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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>61698</law_id><section_number>10.1-2118</section_number><catch_line>Cooperative program established</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><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="21.1">Virginia Water Quality Improvement Act of 1997</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>It shall be the policy of the Commonwealth, and it is the purpose of this chapter, to restore and improve the quality of <span class="dictionary">state waters</span> and to protect them from impairment and destruction for the benefit of current and future citizens of the Commonwealth. The General Assembly further determines and finds that the quality of <span class="dictionary">state waters</span> is subject to potential pollution and degradation, including excess nutrients, from both point and <span class="dictionary">nonpoint source pollution</span> and that the purposes of the State Water Control <span class="dictionary">Law</span> (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Short title; purpose" href="/62.1-44.2/">62.1-44.2</a> et seq.) and all other <span class="dictionary">laws</span> related to the restoration, protection and improvement of the quality of <span class="dictionary">state waters</span> will be enhanced by the implementation of the provisions of this chapter. The General Assembly further determines and finds that the restoration, protection and improvement of the quality of <span class="dictionary">state waters</span> is a shared responsibility among state and <span class="dictionary">local governments</span> and <span class="dictionary">individuals</span> and to that end this chapter establishes cooperative programs related to nutrient reduction and other point and nonpoint sources of pollution.</p></section></text><history>1997, cc. 21, 625, 626.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
