VCN
E-NEWS: January 30, 2004
NEWS ITEMS
VCN
POSITIONS
Each
Friday during session the VCN Board considers statements
of position on filed legislation. Those statements are
included in the weekly issue VCN E-NEWS and are posted
on the VCN website on the VCN Issues and White Papers.
Below are highlights of the positions the VCN Board took
on January 30th. Please visit the VCN website for all
of the positions and action that has occurred relating
to them.
VCN opposes SB 670 (Newman) and HB 1419 (D. Marshall).
SB 670 requires that VDOT proceed as soon as practical
to build a by-pass on US 29 around Charlottesville and
authorizes the CTB to reallocate funding to do so. HB
1419 provides for the creation of a local transportation
district within Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
Such district could be used to facilitate the construction
of a U.S. Route 29 bypass. These bills run contrary to
the decision-making process that are in place and advance
a project which will have dire environmental consequences.
VCN opposes SB 614 (Ruff) which provides a two-year extension
for the authority granted to the Department of Conservation
and Recreation to amend a lease with the Secretary of
the Army for the purpose of providing additional recreational
facilities, not to be operated by the Department, at Occoneechee
State Park in Mecklenburg County. The original action
to allow the facilities was opposed by many conservation
organizations as a bad precedent and use of public lands.
Thus, SB 614 is also opposed.
VCN supports SB 353 (Houck) which requires that each local
government's comprehensive plan has a transportation element
that includes, among other items and as appropriate, pedestrian
and bicycle accommodations.
VCN supports HB 1462 (Dillard) which establishes a $5
per ton municipal solid waste disposal fee to be collected
by localities in which the municipal solid waste landfills
are located. This bill directs the host localities to
retain 50 percent of the moneys collected for the abatement
of pollution caused by landfills or the improper management
of waste, groundwater monitoring and cleanup, litter control,
recycling, or for other waste-related purposes, including,
solid waste management operating fees. The other 50 percent
of all moneys collected to the Commonwealth to be deposited
into the Landfill Cleanup and Closure Fund and other designated
funds.
WEEK IN REVIEW
Natural Resources Funding: VCN supported bill SB 569 (Deeds)
ran in to opposition in subcommittee and emerged on a
5-5 vote. The full Senate Committee on Ag, Conservation
and Natural Resources will hear the bill on Monday morning.
VCN will be present to provide testimony in support. Others
are encouraged to attend and participate in the meeting
which begins at 9:00 a.m.
King William Reservoir Bills: Due to a lot of citizen
response questioning the appropriateness for SB 420 (Wagner)
and HB 797 (Oder), SB 420 was taken from the Senate Floor
and referred back to Ag Conservation and Natural Resources.
It is NOT on Monday's docket. HB 797 was referred to Counties,
Cities and Towns and may be heard in subcommittee on Wednesday,
February 4th. A related bill, SB 109 (Williams), is also
in Senate Ag and is not yet on a docket.
Adequate Public Facilities: Several groups, including
VCN, are supporting SB 393 (Quayle) which authorizes local
governments to have a timing mechanism to have school
development and demands created by new development coincide.
It is expected that SB 393 will be heard in Senate Local
Government on Tuesday, February 3rd.
Rail Transportation Authority Act: Another VCN supported
bill SB 413 is patroned by Senator Edwards. It now has
13 co-patrons in the Senate and 14 in the House. Senator
Edwards will hold a press conference at 11:00 on Tuesday
morning and the bill will be heard that afternoon in Senate
Local Government.
Air Quality: VCN supported bill, HB 1472 (Reid) has been
well received. VCN lead organizations Sierra Club and
the American Lung Association participated in a press
conference with Delegate Reid. HB 1472 received extensive
press coverage.
ACTION ALERTS
Watch for ALERTS on the following topics: King William
Alert from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (sent 1-29-04)
The Schools Adequate Public Facilities Bill by Senator
Quayle (SB393)( sent 2-1-04)
***************************
VCN's mission is to protect the Commonwealth's air, lands,
and waters for the benefit of the people, as guaranteed
by the Virginia Constitution.
If you have an item that should be included on this list,
please send it to Ellen Shepard at ellenshepard@yahoo.com.
VCN E-NEWS will be emailed every Friday. Deadline for
submissions is Thursday.
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