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_ 510 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 363. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 Stormwater Management Fund. 2. Notwithstanding § 62.1-44.15:28, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, Code of Virginia, the permit fee regulations adopted by the State Water Control Board pursuant to § 62.1-44.15:28, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, Code of Virginia, for the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit for Discharges of Stormwater from Construction Activities and municipal separate storm sewer system permits shall be set at an amount representing no less than 60 percent, not to exceed 62 percent, of the direct costs for the administration, compliance and enforcement of Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit for Discharges of Stormwater from Construction Activities and municipal separate storm sewer system permits. To the extent practicable, the Board shall solicit input from affected stakeholders when establishing the new fee structure. 3. Notwithstanding § 62.1-44.19:20, Code of Virginia, the application fee schedule adopted by the State Water Control Board pursuant to § 62.1-44.19:20, Code of Virginia, shall be set at an amount representing no less than 60 percent, not to exceed 62 percent, of the direct costs for the administration, compliance and enforcement of the nutrient credit certification program. To the extent practicable, the Board shall solicit input from affected stakeholders when establishing the new fee structure. K. The Director of the Department of Environmental Quality shall convene a working group for the purpose of developing an annual or project-based fee schedule for the review of erosion and sediment control plans related to solar energy project applications. The working group shall include representatives of (i) private sector companies that own or operate solar energy facilities, (ii) local governments that permit solar facilities, and (iii) other stakeholders determined by the Department to be necessary to the development of the fee schedule. L. Out of the amounts in this item, $750,000 the first year and $750,000 the second year to establish a mitigation trading platform and wetland in-lieu fee mitigation program consistent with the provisions of § 62.1-44.15:23.1, Code of Virginia. M. Out of the amounts in this item, $150,000 the first year from the general fund is provided for the department, in collaboration with Virginia Polytechnic and State University and the Smith Mountain Lake Association, to conduct a study of the harmful algal blooms occurring at Smith Mountain Lake. The research shall include evaluation of conditions that have led to the appearance of harmful algal blooms and include recommendations for prevention of further occurrences. N. Out of the amounts in this item, $500,000 the first year from the general fund is provided to support United States Geological Survey monitoring of harmful algal blooms in the Shenandoah River. Any funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year shall carryforward for the same purpose. O. Out of the amounts in this item, $250,000 the first year from the general fund is provided for the department, in coordination with the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services, to provide testing of inland waterways in the Commonwealth for the presence of harmful algal blooms, which may include enumeration of cyanobacteria and associated toxicity analyses. Any funds in this paragraph remaining at the end of the fiscal year shall be carried forward and reappropriated for the same purpose. P. Out of the amounts in this item, $2,300,000 the first year from the general fund is provided for groundwater research in the Eastern Groundwater Management Area. The appropriation shall be distributed as follows: $2,000,000 for the department to install five additional multi- well research stations to gather additional data to study the upper portions of the Eastern Groundwater Management Area; and $300,000 for the department to conduct a study, in coordination with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, to determine technically feasible locations within the Eastern Groundwater Management Area to recommend water treatment upgrades for Virginia municipal water systems modeled on the Hampton Roads Sanitation District SWIFT project and the cost of such upgrades. The analysis shall be provided to the Chairs of the State Water Commission, House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources, and Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources by July 1, 2026. Any funding remaining on June 30 shall be carried forward and reappropriated into the next fiscal year for the purposes described in this I VETO ITEM 363.P. ON PAGES 510-511 /s/ Glenn Youngkin 5-2-25