The Virginia Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP) can provide small businesses free and confidential technical assistance on air quality and other related environmental requirements. The program is set up to help small businesses understand and comply with the Clean Air Act and Virginia's environmental regulations.

The program in the past has developed and distributed guidance materials, conducted workshops and training, this type of assistance is still available on a smaller scale.

Office of Small Business Assistance (OSBA)

Michael Dowd, the Air Division Director and Small Business Ombudsman and Susan Tripp, the Small Business Assistance Liaison, are available to provide small businesses with assistance via email, toll-free Hot Line assistance or on-site evaluations. The OSBA staff continues to be dedicated to helping business owners and operators learn about current regulatory requirements and recent regulatory changes, and understand the impact of these requirements on their operations.

Visit the Business and Industry Resources web page, which provides a listing of businesses likely to be affected by the Clean Air Act and Virginia's Regulations. Menus listed to the left of this page (and pages throughout the agency website) provides topic specific information, business assistance and resource information, new or updated regulatory standards, federal and state regulatory information, media specific permitting information, permitting expert tool, (to see if you may need a permit). Other information provided includes, various applications or forms, trade associations, media or program specific information and other helpful informational links.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: As of January 1, 2012 all data submitted to DEQ under the air, waste, and water quality laws 10.1-1300 et seq., 10.1-1400 et seq., and 62.1-44.2 et seq. of the Code of Virginia must come from a certified environmental laboratory. Visit the Virginia Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (VELAP) web page for additional information.

Combustion Portal: For the first time regulated entities have easy access to potential air, water, and waste regulatory impacts affecting their combustion activities as well as combustion calculators available to help estimate emissions and rule requirements.

Air Consultant Listing This listing is not endorsed by DEQ and is only provided as a courtesy.

Compliance Calendars

• 2016 Dry Cleaner Compliance Calendar (1 year) Short Version
• 2015 & 2016 Gas Dispensing Compliance Calendar (2 year) - Note: This will be the final GDF compliance calendar offered by DEQ.

Stage II for New or Major Modified Gasoline Dispensing Facilities (GDFs)

DEQ has determined that Stage II is no longer needed in Virginia's attainment and maintenance plans, which are approved into the Virginia State Implementation Plan (SIP).  DEQ has also determined that onboard refueling vapor recovery, (ORVR) will be in widespread use in the Richmond area by January 1, 2017, and became in widespread use in northern Virginia as of January 1, 2014.  Because Stage II is no longer needed for the control of ozone in these areas, Virginia submitted amendments to remove it from the SIP on November 12, 2013 (Richmond) and on March 19, 2014 (northern Virginia). EPA approved these amendments on August 11, 2014 (Richmond) and May 26, 2015 (northern Virginia).  Virginia then amended the specific Stage II requirements found in Article 37 of 9VAC5-40, which became effective July 30, 2015. 

Owners of GDFs located in the northern Virginia area may decommission their Stage II equipment in accordance with the PEI RP300-09 Decommission Checklist and ACG-003, Guidance for Decommissioning or Maintenance of Stage II Vapor Recovery Systems at Gasoline Dispensing Facilities in the Northern Virginia and Richmond Volatile Organic Compound Control Emission Control Areas. Owners who opt to maintain their Stage II equipment must continue to meet the requirements of Article 37.