I am a 7th generation of waterman and I am here to support VMRC in opposition to bill HB1013 and HB390. VMRC is for fishery management. I did not get an opportunity to register as a registered speaker but if one is made available to make brief comment. Thank you

I am a 7th generation of waterman and I am here to support VMRC in opposition to bill HB1013 and HB390. VMRC is for fishery management. I did not get an opportunity to register as a registered speaker but if one is made available to make brief comment. Thank you

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Public Comment on HB 390 Madam Chair, Mr. Chair, and Members of the Committee— I submit this comment to clarify the legislative record concerning House Bill 390 and to identify unresolved constitutional, statutory, and fiscal concerns that merit careful consideration prior to enactment. HB 390 establishes a Habitat Policy Oversight Committee within the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) to advise on policies supporting coastal resilience and habitat management. Although characterized as advisory, the bill requires VMRC and its Habitat Management Division to consider committee recommendations in decision‑making, to consult the committee on updates or revisions to policy matters, and to report how committee recommendations have informed policy and program development. Virginia law evaluates governmental structures by function rather than labels. A body that is embedded in policy consultation, consideration, and integration exercises policy influence as a matter of law. Policy formation, however, remains a function reserved to the General Assembly, and any delegation of authority must be accompanied by clear standards, limiting principles, and defined scope. VMRC is not a general environmental agency. It is a legislatively created, trust‑based body charged with stewarding fisheries and subaqueous resources pursuant to defined statutory mandates. HB 390 introduces a standing policy body focused on “habitat” without providing a clear statutory definition of that term within Title 28.2 or reconciling the committee’s role with existing fishery management law and public trust obligations. The Department of Planning and Budget’s Fiscal Impact Statement further confirms that HB 390 will increase workload for VMRC and related agencies, require no fewer than three committee meetings annually, and impose fiscal effects described as indeterminate but absorbable. The statement does not evaluate cumulative workload, opportunity cost, or the effect of these new obligations on VMRC’s core statutory duties. Before advancing HB 390, the General Assembly should clearly address on the record whether the bill authorizes policy formation rather than technical advice; how “habitat” is defined and bounded within VMRC’s authority; what standards constrain discretion; and how expanded institutional obligations align with VMRC’s trust‑based mission. Members are respectfully directed to the attached PDF, which documents the statutory, constitutional, and fiscal implications of HB 390 in greater detail and is submitted to ensure the legislative record fully reflects those concerns. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. KJH. Veteran Virginian in Virginia.

Invasives should be pulled or killed by herbicide and not be permitted to be sold in nurseries

James River Association supports HB599. -Eastern oysters are a keystone species essential to the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and James River estuary. In addition to filtering pollutants from the water, healthy oyster populations build reefs that boost local biodiversity and strengthen fisheries. -Establishing an oyster stock assessment will give the Commonwealth an additional tool to better understand the status of oyster populations and to improve management and restoration decision making. James River Association supports HB390. -The Marine Resources Commission plays an important role in coastal habitat management, and this bill helps establish a formal committee structure to guide the consideration and evaluation of habitat management strategies. -Formalizing this committee will create an important touchpoint for decision making that promotes healthy marine habitats and supports fisheries, tourism, and recreation.

HB52 (Bloxom) Dredge materials are a valuable natural resource that is oftentimes dumped into open waters or onto overwintering crab populations. Dredge material can play a critical role in building coastal resilience and safeguarding communities. HB52 makes it the state's policy to outline uses for and utilize this material when feasible. HB348 (McLaughlin) Virginia offers rural well testing but not for PFAS. The application of toxins to lands in rural Virginia can impact our groundwater and communities. PFAS is prevalent in biosolids that have been applied on agricultural lands around the Commonwealth and presents significant public health risks. HB348 protects rural communities, provides valuable public health information, and helps the state map PFAS contamination in groundwater. HB386 (Krizek) Codifying the Chesapeake Bay Pay‑for‑Outcomes Fund positions Virginia at the forefront of innovative, results‑driven environmental policy. It rewards verified pollution reductions rather than modeled estimates, engages the private sector and non-profits, and accelerates measurable improvements in water quality. During the pilot program, Virginia received $110 million in requests for only $20 million and awarded 9 projects, removing more than 580,000 pounds of nitrogen at just $36 per pound. Codifying the fund allows us to continue identifying and investing in cost‑effective solutions -- prioritizing projects that deliver verified outcomes, prevent pollution, and promote innovation. HB389 (Askew) Climate change is driving changes in our fisheries. HB389 directs the commission to start planning for future conditions using the great research occurring at Virginia universities. Translating that research into forward looking fisheries policy ensures that the state continues to be a leader in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. HB390 (Askew) Virginia faces permitting challenges and opportunities as the state tries to effectively combat more intense storms, sea level rise, land subsidence, habitat loss, and erosion. To meet these challenges, HB390 reinvigorates the Habitat Policy Oversight Committee within the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). The Committee will advise VMRC and its Habitat Management Division on habitat-related policies and activities and will support the Commonwealth’s coastal resilience efforts. HB521 (Hernandez) HB521 strengthens Virginia’s wetlands protections by moving Virginia’s “no net loss” of wetlands standard into code, requiring appropriate mitigation and establishing a stakeholder group to explore mitigation options for non-vegetated tidal wetlands, an often overlooked but essential habitat type. HB521 is a tool to meet Virginia’s wetlands goals under the newly signed Chesapeake Bay Agreement. HB599 (Simonds) An oyster stock assessment would use scientific data to estimate the abundance of oysters in Virginia’s portion of the Bay, the fraction of oysters that die each year from natural causes, and the sustainable amount of oysters that can be harvested each year while ensuring a healthy population in the Bay and its tributaries. Hb599 aids scientists, restoration groups, the oyster industry, and fishery managers in focusing restoration efforts that support positive ecological and economic outcomes.