U.S. State of Virginia Coal Combustion Residuals Permit Program
Proposed Approval
On May 4, 2026, EPA published a proposal to allow the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, rather than the federal government, to permit CCR disposal in surface impoundments and landfills. EPA preliminarily determined that the Virginia CCR permit program meets the standard for approval under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
EPA will accept comments on this proposal through July 6, 2026.
Public Hearing
EPA will hold a hybrid in-person and online public hearing about this proposed approval on June 24, 2026, starting at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The hearing will take place in person in the Training Room at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Piedmont Regional Office, 4949-A Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060. For more information, visit our public hearing webpage.
Background
EPA received an application from the state of Virginia requesting approval of their CCR permit program.
In preparation to submit their application, Virginia promulgated regulations for CCR disposal units at Title 9 of the Virginia Administrative Code Agency 20, Chapter 81, Section 800, which adopts the federal CCR regulations in Title 40 of the Code of Regulations part 257 subpart D by reference. Virginia also promulgated additional permitting and certification elements for these facilities at 9 VAC 20-81-450, 460, 475, 490, and 810 as well as requirements for inactive CCR surface impoundments in 9 VAC 20-81-820.
EPA took the first step in the process of making a determination of whether to approve Virginia environmental department's CCR permit program by notifying Virginia DEQ that their application is complete and that the formal process of soliciting public comment and making a final determination on Virginia's CCR permit program will begin.