Title of Regulation: 18VAC145-11. Public Participation Guidelines (amending 18VAC145-11-10, 18VAC145-11-20).

Statutory Authority: §§ 2.2-4007.02 and 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: August 15, 2012.

Agency Contact: Kathleen R. Nosbisch, Executive Director, Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-8514, FAX (866) 465-6206, or email soilscientist@dpor.virginia.gov.

Summary:

Chapters 803 and 835 of the 2012 Acts of Assembly merged the Board for Geology with the Board for Professional Soil Scientists and Wetland Professionals effective July 1, 2012. The Public Participation Guidelines (PPGs) for the Board for Professional Soil Scientists and Wetland Professionals are amended to reflect the new board name, Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists, and will remain in effect for the newly merged board as the PPGs for the Board for Geology are repealed.

Part I
Purpose and Definitions

18VAC145-11-10. Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter is to promote public involvement in the development, amendment or repeal of the regulations of the Board for Professional Soil Scientists and, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists. This chapter does not apply to regulations, guidelines, or other documents exempted or excluded from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

18VAC145-11-20. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Administrative Process Act" means Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Agency" means the Board for Professional Soil Scientists and, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists, which is the unit of state government empowered by the agency's basic law to make regulations or decide cases. Actions specified in this chapter may be fulfilled by state employees as delegated by the agency.

"Basic law" means provisions in the Code of Virginia that delineate the basic authority and responsibilities of an agency.

"Commonwealth Calendar" means the electronic calendar for official government meetings open to the public as required by § 2.2-3707 C of the Freedom of Information Act.

''Negotiated rulemaking panel'' or ''NRP'' means an ad hoc advisory panel of interested parties established by an agency to consider issues that are controversial with the assistance of a facilitator or mediator, for the purpose of reaching a consensus in the development of a proposed regulatory action.

"Notification list" means a list used to notify persons pursuant to this chapter. Such a list may include an electronic list maintained through the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall or other list maintained by the agency.

"Open meeting" means any scheduled gathering of a unit of state government empowered by an agency's basic law to make regulations or decide cases, which is related to promulgating, amending or repealing a regulation.

"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof.

"Public hearing" means a scheduled time at which members or staff of the agency will meet for the purpose of receiving public comment on a regulatory action.

"Regulation" means any statement of general application having the force of law, affecting the rights or conduct of any person, adopted by the agency in accordance with the authority conferred on it by applicable laws.

"Regulatory action" means the promulgation, amendment, or repeal of a regulation by the agency.

"Regulatory advisory panel" or "RAP" means a standing or ad hoc advisory panel of interested parties established by the agency for the purpose of assisting in regulatory actions.

"Town Hall" means the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall, the website operated by the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget at www.townhall.virginia.gov, which has online public comment forums and displays information about regulatory meetings and regulatory actions under consideration in Virginia and sends this information to registered public users.

"Virginia Register" means the Virginia Register of Regulations, the publication that provides official legal notice of new, amended and repealed regulations of state agencies, which is published under the provisions of Article 6 (§ 2.2-4031 et seq.) of the Administrative Process Act.