HD26 - Report of the State Water Commission

  • Published: 1985
  • Author: State Water Commission
  • Enabling Authority: House Joint Resolution 141 (Regular Session, 1984)

Executive Summary:
I. BACKGROUND

The 1984 General Assembly passed HB 574 changing the status of the State Water Study Commission to the legislatively mandated State Water Commission (Va. Code § 9-145.5). The new legislation established a fifteen-member commission with two at-large members appointed by the Governor. Mr. Louis R. Jones and Mr. George Williams are the two new at-large members, with Mr. Robert R. Peters, J. Lewis Rawls, Jr., and Leonard Shabman leaving the Commission.

Delegate Lewis W. Parker and Senator Charles J. Colgan were re-elected by the Commission as chairman and vice-chairman, respectively.

II. 1984 ACTIVITIES

During 1984, the Commission devoted much of its time to keeping abreast of water policy issues by reviewing such policy areas as riparian conservation efforts undertaken in Virginia and other states, federal matching agricultural conservation programs, and groundwater contamination. Through this review the Commission began to identify those issues essential in formulating a comprehensive state water policy.