Virginia Law

A. The Department, in conjunction with other state agencies, shall evaluate and report on the impacts of nonpoint source pollution on water quality and water quality improvement to the Governor and the General Assembly. This evaluation shall be incorporated into the § 305(b) water quality report of the Clean Water Act developed pursuant to § 62.1-44.19:5. The evaluation shall at a minimum include considerations of water quality standards, fishing bans, shellfish contamination, aquatic life monitoring, sediment sampling, fish tissue sampling and human health standards. The report shall be produced in accordance with the schedule required by federal law, but shall incorporate at least the preceding five years of data. Data older than five years shall be incorporated when scientifically appropriate for trend analysis. The report shall, at a minimum, include an assessment of the geographic regions where water quality is demonstrated to be impaired or degraded as the result of nonpoint source pollution and an evaluation of the basis or cause for such impairment or degradation.

B. The Department and a county, city or town or any combination of counties, cities and towns comprising all or part of any geographic region identified pursuant to subsection A as contributing to the impairment or degradation of state waters may develop a cooperative program to address identified nonpoint source pollution impairment or degradation, including excess nutrients. The program may include, in addition to other elements, a delineation of state and local government responsibilities and duties and may provide for the implementation of initiatives to address the causes of nonpoint source pollution, including those related to excess nutrients. These initiatives may include the modification, if necessary, of local government land use control ordinances. All state agencies shall cooperate and provide assistance in developing and implementing such programs.

C. The Department and a county, city or town or any combination of counties, cities and towns comprising all or part of any geographic region not identified pursuant to subsection A as contributing to the impairment or degradation of state waters may develop a cooperative program to prevent nonpoint source pollution impairment or degradation. The program may include, in addition to other elements, a delineation of state and local government responsibilities and duties and may provide for the implementation of initiatives to address the nonpoint source pollution causes, including the modification, if necessary, of local government land use control ordinances. All state agencies shall cooperate and provide assistance in developing and implementing such programs.

D. The Department shall, on or before January 1 of each year, report to the Governor and the General Assembly on whether cooperative nonpoint source pollution programs, including nutrient reduction programs, developed pursuant to this section are being effectively implemented to meet the objectives of this article. This annual report may be incorporated as part of the report required by § 62.1-44.118.

1997, cc. 21, 625, 626; 2003, c. 741; 2007, c. 637.