Very much in favor of authorizing this testing so we can begin to address the PFAS forever chemicals , pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, landfill leachate, industrial wastes, etc, that are contaminainants in sewage sludge. I would suggest that this bill be married with Sen Stuarts bill SB 386. Please support this bill HB1072. Once we have testing in place we can begin to determine how best to deal with these toxic wastes and limit appling to farm land where it is contaminating the soil and the crops growing there, and hence animals and people consuming then. Even PFAS is considered "forever" there are biological organisms (extremophiles) that have been demonstrated to be able break it down in soils with in a few months. The organisms can be accessed from Soil Saviors.org . They should be incorporated into any long term management strategies.

1396 Keep dog hunting No solar panels 1091 129 let owners kill deer 1169 leave small farms alone 1072 do not regulate sludge applications

Please vote YES on this.

Re: HB1072 - Local authority to test and monitor the land application of sewage sludge within its political boundaries Virginia's Department of Environmental Quality has put local governments in an awkward position. The Department has incorrectly interpreted state law to say that any locality with a biosolids testing and monitoring program may not test sewage sludge (aka biosolids) for PFAS, no matter who pays for such tests. When local government officials understand that toxic contaminants in land-applied sewage sludge present an urgent issue, they have shown they are willing to test the sludge coming into their jurisdictions. But, as it stands now, local governments are left with two very bad options: one is to defy DEQ's position and test anyway, with unknown consequences; the other is to take DEQ to court. Please support HB1072, which, by clarifying local governments' testing authority under state law, will also: • prevent the state from further usurping local authority • promote transparency to protect a farmer's right to know • protect the health of local residents and the environment • ensure property values are maintained and liability is minimized. The Department has voluntarily restricted its own testing and monitoring of biosolids to the minimum federal regulations issued by EPA in 1993. These regulations cover 4 types of indicator pathogens and 9 heavy metals. But the Department already has the authority (and, in fact, the legal mandate) to do more, evinced in various sections of state law, including Virginia's Water Quality Standards, which require the Department to test, monitor, and regulate sewage sludge land application for "...toxic substances (including those which bioaccumulate)," 9VAC25-260-20. PFAS chemicals are indisputably included in that category, since they were declared hazardous substances under CERCLA in 2024 and they have been proven to bioaccumulate. Underwriters of commercial property owner's insurance, including insurance for farmers, are increasingly issuing policies with PFAS exclusions. These riders leave the property owner responsible for contamination clean-up and lawsuits, with no help from their liability insurance. While the land application of sewage sludge is not the only potential source of farmland contamination from PFAS, the practice is an obvious culprit that needs more scrutiny and better, common-sense management and regulation.