2025 SESSION

INTRODUCED

25103765D

SENATE BILL NO. 1337

Offered January 13, 2025

Prefiled January 13, 2025

A BILL to direct the Office of Commonwealth Resilience to conduct a study related to the costs of coastal storm risk management feasibility studies; report.

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Patron—Marsden

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Referred to Committee on Rules

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Office of Commonwealth Resilience shall conduct a study to (i) examine the methodologies and criteria, if any, that other states in the United States use to apportion responsibility between the state and the participating localities for that portion of the cost of coastal storm risk management (CSRM) feasibility studies and plan implementation for which the nonfederal sponsor is responsible and (ii) develop a recommended methodology and associated criteria for apportioning responsibility of the same for CSRM feasibility studies and plan implementation in Virginia. Such recommended methodology and associated criteria shall be structured to incentivize implementation of risk reduction projects in the Commonwealth that reflect community-scale and regional-scale planning, protect and enhance natural and nature-based approaches, address socioeconomic inequities, and enhance equity through flood resilience and preparedness in a manner consistent with the measures prioritized in subsection B of § 10.1-658 of the Code of Virginia. The Office of Commonwealth Resilience shall also consider whether a stand-alone state fund should be established to support and manage CSRM plan nonfederal sponsor cost-share requests. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Office of Commonwealth Resilience for this study upon request. The Office of Commonwealth Resilience shall complete its work no later than November 30, 2026, and the Chief Resilience Officer of the Commonwealth shall submit a report of the findings and recommendations of the study to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2026.