Bill Text: VA HJR57 | 2014 | Regular Session | Prefiled

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

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Bill Title: Selenium; Department of Environmental Quality to review toxicity to aquatic life.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2014-02-25 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ57ER) [HJR57 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2014-HJR57-Prefiled.html

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14101701D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 57 Offered January 8, 2014 Prefiled January 6, 2014 Requesting the Department of Environmental Quality to review the toxicity of selenium to aquatic life. Report. ---------- Patron-- Kilgore ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

WHEREAS, selenium is an essential micronutrient; and

WHEREAS, selenium may become toxic to aquatic organisms at elevated concentrations; and

WHEREAS, the concentration at which selenium becomes toxic is highly variable between and within different aquatic species; and

WHEREAS, Virginia's selenium criteria for the protection of aquatic life are over 25 years old; do not reflect the latest scientific information, including chemical speciation of selenium, exposure, and uptake; and may be unnecessarily stringent to protect aquatic life; now, therefore, be it;

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Department of Environmental Quality be requested to review the toxicity of selenium to aquatic life.

In conducting its review, the Department of Environmental Quality shall examine the most recent scientific information regarding the toxic effects of selenium on aquatic life and propose revisions to Virginia's selenium criteria as part of the current triennial review of water quality standards. In proposing revisions to Virginia's selenium criteria, the Department of Environmental Quality shall account for the chemical speciation of selenium, as well as actual exposure and uptake between and within different aquatic species. The analysis shall consider related studies and revisions in selenium criteria undertaken by other states, including Kentucky.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Department of Environmental Quality for this study, upon request.

The Department of Environmental Quality shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2014, and shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than the first day of the 2015 Regular Session of the General Assembly and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.