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2015 SESSION

15102327D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 595
Offered January 14, 2015
Prefiled January 12, 2015
Directing the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study Virginia's water resource planning and management. Report.
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Patron-- O'Bannon
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, Article XI, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia states that it shall be the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve, develop, and utilize its natural resources and protect its waters for the benefit, enjoyment, and general welfare of the people of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, § 62.1-11 of the Code of Virginia stipulates that: rights to the use of water or to the flow of water from any natural stream, lake, or other watercourse is limited to what may be reasonably required for the beneficial use of the public, and it is the intent of the Commonwealth to maintain flow conditions to protect instream beneficial uses and public water supplies for human consumption; and

WHEREAS, Virginia has a complex water system that includes many aquifers, nine major watersheds, and 52,232 miles of rivers and freshwater streams with a total combined flow of 22.5 billion gallons per day; and

WHEREAS, there is no statewide, comprehensive assessment of state and local water resource plans and their role in the water withdrawal permit process, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is currently developing a State Water Plan to build upon and guide local and regional water supply plans; and

WHEREAS, DEQ issues water protection permits for surface water and ground water withdrawals, and it has reported potential risk to the water supply given changes in population and demand for water for industrial, recreational, and residential use; and

WHEREAS, recent withdrawals of ground water in eastern Virginia may have contributed to topographical and hydrological changes, including lower water and ground levels, and higher risk of saltwater contamination of ground water; and

WHEREAS, DEQ has appropriated approximately $40 million annually for water protection functions, including planning, permitting, and compliance; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission be directed to study Virginia's water resource planning and management.

In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall (i) assess the extent to which ground and surface water consumption is unsustainable, the potential effects of any unsustainable consumption, and the risk of overconsumption in the future; (ii) assess the effectiveness of the state’s permitting process for ground and surface water withdrawals; (iii) assess the effectiveness of state and local water resource planning, including the role state and local plans play in water withdrawal permitting; (iv) examine the adequacy of the funding and staff for managing Virginia's water resources; (v) consider the need for strategies and practices to increase ground and surface water available for consumption; and (vi) review any other issues and make recommendations as appropriate.

Technical assistance shall be provided to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission by the Department of Environmental Quality, the State Water Control Board, and the Virginia Department of Health. All agencies of the Commonwealth, local governments, and water resource authorities shall provide assistance to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission for this study, upon request.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2015, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2016 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.