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2023 SESSION
23100246DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 2.2-220.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 2.2-220.2. Invasive species management plan for strategic actions by state agencies and related advisory group; strategic actions by state agencies to prioritize the use of native plant species.
A. The Secretaries of Natural and Historic Resources and Agriculture and Forestry shall coordinate the development of strategic actions to be taken by the Commonwealth, individual state and federal agencies, private businesses, and landowners related to invasive species prevention, early detection and rapid response, control and management, research and risk assessment, and education and outreach. Such strategic actions shall include the development of a state invasive species management plan. The plan shall include a list of invasive species that pose the greatest threat to the Commonwealth. The primary purposes of the plan shall be to address the rising cost of invasive species, to improve coordination among state and federal agencies' efforts regarding invasive species prevention and management and information exchange, and to educate the public on related matters. The Secretaries of Natural and Historic Resources and Agriculture and Forestry shall update the state invasive species management plan at least once every four years. The Department of Conservation and Recreation shall provide staff support.
B. The Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources shall
establish and serve as chair of an advisory group to develop an invasive species
management plan and shall coordinate and implement recommendations of that
plan. Other members of the advisory group shall include the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Services,
Conservation and Recreation, Wildlife Resources,
Environmental Quality, Forestry, Agriculture and
Consumer Services, Health, and
Transportation, and Wildlife
Resources; the Marine Resources Commission; the Virginia
Cooperative Extension; the Virginia Institute of Marine Science;
representatives of the agriculture and forestry industries; the conservation
community; interested federal agencies; academic institutions; and commercial
interests. The Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry shall serve as the
vice-chair of the advisory group. The advisory group shall meet at least twice
per year and,
shall utilize ad hoc committees as necessary with special emphasis on working
with affected industries, landowners, and citizens, and shall assist the
Secretary to:
1. Prevent additional introductions of invasive species to the lands and waters of the Commonwealth;
2. Procure, use, and maintain native species to replace invasive species;
3. Implement targeted control efforts on those invasive species that are present in the Commonwealth but are susceptible to such management actions;
4. Identify and report the appearance of invasive species before they can become established and control becomes less feasible;
5. Implement immediate control measures if a new invasive species is introduced in Virginia, with the aim of eradicating that species from Virginia's lands and waters if feasible given the degree of infestation; and
6. Recommend legislative actions or pursue federal grants to implement the plan.
Nothing in this section shall affect the authorities of any agency represented on the advisory group with respect to invasive species.
C. The Secretaries of Natural and Historic Resources, Agriculture and Forestry, and Administration shall coordinate the development of strategic actions to be taken by state agencies to prioritize the use of native plant species. Such strategic actions shall (i) identify state properties appropriate to convert to natural communities and native species habitats, (ii) encourage all state agencies to prioritize native plants and trees when purchasing for installation on state properties, and (iii) provide guidance to state agencies that manage state properties on restoration of properties degraded by invasive plants by planting more natural communities and native species habitats.
D. As
used in this section, "invasive species" means a species, including
its seeds, eggs, spores or other biological material capable of propagating
that species, that is not native to the ecosystem and whose introduction causes
or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health;
however, this definition shall "invasive species" does
not include (i) any agricultural crop generally recognized by the United States U.S. Department of Agriculture
or the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as suitable to
be grown in the Commonwealth, or
(ii) any aquacultural organism recognized by the Marine Resources Commission or
the Department of Wildlife Resources as suitable to be propagated in the
Commonwealth.
Nothing in this
section shall affect the authorities of any agency represented on the advisory
group with respect to invasive species.