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_ 501 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 359. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 Virginia. A.1. Out of the amounts appropriated for Financial Assistance to Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Districts, $15,044,091 the first year and $15,044,091 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to soil and water conservation districts for administrative and operational support. These funds shall be distributed upon approval by the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board to the districts in accordance with the Board's established financial allocation policy. Of this amount, $12,809,091 the first year and $12,809,091 the second year from the general fund shall be distributed to the districts for core administrative and operational expenses (personnel, training, travel, rent, utilities, office support, and equipment) based on identified budget projections and in accordance with the Board's financial allocation policy; $468,000 the first year and $468,000 the second year from the general fund shall be distributed at a rate of $4,500 per dam for maintenance; $1,500,000 the first year and $1,500,000 the second year from the general fund for small dam repairs of known or suspected deficiencies; and $267,000 the first year and $267,000 the second year to the department to provide district support in accordance with Board policy, including, but not limited to, services related to auditing, bonding, contracts, and training. The amount appropriated for small dam repairs of known or suspected deficiencies and the purchase and installation of remote monitoring equipment is authorized for transfer to the Soil and Water Conservation District Dam Maintenance, Repair, and Rehabilitation Fund. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 10.1-611.1, Code of Virginia, the department is authorized to use interest earnings from the Soil and Water Conservation District Dam Maintenance, Repair, and Rehabilitation Fund to support two positions to oversee maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation projects necessary for District-owned dams to be in compliance with the Dam Safety Act (§ 10.1-604 et seq.) and attendant regulations. 2. Out of the appropriation in this Item, $4,550,000 the first year and $4,550,000 the second year shall be provided for base technical assistance support for the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Districts. These funds shall be distributed upon approval by the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board to the districts in accordance with the Board's established financial allocation policy. These amounts shall be in addition to any other funding provided to the districts for technical assistance for appropriations in excess of $35,000,000. The Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board is authorized to utilize previous years' unobligated cost-share funds to provide technical assistance funding to Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Districts at a rate no higher than the technical assistance rate percentage funded in the current Appropriation Act. 3. The department shall provide a semi-annual report on or before February 15 and August 15 of each year to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate and Appropriations Finance Committees on each Virginia soil and water conservation district's budget, revised budget, previous year's balance budget, and expenditure for the following: (i) the federal Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, (ii) the use of Agricultural Best Management Cost-Share Program funds within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, (iii) the use of Agricultural Best Management Cost-Share Program funds within the Southern Rivers area, and (iv) the amount of Technical Assistance funding. The August 15 report shall reflect cumulative amounts. 4. As part of the semi-annual report, the department shall assess the impact of settlement agreements with the Commonwealth entered into between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2022, on achieving an effective level of Soil and Water Conservation District technical assistance funding and the implementation of agricultural best management practices pursuant to § 10.1-546.1., Code of Virginia. The department shall include in its report any amounts from the settlements including: 1) estimation of the timeline and amount for each fiscal year to implement agricultural best management practices; and 2) estimation of the timeline and amount for each fiscal year of additional technical assistance provided as a result of the additional funding from the settlements. C. It is the intent of the General Assembly, that notwithstanding the provisions of § 10.1- 2132, Code of Virginia, the department is authorized to make Water Quality Improvement Grants to state agencies. D.1 Out of the appropriation in this Item, $10,000,000 the first year and $10,000,000 the