{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/32.1-248.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/32.1-248.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/32.1-248.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/32.1-248.html"}],"law_id":73020,"edition_id":1,"section_id":73020,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-248","catch_line":"Closing of waters; modification or revocation of regulation or order","history":"1979, c. 711; 1981, c. 144.","full_text":"The Board may adopt regulations or orders closing any river, stream, lake or other body of water in this Commonwealth to fishing, boating, swimming or any other usage if the Board finds, and states the reasons and precise factual basis for finding, that a toxic substance as defined in \u00a7 32.1-239 is present in such river, stream, lake or other body of water in such manner as to constitute a present threat to public health and welfare. Such regulation or order may be temporary or permanent and may be issued initially on an emergency basis. Thereafter it may be promulgated as a final regulation or order upon the completion by the Board of the procedural requirements set forth in the Administrative Process Act (\u00a7 2.2-4000 et seq.).\n\t\tIf the Commissioner determines that the threat to public health and welfare has abated in whole or in part, the State Health Commissioner may modify or revoke any such regulation or order in a manner that lessens the restrictions placed upon fishing, boating, swimming, or other usage. Such modification or revocation by the Commissioner shall not be subject to the requirements of the Administrative Process Act but shall be filed with the Registrar of Regulations in accordance with \u00a7 2.2-4103. The Board shall review such modification or revocation at its next regularly scheduled meeting after such action by the Commissioner and shall affirm, reverse, or modify the Commissioner’s action. Review by the Board shall also be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":262948,"text":"The Board may adopt regulations or orders closing any river, stream, lake or other body of water in this Commonwealth to fishing, boating, swimming or any other usage if the Board finds, and states the reasons and precise factual basis for finding, that a toxic substance as defined in \u00a7 32.1-239 is present in such river, stream, lake or other body of water in such manner as to constitute a present threat to public health and welfare. Such regulation or order may be temporary or permanent and may be issued initially on an emergency basis. Thereafter it may be promulgated as a final regulation or order upon the completion by the Board of the procedural requirements set forth in the Administrative Process Act (\u00a7 2.2-4000 et seq.).\n\t\tIf the Commissioner determines that the threat to public health and welfare has abated in whole or in part, the State Health Commissioner may modify or revoke any such regulation or order in a manner that lessens the restrictions placed upon fishing, boating, swimming, or other usage. Such modification or revocation by the Commissioner shall not be subject to the requirements of the Administrative Process Act but shall be filed with the Registrar of Regulations in accordance with \u00a7 2.2-4103. The Board shall review such modification or revocation at its next regularly scheduled meeting after such action by the Commissioner and shall affirm, reverse, or modify the Commissioner’s action. Review by the Board shall also be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14664,"edition_id":1,"name":"Miscellaneous Provisions","identifier":"10","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12941,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:13","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:13","permalink":{"id":203685,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14664,"identifier":"10","token":"32.1\/6\/10","url":"\/32.1\/6\/10\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12941,"edition_id":1,"name":"Environmental Health Services","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12727,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","permalink":{"id":203563,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12941,"identifier":"6","token":"32.1\/6","url":"\/32.1\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12727,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health","identifier":"32.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":201099,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12727,"identifier":"32.1","token":"32.1","url":"\/32.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":81025,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-246","catch_line":"Marinas","url":"\/32.1-246\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-246","metadata":false},{"id":80706,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-246.1","catch_line":"Signs or notices required on dump stations","url":"\/32.1-246.1\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-246.1","metadata":false},{"id":59496,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-247","catch_line":"Vector control","url":"\/32.1-247\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-247","metadata":false},{"id":73020,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-248","catch_line":"Closing of waters; modification or revocation of regulation or order","url":"\/32.1-248\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-248","metadata":false},{"id":77839,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-248.01","catch_line":"Fish consumption advisories","url":"\/32.1-248.01\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-248.01","metadata":false},{"id":79112,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-248.1","catch_line":"Posting of water quality test results by certain recreational facilities","url":"\/32.1-248.1\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-248.1","metadata":false},{"id":56258,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-248.2","catch_line":"Use of rainwater and reuse of gray water; regulations","url":"\/32.1-248.2\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-248.2","metadata":false},{"id":75033,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-248.3","catch_line":"Environmental Health Education and Training Fund","url":"\/32.1-248.3\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-248.3","metadata":false},{"id":83477,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-248.4","catch_line":"Provision by the Department of certain services for onsite sewage systems and private wells","url":"\/32.1-248.4\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-248.4","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":59496,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-247","catch_line":"Vector control","url":"\/32.1-247\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-247","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":77839,"structure_id":14664,"section_number":"32.1-248.01","catch_line":"Fish consumption advisories","url":"\/32.1-248.01\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-248.01","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/32.1-248\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1979. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 711 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1979 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 1981, chapter 144.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":86911,"section_number":"2.2-4000","catch_line":"Short title; purpose","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-4000\/"},{"id":59379,"section_number":"2.2-4103","catch_line":"Agencies to file regulations with Registrar; other duties; failure to file","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-4103\/"},{"id":55402,"section_number":"32.1-239","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-239\/"}],"permalink":{"id":203699,"object_type":"law","relational_id":73020,"identifier":"32.1-248","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-248","url":"\/32.1-248\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/32.1-248\/","token":"32.1\/6\/10\/32.1-248","dublin_core":{"Title":"Closing of waters; modification or revocation of regulation or order","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 32.1-248","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Board<\/span> may adopt regulations or orders<\/span> closing any river, stream, lake or other body of water in this Commonwealth to fishing, boating, swimming or any other usage if the Board<\/span> finds, and states the reasons and precise factual basis for finding<\/span>, that a toxic substance as defined in \u00a7 32.1-239<\/a> is present in such river, stream, lake or other body of water in such manner as to constitute a present threat to public health and welfare. Such regulation or order<\/span> may be temporary or permanent and may be issued initially on an emergency basis. Thereafter it may be promulgated as a final regulation or order<\/span> upon the completion by the Board<\/span> of the procedural requirements set forth in the Administrative Process Act (\u00a7 2.2-4000<\/a> et seq.).\n\t\tIf the Commissioner<\/span> determines that the threat to public health and welfare has abated in whole or in part, the State Health Commissioner<\/span> may modify or revoke any such regulation or order<\/span> in a manner that lessens the restrictions placed upon fishing, boating, swimming, or other usage. Such modification or revocation<\/span> by the Commissioner<\/span> shall not be subject to the requirements of the Administrative Process Act but shall be filed with the Registrar of Regulations in accordance with \u00a7 2.2-4103<\/a>. The Board<\/span> shall review such modification or revocation<\/span> at its next regularly scheduled meeting after such action by the Commissioner<\/span> and shall affirm<\/span>, reverse<\/span>, or modify the Commissioner<\/span>’s action. Review by the Board<\/span> shall also be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCLOSING OF WATERS; MODIFICATION OR REVOCATION OF REGULATION OR ORDER (\u00a7\n32.1-248)\n\nThe Board may adopt regulations or orders closing any river, stream, lake or\nother body of water in this Commonwealth to fishing, boating, swimming or any\nother usage if the Board finds, and states the reasons and precise factual basis\nfor finding, that a toxic substance as defined in \u00a7 32.1-239 is present in such\nriver, stream, lake or other body of water in such manner as to constitute a\npresent threat to public health and welfare. Such regulation or order may be\ntemporary or permanent and may be issued initially on an emergency basis.\nThereafter it may be promulgated as a final regulation or order upon the\ncompletion by the Board of the procedural requirements set forth in the\nAdministrative Process Act (\u00a7 2.2-4000 et seq.).\n\t\tIf the Commissioner determines that the threat to public health and welfare\nhas abated in whole or in part, the State Health Commissioner may modify or\nrevoke any such regulation or order in a manner that lessens the restrictions\nplaced upon fishing, boating, swimming, or other usage. Such modification or\nrevocation by the Commissioner shall not be subject to the requirements of the\nAdministrative Process Act but shall be filed with the Registrar of Regulations\nin accordance with \u00a7 2.2-4103. The Board shall review such modification or\nrevocation at its next regularly scheduled meeting after such action by the\nCommissioner and shall affirm, reverse, or modify the Commissioner’s\naction. Review by the Board shall also be exempt from the provisions of the\nAdministrative Process Act.\n\nHISTORY: 1979, c. 711; 1981, c. 144.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}