GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION

That the amendment in the nature of a substitute (074471129) be accepted.

GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto Senate Bill 1301, which would have created a formula for recommended appropriations to Combined Sewer Overflow projects in Lynchburg and Richmond.

I had offered amendments to this bill that provided a higher level of certainty for annual appropriations to Lynchburg and Richmond.  Without the amendments, the bill will have a negative effect on funding for farmers engaged in agricultural best management practices and other nonpoint source programs that control nutrient pollution of our streams and rivers.  Those important programs shouldn’t be sacrificed to solve the CSO problem, and numerous stakeholder groups from the agriculture community have requested this veto.

The General Assembly approved my recommendations for over $3 million for each city for CSO projects this year in the Appropriations Act.  I intend to include CSO funding in my upcoming biennial budget proposal, and look forward to continuing to work with Lynchburg and Richmond legislators to find a workable, long-term funding solution for these cities’ CSO projects without jeopardizing necessary agriculture programs.

Accordingly, I am vetoing this bill.