Virginia Code 62.1-44.15:39: Right of entry.
In addition to the Board‘s authority set forth in § 62.1-44.20, a locality serving as a VESMP authority or any duly authorized agent thereof may, at reasonable times and under reasonable circumstances, enter any establishment or upon any property, public or private, for the purpose of obtaining information or conducting surveys or investigations necessary in the enforcement of the provisions of this article. For localities that operate regulated municipal separate storm sewer systems, this authority shall apply only to those properties from which a discharge enters their municipal separate storm sewer systems.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 62.1-44.15:39
- Board: means the State Water Control Board. See Virginia Code 62.1-44.3
- Bond with surety: includes the payment in cash of the full amount of the required bond and, in such case, no surety shall be required. See Virginia Code 1-205
- Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
- Establishment: means any industrial establishment, mill, factory, tannery, paper or pulp mill, mine, coal mine, colliery, breaker or coal-processing operations, quarry, oil refinery, boat, vessel, and every other industry or plant or works the operation of which produces industrial wastes or other wastes or which may otherwise alter the physical, chemical or biological properties of any state waters. See Virginia Code 62.1-44.3
- land-disturbing activity: means a man-made change to the land surface that may result in soil erosion or has the potential to change its runoff characteristics, including construction activity such as the clearing, grading, excavating, or filling of land. See Virginia Code 62.1-44.15:24
- Locality: means a county, city, or town as the context may require. See Virginia Code 1-221
- Municipal separate storm sewer: means a conveyance or system of conveyances otherwise known as a municipal separate storm sewer system or "MS4" including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, or storm drains, that is:
1. See Virginia Code 62.1-44.3
- Owner: means the same as that term is defined in § Virginia Code 62.1-44.15:24
- VESMP: means a program established by a VESMP authority for the effective control of soil erosion and sediment deposition and the management of the quality and quantity of runoff resulting from land-disturbing activities to prevent the unreasonable degradation of properties, stream channels, waters, and other natural resources. See Virginia Code 62.1-44.15:24
- VESMP authority: means the Board or a locality approved by the Board to operate a Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program. See Virginia Code 62.1-44.15:24
In accordance with a performance bond with surety, cash escrow, letter of credit, any combination thereof, or such other legal arrangement, a VESMP authority may also enter any establishment or upon any property, public or private, for the purpose of initiating or maintaining appropriate actions that are required by conditions imposed by the VESMP authority on a land-disturbing activity when an owner, after proper notice, has failed to take acceptable action within the time specified.
2004, c. 372, § 10.1-603.12:1; 2011, c. 453; 2012, cc. 785, 819; 2013, cc. 756, 793; 2016, cc. 68, 758.