Bill Text: VA HB2137 | 2013 | Regular Session | Chaptered


Bill Title: Local governments; environmental impact reports, prohibits purchase of certain deicing agents, etc.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-04-03 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0758) [HB2137 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2013-HB2137-Chaptered.html

CHAPTER 758
An Act to amend and reenact §§3.2-3607.2, 10.1-1188, and 15.2-1123 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the elimination of mandates on local governments.
[H 2137]
Approved April 3, 2013

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§3.2-3607.2, 10.1-1188, and 15.2-1123 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§3.2-3607.2. Sale of deicing agents.

Beginning December 31, 2013, it is unlawful for any person to offer for sale any deicing agent containing urea or other forms of nitrogen or phosphorus intended for application to parking lots, roadways, and sidewalks or other paved surfaces in the Commonwealth. The provisions of this section shall not (i) restrict the continued sale by retailers of any deicing agent from any existing inventories in stock on December 31, 2013, or (ii) prohibit the offer for sale or sale of any deicing agents containing urea to any municipal corporation or political subdivision for the purpose of applying such deicing agents pursuant to subsection B of §15.2-1123.

§10.1-1188. State agencies to submit environmental impact reports on major projects.

A. All state agencies, boards, authorities and commissions or any branch of the state government shall prepare and submit an environmental impact report to the Department on each major state project.

"Major state project" means the acquisition of an interest in land for any state facility construction, or the construction of any facility or expansion of an existing facility which is hereafter undertaken by any state agency, board, commission, authority or any branch of state government, including state-supported institutions of higher learning, which costs $500,000 or more. For the purposes of this chapter, authority shall not include any industrial development authority created pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 49 (§15.2-4900 et seq.) of Title 15.2 or Chapter 643, as amended, of the 1964 Acts of Assembly. Nor shall it include the Virginia Port Authority created pursuant to the provisions of §62.1-128, unless such project is a capital project that costs in excess of $5 million. Nor shall authority include any housing development or redevelopment authority established pursuant to state law. For the purposes of this chapter, branch of state government shall include any county, city or town of the Commonwealth only in connection with highway construction, reconstruction, or improvement projects affecting highways or roads undertaken by the county, city, or town on projects estimated to cost more than $500,000 $2 million. For projects undertaken by any locality costing more than $500,000 and less than $2 million, the locality shall consult with the Department of Historic Resources to consider and make reasonable efforts to avoid or minimize impacts to historic resources if the project involves a new location or a new disturbance that extends outside the area or depth of a prior disturbance, or otherwise has the potential to affect such resources adversely.

Such environmental impact report shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. The environmental impact of the major state project, including the impact on wildlife habitat;

2. Any adverse environmental effects which cannot be avoided if the major state project is undertaken;

3. Measures proposed to minimize the impact of the major state project;

4. Any alternatives to the proposed construction; and

5. Any irreversible environmental changes which would be involved in the major state project.

For the purposes of subdivision 4, the report shall contain all alternatives considered and the reasons why the alternatives were rejected. If a report does not set forth alternatives, it shall state why alternatives were not considered.

B. For purposes of this chapter, this subsection shall only apply to the review of highway and road construction projects or any part thereof. The Secretaries of Transportation and Natural Resources shall jointly establish procedures for review and comment by state natural and historic resource agencies of highway and road construction projects. Such procedures shall provide for review and comment on appropriate projects and categories of projects to address the environmental impact of the project, any adverse environmental effects which cannot be avoided if the project is undertaken, the measures proposed to minimize the impact of the project, any alternatives to the proposed construction, and any irreversible environmental changes which would be involved in the project.

§15.2-1123. Airports and facilities.

A. A municipal corporation may provide and operate within or outside the municipal corporation airports and lands, structures, equipment and facilities appurtenant thereto; provide for their management and operation by an agency of the municipality; contract with others for the operation and management thereof upon such terms and conditions as shall be prescribed by the municipal corporation; and charge or authorize the charging of compensation for the use of the airport or any of its appurtenances or facilities.

B. A municipal corporation located in Planning District 11 or a political subdivision located in Planning District 6 or 7 may apply any deicing agent containing urea for the purpose of deicing an airport that is classified by the Virginia Air Transportation System Plan as a Commercial Service airport or General Aviation Regional airport, provided the application does not exceed Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System stormwater permit requirements.

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