Virginia Law

A. A permittee may satisfy the requirements of this chapter by obtaining a surety bond that conforms to the requirements of this section and by submitting an originally signed duplicate of the bond to the department. The surety company issuing the bond shall be licensed to operate as a surety in the Commonwealth of Virginia and be among those listed as acceptable sureties on federal bonds in the latest Circular 570 of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

B. Under the terms of the bond, the surety will become liable on the bond obligation when the permittee fails to perform as guaranteed by the bond.

C. The bond shall guarantee that the permittee or any other authorized person will:

1. Implement compensatory mitigation in accordance with the approved compensatory mitigation plan and other requirements in any VWP permit for the project;

2. Implement the compensatory mitigation plan following an order to do so issued by the department or by a court.

D. The surety bond shall guarantee that the permittee shall provide alternate evidence of financial responsibility as specified in this article within 60 days after receipt by the department of a notice of cancellation of the bond from the surety.

E. If the approved cost estimate increases to an amount greater than the amount of the penal sum of the bond, the permittee shall, within 60 days after the increase, cause the penal sum of the bond to be increased to an amount at least equal to the new estimate and submit a revised mechanism to the department. Whenever the cost estimate decreases, the penal sum may be reduced to the amount of the cost estimate following written approval by the department. Notice of an increase or decrease in the penal sum shall be sent to the department by certified mail within 60 days after the change.

F. The bond shall remain in force for its term unless the surety sends written notice of cancellation by certified mail to the permittee and to the department. Cancellation cannot occur, however, during the 120 days beginning on the date of receipt of the notice of cancellation by the department as shown on the signed return receipt. The surety shall provide written notification to the department by certified mail no less than 120 days prior to the expiration date of the bond, that the bond will expire and the date the bond will expire.

G. The department shall cash the surety bond if it is not replaced 60 days prior to expiration with alternate evidence of financial responsibility acceptable to the department or if the permittee fails to fulfill the conditions of the bond.

H. In regards to implementation of a compensatory mitigation plan either by the permittee, by an authorized third party, or by the surety, proper implementation of a compensatory mitigation plan shall be deemed to have occurred when the department determines that compensatory mitigation has been completed. Such implementation shall be deemed to have been completed when the provisions of the permittee's approved compensatory mitigation plan have been executed and the provisions of any other permit requirements or enforcement orders relative to the compensatory mitigation plan have been complied with.

I. The surety bond shall be worded as described in 9VAC25-770-190 A, except that instructions in brackets are to be replaced with the relevant information and the brackets deleted.