                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

STATE INTEREST IN RESILIENCE AND FLOOD CONTROL (§ 10.1-658)

A. The General Assembly declares that storm events and rising tidal waters cause
recurrent flooding of Virginia&#8217;s land resources and result in the loss of
life, damage to property, unsafe and unsanitary conditions and the disruption of
commerce and government services, placing at risk the health, safety and welfare
of those citizens living in flood-prone areas of the Commonwealth. Flood waters
disregard jurisdictional boundaries, and the public interest requires the
management of flood-prone areas in a manner which prevents injuries to persons,
damage to property and pollution of state waters.

B. The General Assembly supports and encourages those measures which prevent,
mitigate, and alleviate the effects of sea level rise, stormwater surges, and
all causes of recurrent flooding and declares that the expenditure of public
funds and any obligations incurred in the development of flood control and other
civil works projects, the benefits of which may accrue to any county,
municipality, or region in the Commonwealth, are necessary expenses of local and
state government. The General Assembly shall prioritize measures that use
community-scale and regional-scale planning, protect and enhance natural and
nature-based approaches, address socioeconomic inequities, and enhance equity
through flood resilience and preparedness.

C. The General Assembly supports and encourages flood resilience through
implementation of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan and implementation
of the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan developed pursuant to &#xA7;
10.1-602.

D. The Department shall be responsible for the implementation of the Virginia
Coastal Resilience Master Plan and Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan and
shall serve as the lead administrator.

E. The Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan shall be updated at least every
five years; shall, at a minimum, be a place-specific plan for mitigating severe
and repetitive flooding; and shall, at a minimum, (i) base decision making on
the best-available science; (ii) identify and address socioeconomic inequities
and strive to enhance equity through the adaptation and protection measures by
considering all areas of recurrent flooding; (iii) recognize the importance of
protecting and enhancing natural infrastructure and nature-based approaches to
flood mitigation, when possible; (iv) utilize community and regional scale
planning to the maximum extent possible, seeking region-specific approaches
tailored to the needs of individual communities; and (v) include an
understanding of fiscal realities and focus on cost-effective solutions for the
protection and adaptation of communities, businesses, and critical
infrastructure.

HISTORY: 1989, cc. 468, 497; 2020, c. 493; 2022, cc. 494, 495.