Sewage Sludge: Coming Soon to a Field Near You
In early 2025, Synagro submitted an application to DEQ for a “reissue” permit that, if approved, will allow the company to spread biosolids (sewage sludge) on properties belonging to 8 different owners in Albemarle County. We found the permit application listed on DEQ’s PEEP system, but in order to get any information about it, we had to do a FOIA request. (A big thank you to our friends at Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance for making that happen.)
Total Area: 5,770 Acres in Albemarle County
The application combines properties that have had sludge spread on them before and adds a new property that is 1,650 acres. (See map images below for more info).
The files from the FOIA were released as two collections in two folders. We have converted some of the files to more accessible formats and created some summary files to help give them some organization. The results are presented below. If you would like to see the original files, copies of them can be found here.
One of the FOIA folders contained files that could only be opened with GIS mapping software. This image is a screen grab of what you see when you are able to open the files.
The Properties
Each of the property owners gets their own permit application. They contain information about the owners, the properties (including maps), prior sludge spreading, intended usage, restrictions, and a list of neighboring properties, so you can see if you are next to an area spread with sludge.
Clicking on a name will take you to a folder with that property’s application and, in some cases, other documents.
The New Farm Addition
This is a “reissuance” permit, which means it is being submitted by Synagro to keep permits active for properties that have had biosolids spread on them before. But this application also includes a new farm.
Total Area 1,649 Acres
The new property is called Rooks Ford Farm but the application is under the owner’s name: AB 09 Rob Nicholson. In mid-February of 2025, someone added the Rooks Ford Farm property to the DEQ EDM mapping system. Its permit status is listed as “APPLICATION,” while all the other areas around it that have had biosolids applied are listed as either “ACTIVE” or “HISTORICAL.”
If you visit the Albemarle County GIS site, however, Rooks Ford Farm does not show up as part of the Biosolids overlay layer.
The Albemarle County GIS map with the “Biosolids” overlay layer enabled. The brown areas are places that have had sludge applied historically. The yellow lines indicate all the different parcels that collectively make up Rooks Ford Farm. (The labels “Rooks Ford Farm” and “Kimco” were added by don’t spread on me.)
The DEQ’s EDM Map showing biosolids permit areas in green. The Rooks Ford Farm property was added to the system in February 2025. (The labels “Rooks Ford Farm” and “Kimco” were added by don’t spread on me.)
Where is This Sewage Sludge Coming From?
The “Source List” document has information about the wastewater treatment plants that are supplying the sewage sludge.
Overview Files
The folder named “Overview Files” contains pdfs and spreadsheets that consolidate data and information about the application. These include important information about which cities and towns the sludge is coming from, how it is treated, and where it will be stored.
There is also an “Explanation” sheet that summarizes the contents of each document. Click the button below to access this folder.
Email Correspondence
For a deeper dive into the permit application process, you may wish to read the emails sent among DEQ and Synagro staff about this application. This folder also contains a note of explanation and a spreadsheet that summarizes and organizes the emails. Click the button below to access this folder.