Environmental Review Commission Unveils Potential Legislation

Since late 2013, working groups from the General Assembly’s Environmental Review Commission have been working diligently on a number of issues. Of note to the real estate and development community are studies on stormwater, local environmental ordinances, water/sewer providers and engineering work.

At the March ERC meeting, the work groups made brief presentations on their status and potential legislation on these topics. Provided below are the members of each group and potential legislative proposals which may move forward as bills when the legislature re-convenes in May 2014.

Stormwater Working Group (Senator Brent Jackson, Representative Ruth Samuelson) on the study of State stormwater programs, including how partially impervious surfaces are treated in the calculation of built-upon area (Sec. 51(e), S.L. 2013-413)
• Legislative Proposal: Clarify Gravel under Stormwater Laws
• Legislative Proposal: Amend Isolated Wetlands Regulation

Water and Sewer Working Group (Senator Fletcher Hartsell, Representative Mike Hager) on the study of statutory models for establishing, operating, and financing certain organizations that provide water and sewer
services in the State (Sec. 24, S.L. 2013-413)
• Legislative Proposal: DENR Study Interbasin Transfer Laws
• Legislative Proposal: PED Study of Water and Sewer Systems

Review of Engineering Work Working Group (Senator Stan Bingham, Representative Chris Millis) (Sec. 58, S.L. 2013-413)
• Legislative Proposal: Reform Agency Review of Engineering Work

Environmental Ordinance Working Group (Senator Andrew Brock, Representative Chuck McGrady) on the circumstances under which cities and counties should be authorized to enact certain environmental ordinances (Sec. 10.2(c),
S.L. 2013-413)
• Legislative Proposal: Authority to Adopt Certain Ordinances

To see the Legislative Proposals from the working groups go HERE
(Click on: 2013-2014 ERC Documents > Commission Meetings > 5 – March 12 2014 > Handouts and Presentations)