Virginia Law

A. An individual shall be qualified to serve as an RMP developer if the individual:

1. Is certified as a conservation planner by the NRCS and is certified as a nutrient management planner by the department; or

2. Is certified as a nutrient management planner by the department and demonstrates academic and applied proficiencies with and an understanding of all of the following:

a. Agricultural conservation planning;

b. State and federal environmental laws and regulations and local ordinances;

c. State and federal laws and regulations that address the identification and preservation of historic resources;

d. Standards and specifications for agricultural conservation practices utilized in Virginia and the ability to plan and implement such practices;

e. Soil erosion processes and skill in applying approved erosion prediction technologies including the applicable current United States Department of Agriculture Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation and the Wind Erosion Equation;

f. The fundamentals of water quality and nonpoint source pollution, pest management, and fire management;

g. Site vulnerability assessment tools; and

h. Other proficiencies and understandings identified by the department in consultation with the board.

B. In a format established by the department, such individual shall submit documentation to the department for verification that the requirements of subsection A of this section have been met.

1. Upon receipt, the department shall review the documentation and issue its notification within 60 days. During its review the department shall determine:

a. If all required documentation is complete. If incomplete the applicant shall be notified.

b. If all requirements have been satisfied. If deficiencies exist the applicant shall be notified.

2. Applicants with deficiencies may submit additional documentation in support of their request to be certified. The department shall review the documentation provided within 30 days to determine its sufficiency.

3. When all requirements of this subsection have been met, the department shall issue to the applicant a Resource Management Plan Developer Certificate.

C. In the event that an individual's proficiency skills or the quality of technical work no longer meet the criteria for RMP developer certification, the individual's certification may be revoked by the department following a seven-day advance notification of the pending action and the holding of an informal fact finding proceeding held in accordance with § 2.2-4019 of the Code of Virginia. The department shall consider any action by NRCS to decertify a certified conservation planner. An RMP developer may appeal a decision of the department to the board in accordance with 4VAC50-70-110.

D. When an individual's RMP developer certificate has been revoked by the department, the basis for the revocation will be provided to the individual by the department. The individual will be informed of the steps necessary to address the deficiencies that led to the revocation and to re-establish certification.

E. Revocation of an individual's RMP developer certificate shall not result in revocation of a Certificate of RMP Implementation of which the RMP developer was party to.

F. The department shall maintain a public registry on the agency's website of all individuals issued an RMP developer certificate and shall note any subsequent revocations or other changes to the status of RMP developers.