弗吉尼亚州有关大坝安全的法律法规

维吉尼亚州有超过10个,000 miles of shoreline and many thousands of acres of water comprised of a large variety of 不同类型的水体.  因此，弗吉尼亚州也有成千上万的公共和私人水坝.  In fact, in 2018 there were over two thousand state-regulated dams in the Commonwealth.[1]  下面将对此进行解释, this number does not include a great many dams which are excluded from state regulation, 因此，弗吉尼亚州大坝的实际数量可能要多得多.  有这么多的水坝，客户经常联系我们也就不足为奇了 滨水法律小组 与水坝有关的法律问题.  在本文中，我们将尝试回答一些更常见的问题.

Let’s cover a few basics about dams before diving into the legal and regulatory framework around dam safety.  的 国家地理学会百科全书 sums things up nicely:  “A dam is a structure built across a river or stream to hold back water.  几个世纪以来，人们使用不同的材料建造水坝.  古代水坝建造者使用天然材料，如岩石或粘土.  现代水坝建造者经常使用混凝土.  人造水坝创造了被称为水库的人工湖.“当谈到大坝失败的原因时， 大坝安全协会 found that 1/3 of all dam failures are the result of “overtopping” (caused by water spilling over the dop of the dam).  该组织确定的其他值得注意的原因是基础缺陷, 破解, 保养和保养不足, 和管道. 

弗吉尼亚州有关大坝安全的法律法规

维吉尼亚州的法典中有一整部分都是关于水坝的.  In Virginia, most dams are regulated by the Virginia Dam Safety Act (”the Act”), codified as 弗吉尼亚法典第10条.1-604等序列.  顾名思义, 该法案的目的是提供适当和安全的设计, 建设, 营运及维修水坝，以保障公众安全.  的 Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board (“the Board”) is responsible for issuing regulations under the Act, 但是这个项目的日常管理已经委托给了 弗吉尼亚保护和娱乐部 (DCR).  委员会的规章编于 4 VAC 50-20-10至400.  另外, some localities have set up local Advisory Committees to advise the Board and DCR regarding issues specific to that community.  Va. 代码§10.1-606.

Owners of dams which fall under the Act must apply to the Board for an Operation and Maintenance Certificate.  他们还必须向当地政府提交一份紧急行动计划.  Dams which are subject to regulation under the Act are classified by regulators according to their potential to create a hazard to life or to cause serious economic loss in the case of dam failure. 可能的分类是“高”、“重要”或“低”.”  的 hazard classification determines how often and by whom the dam must be inspected, 以及施工或维修需要什么类型的许可证.  每座大坝必须由业主每年至少检查一次.  除了这些年度检查由业主, a high hazard dam must undergo an inspection by a professional engineer every two years.  相比之下, 低危害大坝只需每六年由专业工程师检查一次, 或者在某些情况下根本没有. All inspection reports must be submitted to the proper authorities at the intervals specified in the Act.

另外, the owner must obtain appropriate permits prior to 建设 or repair of any regulated dam.  Owners of low hazard dams will probably qualify for the less stringent “General Permit,” whereas a more complex Certificate of Approval will likely be required for dams classified as significant or high hazard structures.  Va. 代码§10.1-605.3. 

此外, owners of regulated dams are prohibited from allowing certain trees or other vegetation to grow within 25 feet of their dams and are even required to remove any vegetation which may start growing there.  Va. 法典第10条.1-609.2.  值得注意的, 清除植被的规定不适用于某些湿地植被, and in fact removing wetland vegetation without approval could have serious legal consequences.

Many property owners are surprised to learn that members of the Board or its agents have the right to enter onto their private property “at reasonable times and under reasonable circumstances to perform such inspections and tests or to take such other actions it deems necessary to fulfill its responsibilities under this article, 包括对可能受本条约束的水坝的检查, provided that the Board or its agents or employees make a reasonable effort to obtain the consent of the owner of the land prior to entry.”  Va. 代码§10.1-610.  Failure to allow officials to enter for these purposes can result in civil penalties and/or criminal prosecution. 类似的, agents of the Board are required to make periodic inspections to monitor ongoing 建设 or repairs to regulated dams to ensure that the work is proceeding in accordance with the applicable General Permit or Certificate of Approval. 如果发现不符点, the officials can issue an Administrative Order requiring the owner to come into compliance. Va. 代码§10.1-610.1.  如物业拥有人认为他受该行政命令的侵害, 他可以根据《现金网官网》提出上诉.  然而, property owners should be aware that appealing the decision of an administrative agency is complex and the process must be followed exactly to have any chance of success.  You should definitely consult experienced legal counsel (the earlier the better) if you think that your interactions with regulatory officials may be heading in a direction that could result in your desire to challenge the legitimacy of an Administrative Order in court.  

尽管有上述规定，但并非所有水坝都属于该法案的管辖范围. 的 Act explicitly exempts dams which do not meet certain size and/or capacity thresholds. 它还豁免了由联邦政府拥有或许可的水坝, 水坝用于某些特定目的，如采矿.  Va. 代码§10.1-604.  话虽如此, 即使你认为你的水坝不受法案的监管, it would be a mistake to perform work on a dam without consulting a waterfront property attorney first to make sure.  This is because the penalties for performing unauthorized alterations to a dam can be quite severe.

例如, 如果业主不遵守该法案, the Board may bring suit in circuit court seeking an order requiring the owner to modify or remove the dam.  如果诉讼成功, 业主不仅要负责修改或拆除的费用, but also for reimbursing the Board for its legal fees and costs expended in taking the owner to court. Va. 代码§10.1-613. In addition, it is a crime to knowingly operate, construct or alter a dam in violation of the Act.  Violators can be found guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor and may also be subject to a civil penalty up to $500 per day of violation (not to exceed $25,000).  Va. 代码§10.1-613.1

布莱恩·皮尔普斯 是一个现金网官网 & 专攻海事和河岸法的现金网官网律师, 建筑法与工人赔偿事项.

[1] http://damsafety.org/virginia