Policy Committee Report Virginia Recycling Association Annual Members Meeting Charlottesville, Virginia November 8, VRA Policy Committee Report1

Policy Committee “The Policy Committee of the Virginia Recycling Association will monitor any recycling legislation and disperse information to VRA members and interested citizens.” ¹ ¹ VRA webpage 2012 VRA Policy Committee Report2

2012 VRA Legislative Activities SB288 - Alcoholic beverage control; local ordinance; recycling for certain retail on-premises licensees. SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED: Authorizes any locality to adopt an ordinance requiring any retail on-premises wine and beer licensee to separate, store, and provide for the collection for recycling of all glass alcoholic beverage containers sold by the licensee. 01/20/12 – Represented VRA at Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services; Statement, as follows: “The VRA supports waste diversion and recycling all materials, including glass, for recovery and reuse as feedstock for manufacturing products, and as example; paper into paper, aluminum cans into aluminum cans, plastic bottles in plastic bottles, and glass containers into glass containers. We support recycling, and recycling creates jobs.” Bill Failed to report (defeated) 3-Y 12-N 2012 VRA Policy Committee Report3

2012 VRA Legislative Activities Letters (Opposing): Letter to House of Delegates about HB 913 making Solid Waste Management Plans optional.HB 913 making Solid Waste Management Plans optional Letter regarding SB 676 reducing recycling rate reporting to every four years.SB 676 reducing recycling rate reporting to every four years Letter to House Committee on Rules #37 in HJR 49 Elimination of Litter Control and Recycling Advisory Board#37 in HJR 49 Elimination of Litter Control and Recycling Advisory Board Letter to Senate Committee General Laws and Technology #37 in SJR 66 Elimination of Litter Control and Recycling Advisory Board#37 in SJR 66 Elimination of Litter Control and Recycling Advisory Board 2012 VRA Policy Committee Report4

2012 Session of General Assembly Legislative Activities - Results HB913 – Defeated SB676 – Passed HJR/SJR #37 – Defeated SB288 – Alcoholic beverage control; local ordinance; recycling for certain on-premises licenses – Not reported out-of-committee 2012 VRA Policy Committee Report5

2013 Goal for Policy Committee By monitoring legislation and endorsing or opposing bills when appropriate, the VRA must continue to educate opinion leaders, decision makers and concerned citizens; and by our members’ active engagement, we will advance recycling in Virginia VRA Policy Committee Report6

2013 General Assembly - Issues State budget and local revenues Education funding Transportation funding Water quality funding Uranium mining Health care reform impact on local governments 2012 VRA Policy Committee Report7

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2013 Environmental Quality Policy Statement SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT (Page 7, Lines 36-65) VML supports the continuation of certifying compliance with local ordinances for waste management facility proposals. VML endorses developing local waste-to energy and co-generation facilities as practical alternatives to landfill facilities. To achieve these goals, VML asks the federal and state agencies, as well as the Virginia General Assembly, to fund research into new technologies and processes leading to the development of alternative solid waste management practices. VML supports efforts to ensure that Waste to Energy (WTE) is consistently defined as a renewable energy source in any renewable energy standards relating to the Commonwealth. Currently the Code of Virginia defines "renewable energy" as including energy derived from waste. VML supports increased recycling and state efforts to share best recycling practices, to provide seed money for innovative local recycling approaches, and to provide special assistance to smaller communities for recycling by establishing recycling centers VRA Policy Committee Report9

VML 2013 Legislative Program Uranium mining Uranium mining, milling and waste disposal of generated wastes poses health and environmental problems for Virginians. If these uranium mining activities are permitted in Virginia, VML is concerned that radiation and other pollutants from mill tailings may occur, downstream water supplies may be contaminated, water supplies near uranium mines may disappear or be severely reduced, and the health and safety of uranium miners might be jeopardized. VML supports the moratorium on the mining and milling of uranium in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Any studies or efforts to develop a regulatory framework should address the concerns, warnings, and conclusions contained in the National Academies of Sciences report to the Commonwealth entitled “Uranium Mining in Virginia” and dated December Furthermore, the state should take no action to preempt, eliminate, or preclude local government jurisdiction with respect to whether uranium mining would be allowed in the respective jurisdiction VRA Policy Committee Report10

Background The membership will adopt the 2013 Legislative Program at the annual conference on November 13 in Bath County. Prior to the November 13 action, the eight (8) steering committees will adopt their sections and submit them to the Resolutions Committee for approval. The Resolutions Committee reviews and approves the final draft of the program and sends it to the membership for consideration. limLegProgram.pdf The following excerpts are PRELIMINARY DRAFTS. Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) 2012 VRA Policy Committee Report11

Environment & Agriculture Energy Efficiency ( Lines ) VACo strongly endorses aggressive initiatives among all levels of government to reduce dependence upon foreign sources of energy, to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and to improve energy efficiency. VACo also strongly supports production of renewable energy in Virginia through the implementation of Renewable Portfolio Standards of 20 percent (20%) by VRA Policy Committee Report12

Environment & Agriculture Recyclin g (Lines ) VACo supports the development of more aggressive strategies by the state to develop markets for recycled materials VRA Policy Committee Report13

Environment & Agriculture Waste Management (Lines ) VACo supports broad authority for local governments to adopt flow control ordinances. VACo supports funding for infrastructure to increase energy harvest from the waste system VRA Policy Committee Report14