Virginia Bills

Requires utilities to give notice by first-class mail of planned vegetation management activities to customers, landowners, and local governments. The notice, which is required to be sent not less than 10 days before the activities commence, shall include a map of the site or parcels where activities are proposed and a description of the procedures by which the person to whom the notice is mailed may appeal the conduct of the planned vegetation management activities. The State Corporation Commission (SCC) shall require utilities to establish reasonable criteria for the conduct of vegetation management activities, which shall be consistent with guidelines to be adopted by the SCC that establish standards for the conduct of vegetation management activities. Vegetation management activities by any utility shall not alter, trespass upon, or limit the rights of any property owner. The measure requires the SCC, upon receipt of a written complaint, to investigate the situation. The measure also authorizes the SCC to impose a civil penalty against a utility that violates these requirements. One-half of the civil penalties collected by the SCC is to be paid to the owner of the property damaged by the violation that gave rise to the assessment of the civil penalty, and the other one-half is to be deposited in a special fund created by this bill and used for administration and enforcement activities.