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2020 SESSION

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CHAPTER 405 An Act to direct the Department of Environmental Quality to study tree planting as a land cover type and stormwater best management practice. [H 520] Approved March 23, 2020

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) shall convene a stakeholder advisory group for the purpose of studying the planting or preservation of trees as an urban land cover type and as a stormwater best management practice (BMP).

§ 2. The stakeholder advisory group shall be composed of representatives of the residential and commercial development and construction industry, the community associations industry, the linear infrastructure development industry, the Virginia Forestry Association, and local Virginia stormwater management program authorities; professional environmental technical experts; and other technical experts whom DEQ deems necessary.

§ 3. Technical assistance shall be provided to DEQ by the Department of Forestry and the Department of Conservation and Recreation. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to DEQ for this study, upon request.

§ 4. The Department of Environmental Quality shall publish on its website a report containing the findings of the stakeholder advisory group by November 1, 2020, and shall include in the report a recommendation as to whether the planting or preservation of trees shall be deemed a creditable land cover type or BMP and, if so, how much credit shall be given for its optional use. The Department of Environmental Quality shall, before the first day of the 2021 Session of the General Assembly, report the findings of the stakeholder advisory group to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.