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2017 SESSION

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SB 898 Combined sewer overflow outfalls; DEQ to identify owner of outfall discharging into Chesapeake Bay.

Introduced by: Richard H. Stuart | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ); combined sewer overflow (CSO) outfalls; Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Directs DEQ to identify the owner of any combined sewer overflow outfall that discharges into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and to determine what actions by the owner, if it is not under a state order, are necessary to bring such an outfall into compliance with Virginia law, the federal Clean Water Act, and the Presumption Approach described in the CSO Control Policy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The bill requires any owner of such an outfall to initiate construction activities by July 1, 2023, to bring it into compliance by July 1, 2025. Until compliance is achieved, the bill requires the outfall owner to annually report its progress to DEQ. The bill requires DEQ to provide all such reports to certain legislative committees, the Virginia delegation to the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the Secretary of Natural Resources, and the Governor. The bill does not apply to any outfall for which a higher level of control is necessary to comply with a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). This bill incorporates SB 818 and is identical to HB 2383.

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ); combined sewer overflow (CSO) outfalls; Potomac River Watershed. Directs DEQ to identify the owner of any combined sewer overflow outfall that discharges into the Potomac River Watershed and to determine what actions by the owner are necessary to bring the outfall into compliance with the Presumption Approach described in the CSO Control Policy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The bill requires any owner of such an outfall to bring it into compliance with the EPA policy by July 1, 2025, unless a higher level of control is necessary to comply with a TMDL. This bill incorporates SB 818.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ); combined sewer overflow (CSO) outfalls; Potomac River Watershed. Directs DEQ to identify the owner of any combined sewer overflow outfall that discharges into the Potomac River Watershed and to determine what actions by the owner are necessary to bring the outfall into compliance with the Presumption Approach described in the CSO Control Policy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The bill requires any owner of such an outfall to bring it into compliance with the EPA policy by July 1, 2020. When the owner is a locality and it fails to meet the 2020 compliance deadline, the bill directs the Governor to withhold all state appropriations from the locality until it brings the outfall into compliance. The bill does not apply to any outfall for which a higher level of control is necessary to comply with a TMDL.