About Government Relations

Government Relations

Bills We Are Following

The 2014 General Assembly session is about to begin. Some bills affecting our industry have already been introduced.

House Bill 320

HB 320 Pesticide control exemptions; herbicide applications by unpaid volunteers.

Pesticide control exemptions; herbicide applications by unpaid volunteers. Exempts from the provisions of state pesticide laws and regulations any unpaid volunteer who uses or supervises the use of any nonrestricted herbicide with the express authorization of a local political subdivision for the sole purpose of controlling invasive plants or noxious weeds on properties owned by such local political subdivision. The bill provides that such unpaid volunteer shall use such herbicide under the direct supervision of a certified applicator and the local political subdivision shall provide instruction to the unpaid volunteer prior to application on (i) the risks associated with the herbicide utilized, (ii) the proper use of equipment used to apply the herbicide, (iii) other information to prevent an unreasonable adverse effect on the environment, and (iv) any other information relevant to the specific herbicide utilized.

We have written our concerns about circumventing the training, testing, certification, and on-going recertification rules that industry persons follow. These rules protect the environment, the applicator, and anyone else exposed to the pesticide. We will have extensive one-on-one time with the bill’s patron this Thursday.

House Bill 429

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HB 528 Property Owners’ Association Act; managed conservation landscaping; unreasonable restrictions.

Property Owners’ Association Act; managed conservation landscaping; unreasonable restrictions prohibited. Provides that no association shall prohibit an owner from installing managed conservation landscaping, defined in the bill, upon such owner’s property unless such prohibition was recorded in the declaration for the association. The bill allows associations to establish reasonable restrictions concerning the management, design, and aesthetic guidelines for managed conservation landscaping features.

The bill attacks lawns in its effort to weaken Homeowner Associations. We are monitoring this piece of legislative and will express our concern that lawns are singled out.

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HB 949 Aboveground storage tanks; Hazardous Substance Aboveground Storage Tank Fund; civil penalties.

Introduced by: Alfonso H. Lopez | all patrons    …    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Aboveground storage tanks; Hazardous Substance Aboveground Storage Tank Fund; civil penalties. Directs the State Water Control Board to regulate aboveground storage tanks with a capacity of more than 1,320 gallons that contain hazardous substances other than oil. The bill directs the Board to adopt regulations that establish requirements for registration and other requirements of tank owners and that establish a schedule of registration and renewal fees. The bill authorizes the Board to take corrective action in the event of a discharge of a hazardous substance. The bill requires tank owners to notify certain parties in the event of a release of a regulated substance. The bill also creates the Hazardous Substance Aboveground Storage Tank Fund, with moneys from the Fund to be used solely for the administration of the bill, and provides for civil penalties for violations of requirements of the bill, with such moneys received to be deposited into the existing Virginia Environmental Emergency Response Fund.

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Other Bills We Are Monitoring

House Bill 47
This bill requires retail sellers of invasive plants to post signage about those plants.

House Bills 170459529
These are similar pieces of legislation dealing with the conservation of trees during construction.

 

Craig Zeigler meeting with Back Bay Restoration Foundation Executive Director.
Meeting with Asst Sec of Natural Resources