Statewide assessment shows modest improvement in environmental conditions

By Lissette Linares

RICHMOND, Va. – A statewide assessment indicates that while a slow, general improvement in Virginia’s environmental conditions continues and validates the past 25 years of federal and state environmental actions, some areas reveal no significant improvement. The 2000 Virginia Environmental Quality Index, released today (Dec. 14), by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Environmental Studies, is now available online at www.veqi.org.  The index includes, for the first time, environmental data and index scores for every county.

The overall trend of the VEQI suggests that environmental conditions in Virginia have improved gradually since 1985, said Andy Lacatell, M.I.S./M.P.H., assistant director of the Center for Environmental Studies and leader of the VEQI research team. "We should continue to pay attention to air quality, surface water quality, toxic releases and wetland losses however, as the population in Virginia continues to increase."

Greg Garman, Ph.D., director of the VCU center said, "The 2000 VEQI is a dramatically improved research tool that allows anyone with Internet access to conduct objective, detailed and scientifically valid comparisons of environmental indicators among regions of the state or across years. We expect that the VEQI site will become an important on-line resource for students, teachers and anyone interested in the natural resources of the Commonwealth."

Now in its second year, the VEQI tracks changes in environmental conditions based on seven categories, making it the most integrated, quantitative assessment available. State, federal and academic experts have identified these indicators as principal measures of environmental trends: air pollutants, surface water quality, toxic releases, wetlands, breeding birds, forest cover and population growth. The 2000 VEQI indicates that:

• Air quality is improving based on measurements of pollutants, including ozone, lead, carbon monoxide and particulates.

• Surface water quality based on the suitability of aquatic habitat for living resources, has not improved significantly since 1985. Surface water quality based on input of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, is improving.

• Wetland losses continue based on available data, although the trend is not statistically significant. Improvements in data quality and quantity would allow the VEQI to more accurately describe long-term changes.

• Virginia’s growing human population suggests a greater increase in environmental stress.

• The diversity of species of breeding birds is improving.

• The VEQI did not assess forest cover trend for statistical significance. More and better data will facilitate the analysis of habitat loss and land use.

"The VEQI is an important tool for measuring trends in environmental quality in the Commonwealth," said Gerald McCarthy, director of the Virginia Environmental Endowment, which funded the project. "The objective scientific measurement and reporting of environmental issues will encourage Virginians to increase their knowledge of and responsibility for protecting the environment." The VEQI also is a tool that complements the VEE’s interest in environmental education and is one that teachers throughout Virginia can easily use, he added.

VEQI findings are based on an analysis of more than 400,000 records compiled over the past 15 years, including records from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the University of Virginia.

"Because there are so many factors to consider when evaluating the condition of our natural resources, the Department of Environmental Quality is pleased to participate in such a far-reaching and informative effort," said Dennis H. Treacy, DEQ director. "It is especially significant that such a wide variety of organizations has collaborated and contributed to this detailed report."

Toxic releases were analyzed using the EPA’s Chemical Indexing System, which quantifies the degree of harm caused by toxic releases based on toxicity and potency, providing a more accurate view of potential threat to human health. These statistics then were converted to the VEQI scale.

Indicators for each year are scored from 0-100 using a standardized scoring system approved by a technical advisory committee comprised of representatives from the scientific, regulatory and non-profit communities. Higher scores indicate better environmental conditions.

The 2000 VEQI incorporates several new indicators, replacing others used last year. This year’s index also is based on a larger set of data than the 1999 edition, providing a better representation of trends in environmental quality from 1985-1999.

The VEQI research team also included Aaron Vaughan, a graduate research assistant with the VCU Center for Environmental Studies, and Steve Rein, Ph.D., a former VCU statistician who now is an assistant professor at California Polytechnic University.