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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70618</law_id><section_number>10.1-1239</section_number><catch_line>Nature of rights; subordination of interests</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>10.1-1238</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="10.1">Conservation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Activities Administered by Other Entities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="12.2">Uniform Environmental Covenants Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">person</span>, including a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that owns an interest in the real property, the <span class="dictionary">agency</span>, or a municipality or other unit of local government, may be a <span class="dictionary">holder</span>. An <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span> may identify more than one <span class="dictionary">holder</span>. The interest of a <span class="dictionary">holder</span> is an interest in real property. <a id="paragraph-254795" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1239/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A right of an <span class="dictionary">agency</span> under this chapter or under an <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span>, other than a right as a <span class="dictionary">holder</span>, is not an interest in real property. <a id="paragraph-254796" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1239/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> An <span class="dictionary">agency</span> is bound by any obligation it assumes in an <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span>, but an <span class="dictionary">agency</span> does not assume obligations merely by signing an <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span>. Any other <span class="dictionary">person</span> that signs an <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span> is bound by the obligations the <span class="dictionary">person</span> assumes in the covenant, but signing the covenant does not change obligations, rights, or protections granted or imposed under <span class="dictionary">law</span> other than this chapter except as provided in the covenant. <a id="paragraph-254797" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1239/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The following rules apply to interests in real property in existence at the time an <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span> is created or amended: <a id="paragraph-254798" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1239/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> An interest that has priority under other <span class="dictionary">law</span> is not affected by an <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span> unless the <span class="dictionary">person</span> that owns the interest subordinates that interest to the covenant. <a id="paragraph-254799" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1239/#D1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> This chapter does not require a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that owns a prior interest to subordinate that interest to an <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span> or to agree to be bound by the covenant. <a id="paragraph-254800" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1239/#D2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> A <span class="dictionary">subordination</span> agreement may be contained in an <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span> covering real property or in a separate record. If the <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span> covers commonly owned property in a <span class="dictionary">common interest community</span>, the record may be signed by any <span class="dictionary">person</span> authorized by the governing board of the owners&#x2019; association. <a id="paragraph-254801" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1239/#D3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> An agreement by a <span class="dictionary">person</span> to subordinate a prior interest to an <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span> affects the priority of that <span class="dictionary">person</span>&#x2019;s interest but does not by itself impose any affirmative obligation on the <span class="dictionary">person</span> with respect to the <span class="dictionary">environmental covenant</span> or affect that <span class="dictionary">person</span>&#x2019;s existing liability. <a id="paragraph-254802" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1239/#D4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2010, c. 691.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
