Citizen board legislation (SB1403/HB3113)
SB1403 and HB3113 are identical pieces of legislation that do three things:
- Replaces the current Air Pollution Control Board, Water Control Board and Waste Management Board with a single Virginia Board of Environmental Quality. The new Board would be charged with promulgating the regulations that set standards and requirements for air quality, water quality, and waste management.
- Assigns to the Department of Environmental Quality the responsibility for issuing permits and enforcing regulations.
- Establishes an Environmental Appeals Board to hear administrative appeals of permit decisions made by the Department.
The legislation was passed by both the House and the Senate in 2007, but it contains a reenactment clause which means that no changes will go into effect unless the General Assembly approves them during the 2008 session. Delegate Cox and Senator Hawkins, Chairs of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, have asked DEQ to meet with stakeholders to discuss the legislation and report back to them on any recommended changes to the legislation, and any areas discussed where we were not able to reach consensus.
DEQ has formed a work group to assist with these efforts that includes representatives of the business community, local governments, environmental lawyers, and environmental advocacy organizations. It includes people who supported the legislation, people who opposed the legislation, and people who took no position on the legislation. Background information on this legislation and information about the work groups deliberations will be posted on this web-site. You can also visit DEQcast to sign up for notification of meetings and other related information.
Background information
- Survey of Other States (PDF)
- Diagrams of Permit Review Processes (PDF)
- Responses to Stakeholder Questions (PDF)
- List of examples when SWCB, VWMB, SAPCB varied from staff recommendations (PDF)
- HB3113 / SB1403
- Comparison of Board authorities under current law and under HB3113/SB1403 (PDF)
- Letter from Delegate Cox and Senator Hawkins (PDF)
- Notes from May 31, 2007 morning and afternoon stakeholder meetings (PDF)
- Work group membership list (PDF)
Work group meeting information
- September 7 - agenda (PDF) / meeting notes (PDF)
- October 1
- October 15
All meetings will begin at 9:30 am and will be at DEQ's Piedmont Regional Office in Glen Allen, Virginia. These meetings are open to the public.