eNews February 5, 2018 – ACTION ALERT

Monday, February 05, 2018 - 09:47am

Stormwater/airports bill will be heard Tuesday

Action needed: Oppose HB1004

HB1004 (Byron) requires localities to waive stormwater fees for public airport taxiways and runways. The bill will be heard in the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Subcommittee #3 at its Tuesday, Feb. 6, meeting at 4:00 p.m. If the subcommittee recommends the bill, it will go before the full committee the next morning, Feb. 7, at 8:30 a.m.

Who to contact: Calls are especially needed to members of House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Subcommittee #3 but it is also important to contact the full committee.

Talking points:

Stormwater utility fees would be waived even if airports made no effort to control stormwater pollution.
Airports can be major contributors to stormwater runoff.
If airport fees are waived, those costs will be passed on to other utility ratepayers.
Localities provide stormwater utility services in order to meet costly federal and state mandates.
Airports are already eligible for reductions or waivers provided they undertake stormwater reduction strategies.
Exempting one type of property owner from a utility fee sets a dangerous precedent that will encourage others to seek the same treatment.

VML legislative staff and assignments

Michelle Gowdy – Local government authority, planning and zoning, legal matters, housing, Freedom of Information, telecommunications and technology. mgowdy@vml.org; 804-523-8525

Janet Areson – Health and human services, and the state budget. jareson@vml.org; 804-523-8522

Mike Polychrones – Environment, land use, natural resources, elections and transportation policy. mpolychrones@vml.org; 804-523-8530

Neal Menkes – Taxation and finance, the state budget, transportation funding, retirement, education funding and community and economic development. nmenkes@vml.org; 804-523-8523

Roger Wiley (under contract) – Courts, criminal law, civil law, and procurement. roger@heftywiley.com; 804-780-3143

Chris LaGow (under contract) –Insurance and workers’ compensation. chris@lagowlobby.com; 804-225-8570