Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services; invasive plant species installation; written notification to property owners; civil penalty. Provides that the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services may assess a civil penalty in an amount of not more than $250 for a first violation, $500 for a second violation, and $1,000 for each subsequent violation to any tradesperson involved with proposing or installing plants who fails to provide written notification to property owners when such plants are on the Department of Conservation and Recreation's list of invasive plant species. Current law provides that any such tradesperson who fails to provide such written notice is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. This bill is identical to HB 710.
Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard; zero-carbon electricity; accelerated clean energy buyers. Revises the conditions under which accelerated clean energy buyers, defined in existing law as accelerated renewable energy buyers, may contract with Appalachian Power or Dominion Energy Virginia to obtain renewable energy certificates (RECs). The bill exempts an accelerated clean energy buyer obtaining capacity, energy, or RECs from qualifying resources or facilities from the assignment of non-bypassable costs associated with compliance with the renewable portfolio standard program based on the amount and type of renewable energy certificates obtained in proportion to such accelerated clean energy buyer's total electric energy consumption. This bill incorporates SB 470. This bill is identical to HB 369.
Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services; invasive plant species installation; written notification to property owners; civil penalty. Provides that the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services may assess a civil penalty in an amount of not more than $250 for a first violation, $500 for a second violation, and $1,000 for each subsequent violation to any tradesperson involved with proposing or installing plants who fails to provide written notification to property owners when such plants are on the Department of Conservation and Recreation's list of invasive plant species. Current law provides that any such tradesperson who fails to provide such written notice is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. This bill is identical to SB 383.
Department of Wildlife Resources; fishing tackle recycling and disposal; educational webpage. Directs the Department of Wildlife Resources to (i) develop, publish, and maintain a dedicated webpage on its website to educate the recreational fishing community and the general public about the importance of responsible recycling and disposal of fishing tackle, as defined in the bill, and (ii) periodically update such webpage to ensure that educational materials are current, relevant, and effective in promoting responsible fishing practices. The bill directs the Department to update the webpage at least every three years in consultation with relevant state agencies and stakeholders.
Department of Environmental Quality; Environmental Justice in the Permitting Process Guidance Memo; cumulative impacts. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to publish an updated version of the Environmental Justice in the Permitting Process Guidance Memo for public comment. The bill requires the updated memo to consider how to assess the cumulative impacts of the types of permits covered in the guidance memo and outreach strategies to engage communities impacted by any such permit. The bill requires the public comment period process to include two public town halls held no later than July 31, 2026, and requires the Department to respond to the public comments by October 31, 2026. The Department is required to issue the final guidance memo by December 31, 2026.
Department of Environmental Quality; special orders; Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program; civil penalties. Increases the maximum civil penalty amount that the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality may assess for any special order to a person to comply with certain related laws, regulations, permits, and certifications from $10,000 to $32,500. The bill increases from $1,000 to $32,500 the maximum civil penalty that a locality authorized to administer a Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program is able to collect for any one violation of certain regulations, orders, ordinances, program provisions, conditions of land-disturbance approvals, and provisions of state law. The bill also provides, however, that for a land-disturbing activity that (i) disturbs an area measuring at least 10,000 square feet but less than one acre in an area not designated as a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area and (ii) is not part of a larger common plan of development or sale that disturbs one or more acres of land, the civil penalty shall not exceed $5,000 for each violation, and a series of violations arising from the same set of facts shall not exceed $50,000.
Powers of service districts; control of invasive plant species. Allows a service district created within a locality to control the spread of any plant that is identified on the list of invasive plant species established by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. This bill is identical to HB 388.
Marine Resources Commission; Habitat Policy Oversight Committee established; powers and duties. Establishes the Habitat Policy Oversight Committee within the Marine Resources Commission to advise the Commission and the Habitat Management Division of the Commission on policies within their jurisdiction and to support the Commission's coastal resilience efforts. The bill establishes the powers and duties of the Committee, establishes how the members of the Committee are appointed, and provides that the Committee shall have 11 voting members and two ex-officio members. This bill incorporates HB 619.
Small renewable energy projects; agrivoltaics definition. Provides a definition of "agrivoltaics" for the purposes of small renewable energy projects. This bill incorporates HB 899 and is identical to SB 340.
An Act to amend and reenact § 10.1-1197.5, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia, relating to small renewable energy projects; agrivoltaics definition.
