All Roll Calls
Yes: 275 • No: 60
Sponsored By: Alfonso H. Lopez (Democratic)
Became Law
Owners of sewage treatment works; land application, marketing, or distribution of sewage sludge; perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; testing requirements. Directs any owner of a sewage treatment works land applying, marketing, or distributing sewage sludge in the Commonwealth, beginning January 1, 2027, to collect representative samples of the sewage sludge intended to be land applied, marketed, or distributed and have such samples analyzed by an accredited laboratory for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The bill mandates certain outcomes for the land application of such sewage sludge depending on the concentration of PFAS in such sewage sludge. The bill directs the Department of Environmental Quality to modify all Virginia Pollution Abatement permits for the land application of sewage sludge and Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for sewage treatment works that include sewage sludge prepared for land application, marketing, or distribution as soon as practicable. The bill requires the Department to utilize the PFAS Expert Advisory Committee (PEAC) or convene a work group to study and recommend approaches to reduce the occurrence of PFAS in sewage sludge intended for land application within the Commonwealth. The Department is required to report the recommendations of the PEAC or work group to the Governor and the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by November 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 386.
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6 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 4 mixed.
A new permit costs $5,000. Reissuance or amendments started by the holder cost up to $1,000. A per‑dry‑ton fee applies; the applicator must bill the generator and send the money to the state. All fees go to the Sludge Management Fund to pay DEQ/DCR program and local testing reimbursements and do not replace general funding. Permit holders must show financial responsibility to cover cleanup, injuries, and property damage.
Owners must have a valid state permit to land apply, market, or distribute sewage sludge. Sludge must be properly treated before delivery, and no one may change its makeup at an approved site. Land disposal of lime‑stabilized or unstabilized septage is banned. Permit applications must include the landowner’s written consent for the property.
The Board sets rules to ensure sludge is treated and applied safely and kept out of state waters. Permit amendments that raise permitted acres by 50% or more are treated like new applications. Health and conservation agencies have 30 days to comment before permits are issued. DEQ can add site‑specific conditions (like buffers, routes, timing) and will do random, unannounced inspections during application. The Board sets extended buffers where mixing into soil is not practical, and may require soil incorporation when it is practical and fits a USDA NRCS plan.
Cities and counties can adopt rules to test and monitor sludge spreading. DEQ trains local staff; after training, localities can seek reimbursement for testing costs. Local zoning can limit storage or require special permits; farms may store sludge on‑farm for later use for up to 45 days. Permit holders must give 100 days’ written notice to local leaders before starting at listed sites and 14 days’ notice to DEQ. Any resident can ask DEQ to sample sludge at a site before spreading and must pay the lab costs.
Beginning January 1, 2027, sewage‑treatment owners test sludge for PFAS each month in 2027 and at least quarterly after, and send results to DEQ and applicators within 10 days. Starting July 1, 2027, if the rolling yearly average of PFOS or PFOA is 50 µg/kg or more, land application stops; at 25–49 µg/kg, rates drop to 3 dry tons/acre or follow an approved plan. Any single result over 75 µg/kg needs a quick retest and may require alternative disposal. On July 1, 2029, the same rules apply to the combined PFOS+PFOA level. Blended sludge uses a mass‑balance calculation. DEQ updates permits quickly to match these rules, keeps full authority over PFAS, and publishes a reader‑friendly data format by October 1, 2026. A PFAS expert group reports recommendations by November 1, 2027.
Public colleges can land‑apply sludge for research on land they own without the usual permits until July 1, 2030. They must give DEQ and each neighbor at least 30 days’ notice and follow setback and recordkeeping rules in 9VAC25‑32.
Alfonso H. Lopez
Democratic • House
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 275 • No: 60
House vote • 3/11/2026
Senate substitute agreed to by House
Yes: 74 • No: 24
Senate vote • 3/10/2026
Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/10/2026
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/9/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/9/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/6/2026
Reported from Finance and Appropriations
Yes: 14 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/3/2026
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
Yes: 15 • No: 0
House vote • 2/17/2026
Read third time and passed House
Yes: 67 • No: 29
House vote • 2/11/2026
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute
Yes: 17 • No: 5
House vote • 2/9/2026
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute
Yes: 8 • No: 2
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0853)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 853 (Effective - see bill)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1443)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
Signed by Speaker
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1443ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Senate substitute agreed to by House (74-Y 24-N 0-A)
Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
Read third time
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Rules suspended
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1443)
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)
Committee substitute printed 26108622D-S1
Assigned HACNR sub: Water Usage
Senate subcommittee offered
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Chaptered
4/13/2026
Enrolled
3/30/2026
Substitute
3/4/2026
Substitute
3/3/2026
Substitute
2/11/2026
Substitute
2/9/2026
Introduced
1/22/2026
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