Natural Resources Subcommittee

Wednesday, February 4, 2026·1h 30m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Natural Resources Subcommittee advanced a mattress recycling program, a fungi task force, and a controversial paraquat ban over significant agricultural opposition, while tabling a geoengineering bill and striking another at the patron's request.

Key Actions

·HB 86 – Mattress Stewardship ProgramNo Vote

+ 5 more actions

Controversies

Whether EPA science supports banning paraquat

Jack Tabor of the Virginia Farm Bureau cited EPA's 2024 review concluding the weight of evidence was insufficient to link paraquat exposure from pesticidal use of US registered products to Parkinson's disease in humans, and noted the Biden administration reapproved paraquat for an additional 15 years in 2021. Delegate Clark countered that an NIH study found people who sprayed paraquat are more than twice as likely to develop Parkinson's and that the research is in and the evidence is overwhelming. Jim Jones, former EPA Assistant Administrator, testified that EPA announced paraquat is more volatile than previously understood and that EPA indicated it wants the manufacturer to generate more data on volatilization, a process that will take several years.

+ 5 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“There is no camel nose here. Paraquat is the camel. It is uniquely dangerous, uniquely toxic, and uniquely tied to devastating disease. Ending it is not a slippery slope. It is a rational response to clear evidence.”
Delegate Clark — Delegate Clark, patron of HB 1375, made these closing remarks in response to opposition arguments that banning paraquat would set a precedent for banning other pesticides.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

Accept amendments to HB 86Passed

Report HB 86 as amended (motion by Delegate Glass)Passed

Strike HB 1466Passed

Lay HB 1425 on the tablePassed

Adopt substitute for HB 1475Passed

Report HB 1475 as substitutedPassed

Adopt first amendment to HB 1375Passed

Adopt second amendment to HB 1375 (Madam Leader's amendment)No Vote

Report HB 1375 as amended (motion by Madam Leader)Passed

No (1)Delegate Ware

Take HB 1152 by for the dayPassed

Unlock the full summary

Subscribe to see all key actions, controversies, quotes, and what's next.

TranscriptPreview

Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. We're going to get started with our Natural resources subcommittee today. Mr. Chair, Mr. Clerk, if you can please open the roll. All right, we have a quorum present. Do I see here? I see. Delegate Law. Fir. Good morning, Madam Chair and committee members. I am back with the infamous mattress bell again, early in the morning. This is HB86. It seeks to decrease the waste in landfills by providing a sustainable option for recycling used mattresses. This bill establishes a statewide collection system for the recycling of used mattresses certified by the Department of Environmental Quality and operated by a mattress recycling organization. This organization would have to establish a recycling plan and propose a fee approved by DEQ to. To cover the administrative costs of the program. HB86 is about extending the life of our landfills. Although up to 75% of mattresses are recyclable, the material in the mattress is recyclable. They are uniquely problematic due to their size. Mattresses do not compact, which is critical to the lifespan of a landfill. Basically, you put in a bunch of trash and you keep pushing it down. Unfortunately, the mattresses keep coming…

Subscribe to unlock the full transcript, summary, and search across all Virginia committee hearings.