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2023 SESSION

23101291D
HOUSE BILL NO. 1623
Offered January 11, 2023
Prefiled January 7, 2023
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 62.1-44.17:3 and 62.1-256.2 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal §§ 10.1-1186.1, 10.1-1425.17, and 62.1-69.35:2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to reduction of toxic substances in Virginia waters.
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Patron-- Wright
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Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 62.1-44.17:3 and 62.1-256.2 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 62.1-44.17:3. Toxic substances reduction in state waters.

A. The Board shall (i) conduct ongoing assessments of the amounts of toxics in Virginia's waters and (ii) develop and implement a plan for the reduction of toxics in Virginia's waters.

B. The status of the Board's efforts to reduce the level of toxic substances in state waters shall be reported biennially, no later than January 1 in each odd-numbered year, to the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources. The report shall include the following information:

1. Compliance data on permits that have limits for toxics;

2. The number of new permits or reissued permits that have toxic limits and the location of each permitted facility;

3. The location and number of monitoring stations and the period of time that monitoring has occurred at each location;

4. A summary of pollution prevention and pollution control activities for the reduction of toxics in state waters;

5. The sampling results from the monitoring stations for the previous two years;

6. The Board's plan for continued reduction of the discharge of toxics, which shall include, but not be limited to, additional monitoring activities, a work plan for the pollution prevention program, and any pilot projects established for the use of innovative technologies to reduce the discharge of toxics;

7. The identification of any segments for which the Board or the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality has made a decision to conduct additional evaluation or monitoring. Information regarding these segments shall include, at a minimum, the geographic location of the stream segment within a named county or city; and

8. The identification of any segments that are designated as toxic impaired waters as defined in § 62.1-44.19:4 and any plans to address the impairment.

§ 62.1-256.2. (Expires July 1, 2025) Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Advisory Committee established; sunset.

A. The Department of Environmental Quality (the Department) shall establish the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Advisory Committee (the Committee) as an advisory committee to assist the State Water Commission and the Department in the management of groundwater in the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area. Members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Director of the Department and shall be composed of nonlegislative citizen members consisting of representatives of industrial and municipal water users; representatives of public and private water providers; developers and representatives from the economic development community; representatives of agricultural, conservation, and environmental organizations; state and federal agency officials; and university faculty and citizens with expertise in water resources-related issues. The Department shall convene the Committee at least four times each fiscal year. Members of the Committee shall receive no compensation for their service and shall not be entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

B. During each meeting of the Committee, the Department shall (i) update the Committee on activities pertaining to groundwater management in the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area and (ii) solicit members to present topics and analysis for examination at future meetings. The Committee may develop specific statutory, budgetary, and regulatory recommendations, as necessary, to enhance the effectiveness of groundwater management in the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area.

C. The Department shall annually report the results of the Committee's examinations and related recommendations, and any responses from the Department, to the State Water Commission, the Governor, and the General Assembly no later than November 1 of each year.

D. The provisions of this section shall expire on July 1, 2025.

2. That §§ 10.1-1186.1, 10.1-1425.17, and 62.1-69.35:2 of the Code of Virginia are repealed.