{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/44-146.34.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/44-146.34.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/44-146.34.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/44-146.34.html"}],"law_id":64208,"edition_id":1,"section_id":64208,"structure_id":15060,"section_number":"44-146.34","catch_line":"Purpose; definitions","history":"1987, c. 492; 2000, c. 309.","full_text":"A\n\nThe purpose of this chapter is to provide for the development and implementation of a program to protect the environment and the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the Commonwealth from the threats and potential threats of accidents or incidents involving hazardous materials. This program shall be known as the Virginia Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Program.B\n\nAs used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:\n\t\t\t“Coordinator” means the Coordinator of the Department of Emergency Management.\n\t\t\t“Department” means the Department of Emergency Management.\n\t\t\t“Hazardous materials” means substances or materials which may pose unreasonable risks to health, safety, property, or the environment when used, transported, stored or disposed of, which may include materials which are solid, liquid or gas. Hazardous materials may include toxic substances, flammable and ignitable materials, explosives, corrosive materials, and radioactive materials and include (i) those substances or materials in a form or quantity which may pose an unreasonable risk to health, safety, or property when transported, and which the Secretary of Transportation of the United States has so designated by regulation or order; (ii) hazardous substances as defined or designated by law or regulation of the Commonwealth or law or regulation of the United States government; and (iii) hazardous waste as defined or designated by law or regulation of the Commonwealth.\n\t\t\t“Political subdivision” means any city or county in the Commonwealth, and for the purposes of this chapter, any town with a population of more than 5,000 which chooses to have an emergency management program separate from that of the county in which the town is located.\n\t\t\t“Transport” or “transportation” means any movement of property by any mode and any packing, loading, unloading, or storage incidental thereto.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":233744,"text":"The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the development and implementation of a program to protect the environment and the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the Commonwealth from the threats and potential threats of accidents or incidents involving hazardous materials. This program shall be known as the Virginia Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Program.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":233745,"text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:\n\t\t\t“Coordinator” means the Coordinator of the Department of Emergency Management.\n\t\t\t“Department” means the Department of Emergency Management.\n\t\t\t“Hazardous materials” means substances or materials which may pose unreasonable risks to health, safety, property, or the environment when used, transported, stored or disposed of, which may include materials which are solid, liquid or gas. Hazardous materials may include toxic substances, flammable and ignitable materials, explosives, corrosive materials, and radioactive materials and include (i) those substances or materials in a form or quantity which may pose an unreasonable risk to health, safety, or property when transported, and which the Secretary of Transportation of the United States has so designated by regulation or order; (ii) hazardous substances as defined or designated by law or regulation of the Commonwealth or law or regulation of the United States government; and (iii) hazardous waste as defined or designated by law or regulation of the Commonwealth.\n\t\t\t“Political subdivision” means any city or county in the Commonwealth, and for the purposes of this chapter, any town with a population of more than 5,000 which chooses to have an emergency management program separate from that of the county in which the town is located.\n\t\t\t“Transport” or “transportation” means any movement of property by any mode and any packing, loading, unloading, or storage incidental thereto.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15060,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Program","identifier":"3.5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13446,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:51:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:51:53","permalink":{"id":222441,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15060,"identifier":"3.5","token":"44\/3.5","url":"\/44\/3.5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13446,"edition_id":1,"name":"Military and Emergency Laws","identifier":"44","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:54","permalink":{"id":221549,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13446,"identifier":"44","token":"44","url":"\/44\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":64208,"structure_id":15060,"section_number":"44-146.34","catch_line":"Purpose; definitions","url":"\/44-146.34\/","token":"44\/3.5\/44-146.34","metadata":false},{"id":81526,"structure_id":15060,"section_number":"44-146.35","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Department of Emergency Management","url":"\/44-146.35\/","token":"44\/3.5\/44-146.35","metadata":false},{"id":65142,"structure_id":15060,"section_number":"44-146.36","catch_line":"Coordinator to enter into agreements with political subdivisions; immunity from liability","url":"\/44-146.36\/","token":"44\/3.5\/44-146.36","metadata":false},{"id":57432,"structure_id":15060,"section_number":"44-146.37","catch_line":"Disbursements made from Virginia Disaster Response Fund","url":"\/44-146.37\/","token":"44\/3.5\/44-146.37","metadata":false},{"id":72229,"structure_id":15060,"section_number":"44-146.38","catch_line":"Political subdivisions to appoint hazardous materials coordinator","url":"\/44-146.38\/","token":"44\/3.5\/44-146.38","metadata":false},{"id":58170,"structure_id":15060,"section_number":"44-146.39","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/44-146.39\/","token":"44\/3.5\/44-146.39","metadata":false},{"id":70684,"structure_id":15060,"section_number":"44-146.40","catch_line":"Joint emergency planning committee; certain localities","url":"\/44-146.40\/","token":"44\/3.5\/44-146.40","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":81526,"structure_id":15060,"section_number":"44-146.35","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Department of Emergency Management","url":"\/44-146.35\/","token":"44\/3.5\/44-146.35","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/44-146.34\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1987. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 492 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 1987 \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 2000, chapter 309<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":64746,"section_number":"55.1-2417","catch_line":"Escheat of property with hazardous materials","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-2417\/"},{"id":59437,"section_number":"65.2-402","catch_line":"Presumption as to death or disability from respiratory disease, hypertension or heart disease, cancer","order_by":null,"url":"\/65.2-402\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":222443,"object_type":"law","relational_id":64208,"identifier":"44-146.34","token":"44\/3.5\/44-146.34","url":"\/44-146.34\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/44-146.34\/","token":"44\/3.5\/44-146.34","dublin_core":{"Title":"Purpose; definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 44-146.34","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the development and implementation of a program to protect the environment and the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the Commonwealth from the threats and potential threats of accidents or incidents involving hazardous materials<\/span>. This program shall be known as the Virginia Hazardous Materials<\/span> Emergency Response Program. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:\n\t\t\t“Coordinator<\/span>” means the Coordinator<\/span> of the Department<\/span> of Emergency Management.\n\t\t\t“Department<\/span>” means the Department<\/span> of Emergency Management.\n\t\t\t“Hazardous materials<\/span>” means substances or materials which may pose unreasonable risks to health, safety, property, or the environment when used, transported, stored or disposed of, which may include materials which are solid, liquid or gas. Hazardous materials<\/span> may include toxic substances, flammable and ignitable materials, explosives, corrosive materials, and radioactive materials and include (i) those substances or materials in a form or quantity which may pose an unreasonable risk to health, safety, or property when transported, and which the Secretary of Transportation<\/span> of the United States has so designated by regulation or order<\/span>; (ii) hazardous substances as defined or designated by law<\/span> or regulation of the Commonwealth or law<\/span> or regulation of the United States government; and (iii) hazardous waste as defined or designated by law<\/span> or regulation of the Commonwealth.\n\t\t\t“Political subdivision<\/span>” means any city or county in the Commonwealth, and for the purposes of this chapter, any town with a population of more than 5,000 which chooses to have an emergency management program separate from that of the county in which the town is located.\n\t\t\t“Transport<\/span>” or “transportation<\/span>” means any movement of property by any mode and any packing, loading, unloading, or storage incidental thereto. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPURPOSE; DEFINITIONS (\u00a7 44-146.34)\n\nA. The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the development and\nimplementation of a program to protect the environment and the health, safety,\nand welfare of the people of the Commonwealth from the threats and potential\nthreats of accidents or incidents involving hazardous materials. This program\nshall be known as the Virginia Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Program.\n\nB. As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:\n\t\t\t“Coordinator” means the Coordinator of the Department of\nEmergency Management.\n\t\t\t“Department” means the Department of Emergency Management.\n\t\t\t“Hazardous materials” means substances or materials which may\npose unreasonable risks to health, safety, property, or the environment when\nused, transported, stored or disposed of, which may include materials which are\nsolid, liquid or gas. Hazardous materials may include toxic substances,\nflammable and ignitable materials, explosives, corrosive materials, and\nradioactive materials and include (i) those substances or materials in a form or\nquantity which may pose an unreasonable risk to health, safety, or property when\ntransported, and which the Secretary of Transportation of the United States has\nso designated by regulation or order; (ii) hazardous substances as defined or\ndesignated by law or regulation of the Commonwealth or law or regulation of the\nUnited States government; and (iii) hazardous waste as defined or designated by\nlaw or regulation of the Commonwealth.\n\t\t\t“Political subdivision” means any city or county in the\nCommonwealth, and for the purposes of this chapter, any town with a population\nof more than 5,000 which chooses to have an emergency management program\nseparate from that of the county in which the town is located.\n\t\t\t“Transport” or “transportation” means any movement of\nproperty by any mode and any packing, loading, unloading, or storage incidental\nthereto.\n\nHISTORY: 1987, c. 492; 2000, c. 309.","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}}