                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

POWERS AND DUTIES OF BOARD (§ 32.1-241)

The Board shall:

1. Advise the Governor, other state agencies, the federal government, and local
governing bodies on matters pertaining to chemical exposures posing a threat to
public health or the environment;

2. Collect from any source, necessary information concerning substances which
are toxic in certain concentrations and under certain conditions;

3. Catalogue information on substances that are toxic so that the information
can be retrieved quickly for use;

4. Institute proceedings in any appropriate court to compel the production of
information concerning substances which are toxic;

5. Review and evaluate the information to be used in making a determination
regarding toxicity of any substance and the concentrations and conditions under
which the substance is toxic;

6. Disseminate information concerning toxic substances to other state agencies,
political subdivisions of the Commonwealth, health professionals, the media, and
the public by communicating the risk of chemical exposure through developing and
disseminating documents, technical reports, information sheets, advisories, and
press releases;

7. Investigate potential human health effects associated with environmental
exposures through biomedical studies to address emergency and nonemergency
site-specific problems;

8. Develop health risk assessments for specific chemical exposures via air,
water, and food; coordinate assessments of such risks with other state agencies
through the convening of assessment groups; and submit recommendations to
prevent exposure of citizens to toxic substances, including, but not limited to,
the closure of bodies of water and advisories relating to food consumption; and

9. Promulgate regulations to specify as necessary the details of the program.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 32-428.1, 32-429; 1976, c. 627; 1977, c. 471; 1979, c.
711; 1982, c. 16; 1992, c. 203; 1995, c. 90.