HB 1205

Abstract

Discharge of deleterious substance into state waters; notice. Requires the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to give certain information about an unlawful discharge of a deleterious substance into state waters to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and local newspapers, television stations, and radio stations, and to disseminate such information via official social media accounts and email notification lists when DEQ determines that the discharge may impair state waters or VDH determines that it may be detrimental to public health. The bill requires DEQ to report to the General Assembly (i) a protocol for determining whether a discharge would have a de minimis impact on state waters and (ii) a proposed implementation procedure if the law were amended to require public dissemination of all discharges reported except for those determined to have a de minimis impact. This bill incorporates HB 1128.

Discharge of deleterious substance into state waters; notice. Requires the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to give certain information about an unlawful discharge of a deleterious substance into state waters to the Virginia Department of Health, local newspapers, television stations, and radio stations, and to disseminate such information via official social media accounts and email notification lists within 12 hours of receipt of the information, unless DEQ makes an initial determination that the discharge will have a de minimis impact on state waters. Current law only requires certain of these disclosures and only when the Virginia Department of Health determines that the discharge may be detrimental to the public health or the State Water Control Board determines that the discharge may impair state waters. The bill also requires the Department of Environmental Quality, if the Virginia Department of Health determines that the discharge may be detrimental to the public health, to provide information regarding such determination to the same recipients within 12 hours of receipt of such determination. This bill incorporates HB 1128.

Discharge of deleterious substance into statewaters; notice. Decreases from 24 hours to eight hours the timeframe for any person who unlawfully discharges any deleterious substanceinto state waters to give notice to the Director of the Departmentof Environmental Quality (DEQ) or the local coordinator of emergencyservices. The bill also requires DEQ to give the reported dischargeinformation to the Virginia Department of Health, local newspapers,television stations, and radio stations, and disseminate via commonlyused social media platforms and email notification lists within eighthours of receipt of such information. Current law only requires certainof these disclosures and only when the Virginia Department of Healthdetermines that the discharge may be detrimental to the public healthor the State Water Control Board determines that the discharge mayimpair beneficial uses of state waters. The bill also requires theDepartment of Environmental Quality, if the Virginia Department ofHealth determines that the discharge may be detrimental to the publichealth, to provide information regarding such determination to thesame recipients within eight hours of receipt of such determination.