A recent study says Virginia has the second-dirtiest waterways among the 50 states.

The study by the Environment America advocacy group tallies the amount of pollutants discharged into bodies of water across the nation. The numbers are based on those reported to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Only Indiana had more toxic chemicals released into its waterways by industry than Virginia's 18 million-plus pounds in 2007.

The report says that in 2007, 232 million pounds of toxic chemicals were dumped into 1,900 waterways.

According to the report, Virginia also is home to part of the nation's second-most-polluted waterway, the roughly 320-mile New River, which runs through southwest Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.

©2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.