On Tuesday, Dec. 16, the Environmental Protection Agency joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture , White House Council on Environmental Quality , Commonwealth of Virginia, and others to recognize an innovative, market-based water quality trading program run by the state of Virginia to improve the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay . The organizations convened at the McConnell Safety Transportation Operation Center, in Fairfax, Va., where they highlighted the cost-effective program that has saved the Commonwealth more than $1 million, demonstrating an innovative means of meeting Clean Water Act stormwater requirements and Virginia state water quality goals for the Bay.