Environment & Natural Resources

The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) is instrumental in coordinating and facilitating discussion on environmental and natural resources topics throughout the Region. We provide local assistance related to compliance with state and federal regulations, infrastructure improvements, long range planning, and capacity building to assist the Region in achieving its resource stewardship goals.

Services We Provide

Information Clearinghouse. The CSPDC tracks state and federal environmental regulations and disseminates information to localities regarding how these regulations may affect them. The CSPDC also coordinates information sharing between localities, adjacent planning regions, and state agencies on natural resources topics.

Grant Assistance. Grant tracking, writing, and administration for environmental and natural resources projects are all services provided by the CSPDC. Areas of concentration include water and wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, green infrastructure, and green energy.

Clean Water Act & Stormwater Program Assistance. The CSPDC offers technical and administrative assistance to localities and partners in conjunction with Clean Water Act Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) management and stormwater programs.

Compliance Consulting. The CSPDC provides plan and program development consulting that is focused on compliance with state and federal environmental regulations such as those pertaining to solid waste, water supply, non-point source pollution, and others.

Education & Training. Facilitation of regional meetings, workshops, and trainings to increase natural resource management capacity throughout the Central Shenandoah Region is available through the CSPDC.

NEPA Reviews. The CSPDC conducts National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews for federally funded local and regional projects.

Programs/Projects

Stormwater Management Assistance Program. The CSPDC coordinates the following as part of the Stormwater Management Assistance Program:

• Central Shenandoah Stormwater Network activities.
• Publications, Plans and Projects
  • Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Field Guide: How to Identify and Quickly Report Pollution Problems
  • Stormwater Management Plan Review for James Madison University
  • Chesapeake Bay Action Plan for James Madison University
  • Stormwater Outreach & Education Strategy for James Madison University
  • Virginia Stormwater Management Program development for Bath and Highland Counties
  • Lexington Stormwater Infrastructure Inventory & Assessment
  • Upper Shenandoah Stormwater Retrofit Assessment Project - Final Reports:
    • City of Harrisonburg
    • Town of Bridgewater
    • James Madison University

Watershed Planning. A variety of watershed planning documents have been developed with the help of the CSPDC.

• Chesapeake Bay TMDL Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) Phase II Local Engagement Process
• Upper Shenandoah Water Supply Plan
• Upper James Water Supply Plan
• Shenandoah Water Supply Summit Highlights USGS Study
• USGS - Minimum In-Flow Study
• Shenandoah Basin Strategic Plan

Infrastructure. Assistance for infrastructure project planning and development has been provided by the CSPDC in a number of localities.

• Goshen Water System Improvement Project
• Rockingham County Solid Waste Management Plan
• Buena Vista Dickinson Well

Resources

• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Water Supply Planning Program
• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Drought Planning
• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Assessments
• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Solid Waste Planning
• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Stormwater Management
• Valley Conservation Council
• Upper James Resource Conservation and Development
• Shenandoah Valley Pure Water Forum
• Rockbridge Area Conservation Council