Gold; Secretary of Natural Resources, et al., to study mining and processing. (HB2213)

Introduced By

Del. Elizabeth Guzman (D-Dale City) with support from co-patron Del. Shelly Simonds (D-Newport News)

Progress

✓	Introduced
☐	Passed Committee
☐	Passed House
☐	Passed Senate
☐	Signed by Governor
☐	Became Law

Description

Study; gold mining; prohibition on permitting; report. Directs the Secretary of Natural Resources, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, and the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to conduct a study of the mining of gold in the Commonwealth. The bill requires that the study be conducted in consultation with the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice and appropriate stakeholders, including experts in mining, hydrology, toxicology, and other fields; environmental organizations; representatives of potentially affected communities in localities with significant deposits of gold; and residents of Native American communities in such counties. The bill provides that the study shall evaluate the impacts of gold mining on public health, safety, and welfare; evaluate whether existing air and water quality regulations are sufficient; consider which processing and beneficiation techniques, including cyanide heap leaching and cyanide vat leaching, should be permitted; consider whether the dewatering of an open pit mine should be permitted; make a recommendation as to whether the issuance of any permit to operate a gold mine should be prohibited; and report its findings to the General Assembly by July 1, 2023. The bill also prohibits the issuance of any permit by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy to operate a gold mine of an area larger than 10 acres until July 1, 2024. Read the Bill »

Status

01/13/2021: Awaiting a Vote in the Rules Committee

History

Date	Action
01/13/2021	Committee
01/13/2021	Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21102931D
01/13/2021	Referred to Committee on Rules