The Virginia Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP) is a program started by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to encourage businesses and government agencies to develop environmental management systems and pollution prevention programs at their facilities. The encouragement comes in the form of incentives, which may include reduced permit fees, the designation a single point of contact within the DEQ, or the promise of no unannounced inspections.

There are three different levels of participation in the VEEP program:

• Environmental Enterprise (E2)
• Exemplary Environmental Enterprise (E3)
• Extraordinary Environmental Enterprise (E4)

The E2 level is intended for facilities in the early stages of EMS implementation. This is for facilities that are either in the process of implementing their EMS or have fully implemented their EMS but have not yet completed a yearly cycle of the EMS. Once a facility has completed one full cycle of their EMS, the facility may apply for E3 status. The E3 level also requires the facility to have a pollution prevention program and to have demonstrated environmental performance. The E4 level is for those facilities with a fully implemented EMS that has been audited and verified by a third party. E4 facilities must have a commitment to continuous and sustainable environmental progress as well as a program for community involvement.

UVA's Parking and Transportation facility was accepted into the E2 program in December 2005.

UVA Dining was accepted into the E2 program in February 2007

UVA Housing was accepted into the E2 program in March 2007.

Environmental Health and Safety was accepted into the E2 program in December 2007.

Click here to go to the DEQ's VEEP Website
Click here to go to the VEEP Law in the Code of Virginia