                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

NOTIFICATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS (§ 62.1-44.15:4)

A. Upon determining that there has been a violation of a regulation promulgated
under this chapter and such violation poses an imminent threat to the health,
safety or welfare of the public, the Executive Director shall immediately notify
the chief administrative officer of any potentially affected local government.
Neither the Executive Director, the Commonwealth, nor any employee of the
Commonwealth shall be liable for a failure to provide, or a delay in providing,
the notification required by this subsection.

B. Upon receiving a nomination of a waterway or segment of a waterway for
designation as an exceptional state water pursuant to the Board&#8217;s
antidegradation policy, as required by 40 C.F.R. &#xA7; 131.12, the Board shall
notify each locality in which the waterway or segment lies and shall make a good
faith effort to provide notice to impacted riparian property owners. The written
notice shall include, at a minimum: (i) a description of the location of the
waterway or segment; (ii) the procedures and criteria for designation as well as
the impact of designation; (iii) the name of the person making the nomination;
and (iv) the name of a contact person at the Department of Environmental Quality
who is knowledgeable about the nomination and the waterway or segment. Notice to
property owners shall be based on names and addresses taken from local tax
rolls. Such names and addresses shall be provided by the Commissioners of the
Revenue or the tax assessor&#8217;s office of the affected jurisdictions upon
request by the Board. After receipt of the notice of the nomination localities
shall be provided sixty days to comment on the consistency of the nomination
with the locality&#8217;s comprehensive plan.

C. Upon determining that a waterway or any segment of a waterway does not meet
its water quality standard use designation as set out in the Board&#8217;s
regulations and as required by &#xA7; 1313 (d) of the federal Clean Water Act
(33 U.S.C. &#xA7; 1251 et seq.) and 40 C.F.R. &#xA7; 130.7 (b), the Board shall
notify each locality in which the waterway or segment lies. The written
notification shall include, at a minimum: (i) a description of the reasons the
waters do not meet the water quality standard including specific parameters and
criteria not met; (ii) a layman&#8217;s description of the location of the
waters; (iii) the known sources of the pollution; and (iv) the name of a contact
person at the Department of Environmental Quality who is knowledgeable about the
failure of the waterway or segment to meet the standards. After receipt of the
notification, local governments shall have thirty days to comment.

D. Upon receipt of an application for the issuance of a new or modified permit
other than those for agricultural production or aquacultural production
activities, the Board shall notify, in writing, the locality wherein the
discharge does or is proposed to take place of, at a minimum: (i) the name of
the applicant; (ii) the nature of the application and proposed discharge; (iii)
the availability and timing of any comment period; and (iv) upon request, any
other information known to, or in the possession of, the Board or the Department
regarding the applicant not required to be held confidential by this chapter.
The Board shall make a good faith effort to provide this same notice and
information to (i) each locality and riparian property owner to a distance one
quarter mile downstream and one quarter mile upstream or to the fall line
whichever is closer on tidal waters, and (ii) each locality and riparian
property owner to a distance one half mile downstream on nontidal waters.
Distances shall be measured from the point, or proposed point, of discharge. If
the receiving river, at the point or proposed point of discharge, is two miles
wide or greater, the riparian property owners on the opposite shore need not be
notified. Notice to property owners shall be based on names and addresses taken
from local tax rolls. Such names and addresses shall be provided by the
Commissioners of the Revenue or the tax assessor&#8217;s office of the affected
jurisdictions upon request by the Board.

E. Upon the commencement of public notice of an enforcement action pursuant to
this chapter, the Board shall notify, in writing, the locality where the alleged
offense has or is taking place of: (i) the name of the alleged violator; (ii)
the facts of the alleged violation; (iii) the statutory remedies for the alleged
violation; (iv) the availability and timing of any comment period; and (v) the
name of a contact person at the Department of Environmental Quality who is
knowledgeable about the alleged violation.

F. The comment periods established in subsections B and C shall in no way impact
a locality&#8217;s ability to comment during any additional comment periods
established by the Board.

HISTORY: 1988, c. 434; 1996, c. 160; 1997, c. 581.