HB 1443 (Lopez) Owners of sewage treatment works; land application, marketing, or distributing of sewage sludge; PFAS; testing requirements.

Requires any owner of a sewage treatment works land applying, marketing or distributing sewage sludge in the Commonwealth to collect quarterly a representative sample of the finished sewage sludge product and have such sample analyzed by an accredited laboratory for PFAS substances, using USEPA Method 1633. The bill requires such owner to submit such analysis to DEQ. The bill restricts or prohibits land application of sewage sludge and requires the owner to send the test results to the landowner of every property at which the owner intends to land apply such sewage sludge if the analysis reveals certain concentrations of PFOS or PFOA in such sewage sludge. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. Effective in due course, the bill directs DEQ to modify all existing VPA or VPDES permits prior to Jan. 1, 2027, consistent with the provisions of the bill. The bill also directs the Department to convene a work group to develop certain recommendations to address the occurrence of PFAS in sewage sludge within the Commonwealth and report findings by Nov. 1, 2027.
https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1443

 

HACNR Subc recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 2-N)
Reported from HACNR with substitute (17-Y 5-N)

Passed House (67-Y 29-N 0-A)

Reported from ACNR with substitute; referred to Finance and Approps (15-Y 0-N)

Reported from Finance and Approps (14-Y 0-N)
Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40‑Y 0‑N 0‑A)
Senate substitute agreed to by House (74‑Y 24‑N 0‑A)