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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>67138</law_id><section_number>62.1-44.34:23</section_number><catch_line>Exceptions</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="62.1">Waters of the State, Ports and Harbors</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3.1">State Water Control Law</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="11">Discharge of Oil Into Waters</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Nothing in this article shall apply to: (i) normal <span class="dictionary">discharges</span> from properly functioning <span class="dictionary">vehicles</span> and equipment, marine engines, outboard motors or hydroelectric facilities; (ii) accidental <span class="dictionary">discharges</span> from farm <span class="dictionary">vehicles</span> or noncommercial <span class="dictionary">vehicles</span>; (iii) accidental <span class="dictionary">discharges</span> from the fuel <span class="dictionary">tanks</span> of commercial <span class="dictionary">vehicles</span> or <span class="dictionary">vessels</span> that have a fuel <span class="dictionary">tank</span> capacity of 150 gallons or less; (iv) <span class="dictionary">discharges</span> authorized by a valid permit issued by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Powers and duties; civil penalties" href="/62.1-44.15/">62.1-44.15</a> (5) or by the United States Environmental Protection Agency; (v) underground storage <span class="dictionary">tanks</span> regulated under a state program; (vi) releases from underground storage <span class="dictionary">tanks</span> as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/62.1-44.34_8/">62.1-44.34:8</a>, regardless of when the release occurred; (vii) <span class="dictionary">discharges</span> of hydrostatic test media from a <span class="dictionary">pipeline</span> undergoing a hydrostatic test in accordance with federal <span class="dictionary">pipeline</span> safety <span class="dictionary">regulations</span>; or (viii) <span class="dictionary">discharges</span> authorized by the federal on-scene coordinator and the Executive <span class="dictionary">Director</span> or his designee in connection with activities related to the recovery of spilled <span class="dictionary">oil</span> where such activities are undertaken to minimize overall environmental damage due to an <span class="dictionary">oil</span> spill into or on <span class="dictionary">state waters</span>. However, the exception provided in clause (viii) shall in no way reduce the liability of the <span class="dictionary">person</span> who initially spilled the <span class="dictionary">oil</span> which is being recovered. <a id="paragraph-243318" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.34_23/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Notwithstanding the exemption set forth in clause (vi) of subsection A of this section, a political subdivision may recover pursuant to subsection C of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Discharge of oil prohibited; liability for permitting discharge" href="/62.1-44.34_18/">62.1-44.34:18</a> for a <span class="dictionary">discharge</span> of <span class="dictionary">oil</span> into or upon <span class="dictionary">state waters</span>, lands, or storm drain systems from an underground storage <span class="dictionary">tank</span> regulated under a state program at facilities with an aggregate capacity of one million gallons or greater. <a id="paragraph-243319" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-44.34_23/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1978, c. 816; 1987, c. 677; 1990, c. 917; 1992, cc. 302, 456; 1993, cc. 18, 231; 1994, c. 416.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
