth. The agency's various monitoring activities for each calendar year are outlined in the annual statewide Water Quality Monitoring Plan.

2026 Water Quality Monitoring Plan: The 2026 Monitoring Plan summarizes DEQ's water quality monitoring activities to be conducted from January 1 through December 31 and is developed for the purpose of implementing the goals and objectives of DEQ's water quality monitoring strategy, which is available at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/9481/637798468895600000. This water quality information is presented in compliance with the Virginia Water Quality Monitoring, Information and Restoration Act (§ 62.1-44.19:5 of the Code of Virginia). The monitoring plan contains detailed information on DEQ's monitoring activities, including the station locations, specific conditions, frequency of monitoring, and costs.

Nominations for water quality monitoring: In accordance with § 62.1-44.19:5 of the Code of Virginia, any person may request that a specific body of water be included in DEQ's annual water quality monitoring plan. Such requests shall include, at a minimum, (i) a geographical description of the water body recommended for monitoring, (ii) the reason the monitoring is requested, and (iii) any water quality data that the petitioner may have collected or compiled. Each request received by April 30, 2026, shall be reviewed when DEQ develops the annual water quality monitoring plan for the following calendar year. DEQ will respond in writing on its approval or denial of each nomination by August 31, 2026.

Contacts for more information: For more information on the 2026 Water Quality Monitoring Plan, please contact the DEQ contact listed or Sandra Mueller at telephone (804) 659-1388 or email sandra.mueller@deq.virginia.gov. For more information on nominating water bodies for monitoring, please contact Meighan Wisswell at telephone (571) 886-6494 or email citizenwater@deq.virginia.gov. Additional information is also available on DEQ's Water Quality Monitoring website at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quality/monitoring.

Contact Information: Andrew Garey, Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 659-2673, or email andrew.garey@deq.virginia.gov.

Caledon Solar LLC Notice of Intent for a Small Renewable Energy Project (Solar) - Permit by Rule - King George County

Caledon Solar LLC has provided the Department of Environmental Quality a notice of intent to submit the necessary documentation for a permit by rule for a small renewable energy project (solar) in King George County, pursuant to 9VAC15-60. The project number is RE0000373. The proposed project location has a geographic information (GIS) centroid of Latitude 38.346903, Longitude -77.128072. The project as proposed is a 22-megawatt alternating current photovoltaic ground-mounted solar facility and will be comprised of approximately 48,000 modules. The total acreage of the project is approximately 215 acres with a disturbance area of 122 acres. The project developer is Terra Form Power Operating LLC, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Contact Information: Amber Foster, Renewable Energy Permit by Rule Coordinator, Department of Environmental Quality, 1111 East Main Street, Suite 1400, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 774-8474, or email amber.foster@deq.virginia.gov.

Proposed Enforcement Action for KW1 LLC

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing an enforcement action for KW1 LLC for violations of State Water Control Law and regulations and applicable permit at the KW1 mulch facility located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The proposed order is available from the DEQ contact or at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/news-info/shortcuts/public-notices/enforcement-actions. The DEQ contact will accept written comments from February 9, 2026, to March 10, 2026.

Contact Information: Russell Deppe, Enforcement Specialist, Department of Environmental Quality, 5636 Southern Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, or email russell.deppe@deq.virginia.gov.

Proposed Enforcement Action for MHF Properties LLC

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing an enforcement action for MHF Properties LLC for violations of State Water Control Law and regulations and applicable permit at The Orchards, Section 1 facility located in Aylett, Virginia. The proposed order is available from the DEQ contact or at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/news-info/shortcuts/public-notices/enforcement-actions. The DEQ contact will accept written comments from February 9, 2026, to March 11, 2026.

Contact Information: Cara Witte, Enforcement Specialist, Department of Environmental Quality, Piedmont Regional Office, 4949-A Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060, or email cara.witte@deq.virginia.gov.

Proposed Enforcement Action for Powell Creek Solar LLC

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing an enforcement action for Powell Creek Solar LLC for violations of State Water Control Law and regulations and applicable permit at the Powell Creek Solar facility located in Prince George County, Virginia. The proposed order is available from the DEQ contact or at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/news-info/shortcuts/public-notices/enforcement-actions. The DEQ contact will accept written comments from February 9, 2026, to March 11, 2026.

Contact Information: Cara Witte, Enforcement Specialist, Department of Environmental Quality, Piedmont Regional Office, 4949 Cox Road, Suite A, Glen Allen, VA 23060, or email cara.witte@deq.virginia.gov.

DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

Request for Comments on Revision to Fees for Drinking Water Laboratory Certification

Purpose of notice and background information: The Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS) is seeking comments on the revision to fees charged for certifying drinking water laboratories under 1VAC30-41-270.

1VAC30-41-270 I 2 requires DCLS to increase or decrease annually the fees charged for certifying drinking water laboratories using the Consumer Price Index-Urban percentage change, average-average for the previous calendar year published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in January. The percentage change, average-average for 2025 is an additional 2.6%. See the table labeled "Historical Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average, all items, index averages" at https://www.bls.gov/cpi/tables/supplemental-files/historical-cpi-u-202512.xlsx. The percentage change, average-average data can be found in the Index Averages tab. The revised fees are exempt from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). The Budget of the Commonwealth of Virginia in Part I, Item 68 C 3 of Chapter 725 of the 2025 Acts of Assembly requires DCLS to provide notice and an opportunity to submit written comments on the revised fees.

The notice of fees for May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027, will be published on the DCLS drinking water laboratory certification webpage after consideration of submitted comments.

Public comment period: February 9, 2026, through March 11, 2026.

How to comment: DCLS accepts written comments by email, fax, and postal mail. To be considered, comments must include the full name, address, and telephone number of the person commenting and must be received by DCLS by the last day of the comment period. All materials received are part of the public record. Comments should be sent to the contact listed.

Notice of fees for May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027.

DCLS requests comments on the following revised fees.

How fees are calculated: DCLS calculates a laboratory's total fee by adding the fees for the number of test methods in each category in the fee table for which the laboratory is certified or applies to be certified. Contact lab_cert@dgs.virginia.gov for more information about the fee category for a specific method.

Additional fees apply when a laboratory:

1. Applies for modification of certification under 1VAC30-41-110.

2. Relocates and requires an on-site DCLS assessment.

3. Requests certification reinstatement requiring an on-site DCLS assessment.

Hourly review fee and calculation of total fee: The fee to be charged is the sum of the total hourly charges for all reviewers plus any onsite assessment costs incurred. The hourly charge per reviewer is $84. The charge per reviewer is determined by multiplying the number of hours expended in the review by $84. On-site review and travel expenses: If an on-site review is required, travel time and on-site review time will be charged at the same hourly rate of $84, and any travel expenses will be added.

When to pay: Payment is due when the initial application is processed or annually thereafter upon receipt of the invoice from DCLS. Annual billing precedes the expiration of the current certificate.

How to pay: Fees may be paid by check or with a credit card via an electronic payment portal provided by DCLS, or other payment arrangements may be made by contacting lab_cert@dgs.virginia.gov. All payments are made after an invoice is issued by DCLS, in accordance with instructions on the invoice or in accordance with special arrangements made by contacting DCLS.

Contact Information: Kimberly Freiberger, Policy Planning Specialist III, Department of General Services, 1100 Bank Street, Suite 420, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 205-3861, or email kimberly.freiberger@dgs.virginia.gov.

VIRGINIA CODE COMMISSION

Notice to State Agencies

Contact Information: Mailing Address: Virginia Code Commission, Pocahontas Building, 900 East Main Street, 8th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219; Telephone: (804) 698-1810; Email: varegs@dls.virginia.gov.

Meeting Notices: Section 2.2-3707 C of the Code of Virginia requires state agencies to post meeting notices on their websites and on the Commonwealth Calendar at https://commonwealthcalendar.virginia.gov.

Cumulative Table of Virginia Administrative Code Sections Adopted, Amended, or Repealed: A table listing regulation sections that have been amended, added, or repealed in the Virginia Register of Regulations since the regulations were originally published or last supplemented in the print version of the Virginia Administrative Code is available at http://register.dls.virginia.gov/documents/cumultab.pdf.

Filing Material for Publication in the Virginia Register of Regulations: Agencies use the Regulation Information System (RIS) to file regulations and related items for publication in the Virginia Register of Regulations. The Registrar's office works closely with the Department of Planning and Budget (DPB) to coordinate the system with the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall. RIS and Town Hall complement and enhance one another by sharing pertinent regulatory information.