Bill Text: VA HB520 | 2020 | Regular Session | Prefiled

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Trees; DEQ to convene advisory to study planting or preservation, report.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-03-23 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0405) [HB520 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2020-HB520-Prefiled.html

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20101520D
HOUSE BILL NO. 520 Offered January 8, 2020 Prefiled January 4, 2020 A BILL to direct the Department of Environmental Quality to study tree planting as a land cover type and stormwater best management practice. ---------- Patron-- Bulova ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. §1. That the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) shall convene a stakeholder advisory group for the purpose of studying the planting or preservation of trees as a land cover type and as a stormwater best management practice (BMP).

§2. The stakeholder advisory group shall be composed of representatives of the residential and commercial development and construction industry, professional environmental technical experts, representatives of local government, local Virginia stormwater management program authorities, and other technical experts whom DEQ deems necessary.

§3. Technical assistance shall be provided to DEQ by the Department of Forestry and the Department of Conservation and Recreation. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to DEQ for this study, upon request.

§4. The Department of Environmental Quality shall publish on its website a report containing the findings of the stakeholder advisory group by November 1, 2020, and shall include in the report a recommendation as to whether the planting or preservation of trees shall be deemed a creditable land cover type or BMP and, if so, how much credit shall be given for its optional use.