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HB880 • 2026

Biosolids; monitoring requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to require the Department of Environmental Quality to amend regulations for monitoring per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in biosolids.</p>

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Kent
Last action
2026-02-11
Official status
Incorporated
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on enforcement actions or cost implications.

Monitoring PFAS in Sewage Sludge

This law requires sewage treatment plant owners to test their sludge for harmful chemicals called PFAS every month.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires sewage treatment plant owners to sample and test their sludge for PFAS once a month.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners of sewage treatment plants
  • The Department of Environmental Quality

Terms To Know

PFAS
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are harmful chemicals.
Sewage treatment works
Facilities that treat sewage to remove contaminants before it is released back into the environment.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a plant owner fails to comply with testing requirements.
  • It is unclear how much this monitoring will cost and who will pay for it.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-11 Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

    Incorporated by Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (HB1443-Lopez) (Voice Vote)

  2. 2026-02-09 Chesapeake

    Subcommittee recommends incorporating (Voice Vote)

  3. 2026-01-30 Chesapeake

    Assigned HACNR sub: Chesapeake

  4. 2026-01-13 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103982D

  5. 2026-01-13 Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

    Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

Official Summary Text

Department of Environmental Quality; monitoring requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in biosolids.
Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to amend its regulations to require an owner of a sewage treatment works to sample and test sewage sludge for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), defined in the bill, once a month. The bill requires the results from such sampling to be subject to all existing reporting, compliance, and enforcement provisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL to require the Department of Environmental Quality to amend regulations for monitoring per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in biosolids.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.
§ 1.
That the Department of Environmental Quality
(the Department)
shall amend
the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Regulation

(
9VAC25-3
1
)
to
require

an
owner
of a sewage treatment works to
sample and
test sewage sludge for
PFAS
, as that term is defined in
§
62.1-44
.
34:29 of the Code of Virginia,

once a month
.
The results from such sampling
shall be subject to all existing reporting, compliance, and enforcement provisions
.