Virginia Law

A. The commissioner shall establish a Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee for the purpose of assisting the department in the evaluation and risk-assessment of plants that may be declared noxious weeds in 2VAC5-317-20. The committee may also consider the delisting of plants that were previously declared noxious weeds.

B. The committee shall present recommendations to the commissioner regarding the listing or delisting of plants as noxious weeds. The committee shall consider the degree to which the plant is detrimental to crops; surface waters, including lakes; other desirable plants; livestock; land or other property; public health; the environment; and the economy. The committee's recommendation shall include an analysis of the current and potential in-state commercial viability of the specific plant species and the economic impact on industries affected by the designation of the plant as a noxious weed.

C. The commissioner shall convene a meeting of the committee at least once annually, and may convene additional meetings at his discretion. Department staff will coordinate the scheduling and logistics of the meetings, including the posting of meeting notices on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall and the Commonwealth Calendar.

D. Committee members shall serve at the invitation of the commissioner. For every meeting of the committee, the commissioner shall invite representatives of Virginia's agricultural, horticultural, and environmental industries as well as representatives of Virginia's land grant universities and relevant executive branch agencies, to include:

1. A conservation representative or organization;

2. An agribusiness representative or organization;

3. A local government representative or organization;

4. Virginia Cooperative Extension;

5. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation;

6. Virginia Department of Forestry;

7. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries;

8. Virginia Department of Transportation;

9. A farming representative or organization;

10. A forage-based agriculture representative or organization;

11. A native plant conservation representative or organization;

12. A nursery and landscaping representative or organization;

13. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University;

14. Virginia State University;

15. A cooperative weed management area representative or organization; and

16. Virginia soil and water conservation districts.

E. The commissioner may invite representatives of local government agencies from localities where a plant of concern has been found or from localities that could be impacted by the declaration of a plant as a noxious weed. The commissioner may invite representatives of other organizations not listed in subsection D of this section that may have a direct interest in the declaration of a plant as a noxious weed.

F. Prior to each meeting of the committee, the commissioner or his designee shall make timely notification to committee members of any plant that the department is considering for possible listing or delisting as a noxious weed. The notification will include the scientific data and rationale for such listing or delisting. The commissioner or his designee shall survey committee members to determine if any member has identified a plant that should be considered for possible listing or delisting as a noxious weed. Any committee member who has identified a plant that should be considered for possible listing or delisting as a noxious weed shall provide department staff with relevant scientific data and the rationale to support the listing or delisting of the plant. The commissioner or his designee will distribute the scientific data and rationale to other committee members for their review and consideration prior to the meeting of the committee.

G. The committee, by majority vote of members, may develop and present to the commissioner a list of plants recommended for listing or delisting as noxious weeds.

H. The commissioner shall consider the recommendations of the committee in his preparation of the list of plants that he presents to the board for listing or delisting as noxious weeds.

I. If a regulatory action to list or delist a noxious weed is under way, the commissioner may delay the pursuit of a new regulatory action to list or delist a new noxious weed until the current action is completed.