Virginia Regulatory Town Hall

Proposed Text

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Action:
Access permit requirements; threatened & endangered species list
Stage: Proposed
 
4VAC15-20-66 Admittance, parking, or other use fee at certain department-owned and department-managed facilities

A. Pursuant to the authority of the board under § 29.1-103 (14) of the Code of Virginia and in accordance with § 29.1-113 of the Code of Virginia, a daily fee of $3.00 or an annual fee equal to the price of an annual basic state resident fishing or hunting license is established for admittance, parking, or other use at department-owned or department-managed lands, boat launch sites, and public fishing lakes. Such fee shall not apply to (i) any person holding a valid hunting, trapping, or fishing license, or a current certificate of boat registration issued by the department; (ii) persons 16 years of age or younger; or (iii) any person who is a passenger in but not the owner or operator of a paddlecraft or registered vesselthe use of department-owned boat ramps.

B. Any person violating this section may be assessed a civil penalty of $50 in lieu of any criminal penalty.

C. The director may waive fees for any person, group, or organization whenever such action is deemed to be in the department's interest. Any or all facilities may be closed by the director without notice due to an emergency or natural disaster. Full refunds or credits may be issued whenever the closure prevents any use of the facility during the term of the permit. Partial refunds of fees may be made in the interest of providing better customer service.

D. The director may allow deviations from established fees in the form of discounts or special promotions for the purpose of stimulating visitation and use of departmental facilities.
4VAC15-20-130 Endangered and threatened species; adoption of federal list; additional species enumerated

A. The board hereby adopts the Federal Endangered and Threatened Species List, Endangered Species Act of December 28, 1973 (16 USC §§ 1531-1543), as amended as of April 30, 2021 December 28, 2022, and declares all species listed thereon to be endangered or threatened species in the Commonwealth. Pursuant to subdivision 12 of § 29.1-103 of the Code of Virginia, the director of the department is hereby delegated authority to propose adoption of modifications and amendments to the Federal Endangered and Threatened Species List in accordance with the procedures of §§ 29.1-501 and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

B. In addition to the provisions of subsection A of this section, the following species are declared endangered or threatened in this Commonwealth, and are afforded the protection provided by Article 6 (§ 29.1-563 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 29.1 of the Code of Virginia:

1. Fish:

Endangered:

Dace, Clinch

Chrosomus sp. cf. saylori

Dace, Tennessee

Phoxinus tennesseensis

Darter, sharphead

Etheostoma acuticeps

Darter, variegate

Etheostoma variatum

Sunfish, blackbanded

Enneacanthus chaetodon

Threatened:

Darter, Carolina

Etheostoma collis

Darter, golden

Etheostoma denoncourti

Darter, greenfin

Etheostoma chlorobranchium

Darter, sickle

Percina willliamsi

Darter, western sand

Ammocrypta clara

Madtom, orangefin

Noturus gilberti

Paddlefish

Polyodon spathula

Shiner, emerald

Notropis atherinoides

Shiner, steelcolor

Cyprinella whipplei

Shiner, whitemouth

Notropis alborus

2. Amphibians:

Endangered:

Salamander, eastern tiger

Ambystoma tigrinum

Threatened:

Salamander, Mabee's

Ambystoma mabeei

3. Reptiles:

Endangered:

Rattlesnake, canebrake (Coastal Plain population of timber rattlesnake)

Crotalus horridus

Turtle, bog

Glyptemys muhlenbergii

Turtle, eastern chicken

Deirochelys reticularia reticularia

Threatened:

Lizard, eastern glass

Ophisaurus ventralis

Turtle, wood

Glyptemys insculpta

4. Birds:

Endangered:

Plover, Wilson's

Charadrius wilsonia

Rail, black

Laterallus jamaicensis

Woodpecker, red-cockaded

Dryobates borealis

Wren, Bewick's

Thryomanes bewickii bewickii

Threatened:

Falcon, peregrine

Falco peregrinus

Shrike, loggerhead

Lanius ludovicianus

Sparrow, Bachman's

Aimophila aestivalis

Sparrow, Henslow's

Ammodramus henslowii

Tern, gull-billed

Sterna nilotica

5. Mammals:

Endangered:

Bat, Rafinesque's eastern big-eared

Corynorhinus rafinesquii macrotis

Bat, little brown

Myotis lucifugus

Bat, tri-colored

Perimyotis subflavus

Hare, snowshoe

Lepus americanus

Shrew, American water

Sorex palustris

Vole, rock

Microtus chrotorrhinus

6. Mollusks:

Endangered:

Coil, rubble

Helicodiscus lirellus

Coil, shaggy

Helicodiscus diadema

Deertoe

Truncilla truncata

Elephantear

Elliptio crassidens

Elimia, spider

Elimia arachnoidea

Floater, brook

Alasmidonta varicosa

Ghostsnail, thankless

Holsingeria unthanksensis

Heelsplitter, Tennessee

Lasmigona holstonia

Lilliput, purple

Toxolasma lividus

Mussel, slippershell

Alasmidonta viridis

Pigtoe, Ohio

Pleurobema cordatum

Pigtoe, pyramid

Pleurobema rubrum

Springsnail, Appalachian

Fontigens bottimeri

Springsnail (no common name)

Fontigens morrisoni

Supercoil, spirit

Paravitrea hera

Threatened:

Floater, green

Lasmigona subviridis

Papershell, fragile

Leptodea fragilis

Pigtoe, Atlantic

Fusconaiamasoni

Pimpleback

Quadrula pustulosa pustulosa

Pistolgrip

Tritogonia verrucosa

Riversnail, spiny

Iofluvialis

Sandshell, black

Ligumia recta

Supercoil, brown

Paravitrea septadens

7. Arthropods:

Threatened:

Amphipod, Madison Cave

Stygobromus stegerorum

Pseudotremia, Ellett Valley

Pseudotremia cavernarum

Xystodesmid, Laurel Creek

Sigmoria whiteheadi

C. It shall be unlawful to take, transport, process, sell, or offer for sale within the Commonwealth any threatened or endangered species of fish or wildlife except as authorized by law.

D. The incidental take of certain species may occur in certain circumstances and with the implementation of certain conservation practices as described in this subsection:

Species

Location

Allowable Circumstances

Required Conservation Measures

Expected Incidental Take

Little brown bat

Tri-colored bat

Statewide

Human health risk – need for removal of individual animals from human-habited structures.

Between May 15 and August 31, no exclusion of bats from maternity colonies, except for human health concerns.

Department-permitted nuisance wildlife control operator with department-recognized certification in techniques associated with removal of bats.

Use of exclusion devices that allow individual animals to escape.

Manual collection of individual animals incapable of sustaining themselves; transport to a willing and appropriately permitted wildlife rehabilitator.

Little to no direct lethal taking expected.

Public safety or property damage risk – need for tree removal, application of prescribed fire, or other land management actions affecting known roosts; removal of animals from known roosts.

Hibernacula: no tree removal, use of prescribed fire, or other land management action within a 250-foot radius buffer area from December 1 through April 30. Between September 1 and November 30, increase the buffer to a 1/4-mile radius with the following conditions: for timber harvests greater than 20 acres, retain snags and wolf trees (if not presenting public safety or property risk) and small tree groups up to 15 trees of 3-inch diameter at breast height (dbh) or greater, one tree group per 20 acres. Otherwise, document the need (public safety, property damage risk) for tree removal during this period and verify that no known roost trees exist in the buffer area. Tree removal and prescribed fire are permitted outside of these dates.

Known roost trees: no tree removal, use of prescribed fire, or other land management action within a 150-foot radius buffer area from June 1 through July 31, if possible. Otherwise, document public safety or property damage risk.

Department-permitted nuisance wildlife control operator with department-recognized certification in techniques associated with removal of bats.

Use of exclusion devices that allow individual animals to escape.

Manual collection of individual animals incapable of sustaining themselves; transport to a willing and appropriately permitted wildlife rehabilitator.

Little to no direct lethal taking expected.