2.2-220.3 - Development of strategies to collect land use and conservation information. - Virginia Statutes

§ 2.2-220.3. Development of strategies to collect land use and conservationinformation.

The Secretary of Natural Resources, with assistance from the Secretary ofAgriculture and Forestry, shall establish and maintain a database of thecritical data attributes for onsite best management practices implemented inthe Commonwealth that limit the amount of nutrients and sediment enteringstate waters. The database shall document voluntary actions taken by theagricultural and silvicultural sectors and should enable the application ofthe collected data towards projections of progress towards Virginia's waterquality goals by sharing the data with the appropriate federal or stateagencies. To the extent possible or appropriate, the database shall (i) beuniform in content and format to applications in the other states of theChesapeake Bay watershed, (ii) maintain the confidentiality of information,and (iii) use existing methods of data collection including reports to theU.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency, soil and waterconservation districts, and localities for the purpose of land use valuation.Any information collected pursuant to this section shall be exempt from theFreedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.).

(2010, c. 172.)