News Releases from Region 03

EPA Announces Award of $21 Million in Funding for State and Tribal Environmental Priorities for VA

Funding to Virginia will support priorities of three state agencies

PHILADELPHIA (March 4, 2020) –The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today the state of Virginia is among the nation’s states and Tribes to receive a portion of $21 million in Multipurpose Grants for addressing their environmental priorities.  Three Virginia agencies will use EPA’s multipurpose grant funding to complement existing environmental protection efforts. 

"EPA recognizes the important role of states and local governments in protecting the health and future of our communities,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio. “This funding enables partners like Virginia to carry out activities that address their environmental and public health priorities.”

EPA’s Multipurpose Grant (MPG) program for States and Tribes supports states, tribes and territories in addressing high-priority environmental issues. Recognizing that environmental challenges differ due to variations in geography, population density, and other factors, this program provides EPA’s co-regulator partners with the flexibility to target funds to their highest priority efforts to protect human health and the environment.  With this grant funding, states and tribes are supporting a range of projects, including: addressing contaminants such as PFAS and lead, streamlining permitting processes, performing inspections, updating air and water monitoring equipment, testing radon in schools, and conducting outreach and education in areas such as pesticides application and harmful algal blooms.

The Multipurpose Grants awarded to Virginia include:

• VA Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services:

  • $55,060 – The Department added this funding to its existing pesticides performance partnership grant to carry out enforcement of pesticide regulations, and also the Department’s programs related to the certification and training of pesticide applicators, worker protection, water quality, and endangered species.

• VA Department of Health:

  • $127,175 – The Department will use this funding to purchase radon test kits for conducting radon testing at about 100 schools, and to develop a document management system for the Department’s Office of Drinking Water.

• VA Department of Environmental Quality:

  • $186,731 – The Department will use the funding to supplement its existing water pollution control grant, and to build capacity for data management and reporting across various programs.