HD68 - Report of the State Water Commission


Executive Summary:
The State Water Commission is a permanent agency of the Commonwealth directed by statute to (i) study all qualitative and quantitative water supply and allocation problems in the Commonwealth, (ii) coordinate the legislative recommendations of other state entities responsible for water supply and allocation issues, and (iii) report annually its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor. (*1)

During 1994, the State Water Commission continued to review the appropriate role for the state in water planning and development. The Commission met in August 1994 to hear from localities regarding a number of staff-developed options (the "December 1993 options") for a new state role in water resource management. (*2) It also discussed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's progress on conducting environmental impact statement investigation for the Lake Gaston pipeline. In January 1995 the Commission heard from the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission on its efforts to develop an alternative to the December 1993 options. The Commission also received testimony from those interested in developing an expedited procedure for localities to obtain relatively small loans for water facility emergencies, upgrades or repairs.
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(*1) Va. Code § 9-145.8.
(*2) The full text of these options can be found in the 1993 Water Commission Report (House Document No. 96, 1994). See also Appendices 2, 3, 4, and 5 for brief summaries of the options.