VCN
E-NEWS: January 16, 2004
NEWS ITEM
THE
2004 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION HAS BEGUN!
VCN Members
and Friends:
The 2004 General Assembly Session has begun! VCN E-News
will focus on the Genral Assembly Session and will also
include other news items following the legislative information.
The Virginia Conservation Network Board has adopted a
number of position statements for the 2004 General Assembly
Session. The first set of statements were approved in
November and the second set of position statements were
adopted today by the VCN board. Every Friday during session
the VCN Board will be considering statements of position
on filed legislation and those statements will be emailed
to you Friday afternoon or evening. VCN member organizations
are encouraged to let us know of bills of interest to
your organization.
Feel free to contact us about any legislation at 804-644-0283
or David Kovacs (vcngeneral@aol.com) or Ellen Shepard
(ellenshepard@yahoo.com). Also, please visit our website
at www.vcnva.org for up to date information about the
session. Click on the "Issues and White Papers"
menu on the left side of the page for the text of the
white papers and positions taken by the VCN Board.
We look forward to seeing many of you on Monday. If you
have not signed up yet for VCN Lobby Day, don’t worry
– just show up at the Valentine Museum at 10:00 so that
we can register you. There will be briefings on priority
issues and handouts on many bills and topics.
David Kovacs, Virginia Conservation Network Executive
Director
Ellen Shepard, Virginia Conservation Network Program Coordinator
2004 VCN Statements
of Position
[Approved on November 18, 2003]
VCN supports an increase in funding for natural resources
as recommended in the VCN Natural Resources White Paper.
VCN supports the establishment of enabling legislative
for adequate public facilities as recommended in the VCN
White Paper – Coordinating the Pace of Development with
the Provision of Adequate Public Facilities.
VCN supports Virginia “Clean Smokestacks” legislative
initiatives as recommended in the VCN White Paper on this
subject.
VCN supports the position that permit holders should pay
the full costs of the natural resources permit programs
and fee amounts should be set by regulation and not capped
by statute.
VCN supports the completion of efforts to develop a state
water resources plan and regulations for local and regional
water supply plans (per SB 1221, 2003 Session) that adequately
protect in-stream uses, promote conservation of water
resources, and promote watershed protection.
VCN opposes the proposed legislation by Senator Williams
pertaining to the approval of water protection permits.
{It has been filed as SB 109.}
VCN opposes any effort to weaken the authority under the
Open Space Land Act or the Conservation Easement Act with
respect to the holding and duration of easements.
VCN supports the reenactment of the Rail Authority Act
(SB1279, 2003 Session) with the Rail Authority to be an
independent authority. {It has been filed as SB 413.}
VCN supports, in principle, the Agricultural Vitality
Program and funding for the Agricultural Vitality Program
to: provide funds to localities for the purchase of agricultural
conservation easements and to permanently retire the non-agricultural
development rights on those farms; and, to continue further
development of the FarmLink Program and to provide farm
families with assistance in transitioning their farms
and businesses to the next generation.
VCN supports full funding for Virginia’s Department of
Forestry through the collection of fees for services.
VCN supports increased funding for the citizens’ water
quality monitoring program.
2004 VCN Statements of Position
[Approved on January 16, 2004]
VCN supports the concept of a statewide stormwater management
program and the consolidation of stormwater management
programs within the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
VCN opposes the provisions of HB 59 that provides automatic
extensions to certificates granted by the Commission pursuant
to § 56-580.D. The certificates pertain to the construction
and operation of electrical generating facilities.
VCN supports the establishment of the Natural and Historic
Resources Fund as set forth in HB 693.
VCN opposes the special provisions of HB 287 that takes
funding from highway construction and places it in the
Smart Road Fund and places it above all other needs.
VCN supports authorizing the Board of Game and Inland
Fisheries to set fees for hunting, trapping, and motorboat
registration as set forth in HB 301.
VCN supports HB 335 that adds to the purposes of zoning
ordinances the ability to consider the present availability
and future water resource availability in the regulation
and determination of the uses of land.
VCN supports the provision of HB 357 that does not allow
a confidentially agreement that prohibits the Commonwealth,
agencies, and employees from discussing certain aspects
of a settlement agreement.
VCN supports changes to § 62.1-1941.1, as set forth
in the original language of HB 496, which expands the
area, adjacent to streams, in which dumping is prohibited
from the banks to floodways or the 100-year floodplain.
VCN opposes the provisions of HB 639 that allows additional
localities to locate landfills within the existing 5-mile
upstream delineation and upon a wetland.
VCN supports the provisions of HB 728 establishing a fee
on waste transport by barge and prescribing the tests
for certifying the water-tightness of containers.
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