GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to § 6 of Article V of the Constitution of Virginia, I am returning without my signature House Bill 2272.

Protection of our natural resources is paramount, and my administration has demonstrated time and again our commitment to preserving and improving resources. This legislation would limit the rights of private landowners to utilize their property, in the name of resource protection, by further limiting a landowner’s ability to build a pier on his own property for his own use. Virginia already regulates the building of commercial piers in the waters of the Commonwealth to ensure good stewardship, and water quality. Further restricting the rights of private landowners to build piers on their property for their own private uses is unnecessary.

I therefore veto House Bill 2272.