The main lesson from DEQ’s groundwater report: Va. must budget to live within environmental limits

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's report highlights that industrial activity is disproportionately responsible for groundwater depletion in eastern Virginia. Two paper mills, International Paper’s facility at Franklin and Smurfit WestRock’s mill at West Point, account for 43% of the total reported groundwater withdrawal across all aquifers. These massive withdrawals are depleting groundwater levels, increasing land subsidence, and contributing to saltwater intrusion.