Authority: Title 10.1, Chapters 11.1, 13 and 14 and Title 62.1, Chapter 3.1, Code of Virginia.

A. Notwithstanding the provisions of Title 10.1, Chapter 25, Code of Virginia, the Department is authorized to expend funds from the balances in the Virginia Environmental Emergency Response Fund to further develop e-DEQ to improve customer service and information accessibility. In no event, however, shall any funds be expended for e-DEQ that would cause the balance in the Fund to fall below $2,000,000.

B.1. The Department of Environmental Quality shall work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Lynchburg and the City of Richmond to identify any expenditures, loans, or in-kind services that can be used to match federal grants available to these cities for the Combined Sewer Overflow projects. These local matching funds shall include, but not be limited to, costs for ongoing maintenance, personnel, inspection functions, outside service contracts, administrative functions, purchase or value of land or easements, debt service payments and any other costs related to the Combined Sewer Overflow projects for which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will accept to meet match requirements.

2. The Department of Environmental Quality shall give highest priority ranking consideration to applications for loans from the Virginia Water Facilities Revolving Fund by the City of Richmond and the City of Lynchburg for combined sewer overflow projects. The Director of DEQ shall establish a repayment plan to ensure prompt repayment of the loans after the cities receive the associated federal matching funds.