HB 1822 (Bulova), which seeks to broaden the applicability of Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF) grants as well as enact new reporting requirements for WQIF and Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF), has finished its journey through a House committee and will be heard this week on the House floor.
HB 1822 allows the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to authorize WQIF grants for the design and installation of certain wastewater conveyance infrastructure. Additionally, HB 1822 directs the DEQ to consult with stakeholders annually to estimate the amount of grant funding that local governments will request during the upcoming year from WQIF and SLAF and to submit those estimates to the Governor as part of a biennial funding report and an annual progress report that are required by current law.
HB 1822 had a long journey through the House, first passing the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee #3, 9-1, then reporting from the full Committee, 22-0. The bill was then rereferred to the House Appropriations Committee, where it passed the Commerce, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Technology Subcommittee, 7-0, before reporting from the full Committee, 22-0. HB 1822 is now up for final vote on the House floor.
VACo Contact: Chris McDonald, Esq.