Virginia Law

A. The department or the VESMP authority may require every permit applicant or permittee to furnish when requested such application materials, plans, specifications, and other pertinent information as may be necessary to determine the effect of permit applicant's or permittee's discharge on the quality of state waters, or such other information as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of the State Water Control Law and this chapter. Any personal information shall not be disclosed except to an appropriate official of the department or VESMP authority or as may be authorized pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). However:

1. Disclosure of records of the department or the VESMP authority relating to (i) active federal environmental enforcement actions that are considered confidential under federal law and (ii) enforcement strategies, including proposed sanctions for enforcement actions, is prohibited. Upon request, such records shall be disclosed after a proposed sanction resulting from the investigation has been determined by the department or the VESMP authority.

2. Any secret formula, secret processes, or secret methods other than effluent data submitted to the department pursuant to this chapter may be claimed as confidential by the submitter in accordance with 40 CFR 122.7. Any such claim must be asserted at the time of submission in the manner prescribed on the application form or instructions or, in the case of other submissions, by stamping the words "secret formulae," "secret processes," or "secret methods" on each page containing such information. If no claim is made at the time of submission, the department may make the information available to the public without further notice. If a claim is asserted, the information will be treated in accordance with the procedures in the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

3. This section shall not be construed to prohibit the disclosure of records related to inspection reports, notices of violation, and documents detailing the nature of any land-disturbing activity that may have occurred, or similar documents.

B. Claims of confidentiality for the following information will be denied:

1. The name and address of any permit applicant or permittee; and

2. Permit applications, permits, and effluent data.

C. Information required by permit application forms provided by the department may not be claimed confidential. This includes information submitted on the forms themselves and any attachments used to supply information required by the forms.