Secretary of Natural Resources (183)

Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 2, Article 7; and § 2.2-201, Code of Virginia.

A. The Secretary of Natural Resources shall report to the Chairmen of the Senate Committees on Finance and Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources, and the House Committees on Appropriations and Conservation and Natural Resources, by November 4 of each year on implementation of the Chesapeake Bay nutrient reduction strategies. The report shall include and address the progress and costs of point source and nonpoint source pollution strategies. The report shall include, but not be limited to, information on levels of dissolved oxygen, acres of submerged aquatic vegetation, computer modeling, variety and numbers of living resources, and other relevant measures for the General Assembly to evaluate the progress and effectiveness of the tributary strategies. In addition, the Secretary shall include information on the status of all of Virginia's commitments to the Chesapeake Bay Agreements.

B. It is the intent of the General Assembly that a reserve be created within the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Fund to support the purposes delineated within the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Act of 1997 (WQIA 1997) when year-end general fund surpluses are unavailable. Consequently, 15 percent of any amounts appropriated to the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Fund due to annual general fund revenue collections in excess of the official estimates contained in the general appropriation act shall be withheld from appropriation. When annual general fund revenue collections do not exceed the official revenue estimates contained in the general appropriation act, the reserve fund may be used for WQIA 1997 purposes as directed by the General Assembly within the general appropriation act.