Del. Chris L. Hurst

Dairy Producer Margin Coverage Premium AssistanceProgram. Directs the Commissioner of Agriculture and ConsumerServices to establish and administer the Dairy Producer Margin CoveragePremium Assistance Program (the Program). The bill provides that anydairy farmer that has a resource management plan or nutrient managementplan and participates in the federal margin coverage program fordairy producers at the Tier 1 level as contained in the federal Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 is eligible to participate in the Program.Under the bill, each year a Program participant will receive a refundof its annual premium payment paid into the federal program.

Commending Bud Foster.

Celebrating the life of William Griffith Thomas.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable GeraldL. Baliles.

Sanctions; improper purpose; claims filed in retaliation for certain actions. Provides that for the purpose of awarding sanctions improper purpose includes certain claims filed in retaliation for or in order to discourage actions taken by victims of violence to obtain an order of protection or criminal charges based on such conduct.

Pipeline construction; certification requirement; minimum diameter; stop work orders. Reduces from 36 inches to 24 inches the minimum inside diameter of a natural gas transmission pipeline for which an individual Virginia Water Protection Permit, rather than a general permit, is required to conduct activities in wetlands or state waters or an additional upland activity certification is required to obtain a Clean Water Act Certification. The bill reduces from 15 percent to 10 percent the minimum grade of a slope on which any construction activities will trigger the requirement for such additional upland activity certification. The measure requires the Department of Environmental Quality, within five business days of the issuance of a stop work instruction, to notify the pipeline company of specific corrective measures that shall be completed and approved by the Department before any land-disturbing activity may be resumed. The bill authorizes the State Water Control Board, in addition to the Department, to issue such stop work instructions and adds requirements and restrictions on any further construction once such an instruction is issued.

Pipeline construction projects; violations; cumulative effect; civil penalties. Directs the State Water Control Board to adopt regulations to penalize the accrual of violations of the State Water Control Law by any large natural gas transmission pipeline construction project. The bill requires the regulations to provide that, for every 10 such violations in one calendar month, the Board shall issue an accrued cumulative impact violation order that includes a civil penalty of $32,500. If a project accrues a total of 20 such violations in one calendar month, the Board shall additionally, after notice and hearing, initiate proceedings to halt work on the entirety of the project, with work to remain halted until corrective action is taken and is approved by the Board.

Commending Diana Christopulos.

Commending the Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire Department.

Commending Joseph Dashiell.