Virginia’s Voluntary Remediation Program Regulations Amended

An amendment to Virginia's Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) regulations became effective yesterday after a 5½ year rule-making process. Many of the changes are simply clarifications, but some will impact existing participants and those interested in applying to the program. The following is a brief summary of the more material changes:

Eligibility – The regulations were clarified to require both the applicant and the site to be assessed for eligibility. Additionally, one of the most important changes is that former solid-waste disposal sites that may be classified as an "open dump" or an "unpermitted solid-waste management facility" will now be eligible for the VRP, except in limited circumstances. This follows a decade of uncertainty regarding the eligibility of such sites for the program.