Environmental Quality, Department of; consolidation of various boards, increase of authority. (HB3113)
Introduced By
Del. Steve Landes (R-Weyers Cave)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
☐ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Department of Environmental Quality. Consolidates the State Air Pollution Control Board, the State Water Control Board, and the Waste Management Board into one eleven-member citizen board%97the Virginia Board of Environmental Quality%97with the authority to adopt regulations. All other responsibilities of the existing boards, including the authority to issue licenses and permits, shall be transferred to the Department of Environmental Quality. Read the Bill »
Status
03/12/2007: Passed the General Assembly
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/18/2007 | Committee |
01/18/2007 | Presented and ordered printed 070979376 |
01/18/2007 | Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources |
01/31/2007 | Committee substitute printed 070992376-H1 |
02/03/2007 | Committee substitute printed 070992376-H1 |
02/03/2007 | Read first time |
02/05/2007 | Read second time |
02/05/2007 | Committee substitute agreed to 070992376-H1 |
02/05/2007 | Pending question ordered |
02/05/2007 | Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB3113H1 |
02/06/2007 | Read third time and passed House (67-Y 30-N) |
02/06/2007 | Communicated to Senate |
02/07/2007 | Impact statement from DPB (HB3113H1) |
02/07/2007 | Constitutional reading dispensed |
02/07/2007 | Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources |
02/13/2007 | Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) |
02/13/2007 | VOTE: (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/14/2007 | Read third time |
02/14/2007 | Reading of amendments waived |
02/14/2007 | Committee amendments agreed to |
02/14/2007 | Engrossed by Senate as amended |
02/14/2007 | Passed Senate with amendments (30-Y 10-N) |
02/14/2007 | VOTE: (30-Y 10-N) (see vote tally) |
02/15/2007 | Placed on Calendar |
02/16/2007 | Senate amendments agreed to by House (73-Y 23-N) |
03/09/2007 | Impact statement from DPB (HB3113ER) |
03/12/2007 | Enrolled |
03/12/2007 | Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB3113ER) |
03/12/2007 | Signed by President |
03/13/2007 | Signed by Speaker |
03/26/2007 | Governor's recommendation received by House |
03/26/2007 | G Governor's Communication |
03/26/2007 | Bill became law without Governor's signature, Chapter 838 (effective - see bill) |
04/10/2007 | G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0838) |
Comments
This bill would substantially further reduce the protections Virginia citizens have against polluting industries.
The bill as it stands would reduce expert input, and once more, cut the frail connection between Virginia's citizens, and the laws, regulations, and permits that govern them. This bill is bad, not because it attempts to reduce government which can at times be helpful, but because it attempts to take knowledgeable citizens out of the process of assessing environmental damage and hazards that ultimately affect them. Reducing a voluntary citizen board doesn't really cut much from the budget, but it does limit participation by the public in decisions that will affect many of them with out them even being aware. In this bill, industries and big business interests win, and Virginia citizens lose more than they may realize when all is said and done.
The air, water and waste management issues are all environmentally related, but the science and engineering issues for each are substantially different. There is no feasible way that one 11 person group can adequately represent, and be informed about, such a disparate range of subjects. If the Board is to be more than a rubber stamp, and a less-than-knowledgeable one at that, there will have to be sub-groups to deal with each of the sets of issues. So, what has been achieved except a smaller citizen input to the decision process?
This bill is an attempt to further cater to corporate interests at the expense of the citizens of Virginia. The citizens of Virginia are already assaulted through environmental horrors like the spreading of Sewage Sludge due to the States pro corporation positions. This bill would only make it easier for those harming our environment and the health of the good people of Virginia.