HB 1533 would have provided localities in Planning District 8 a way to establish standards and adopt zoning regulations related to mines and mineral mines that exceed standards and regulations adopted by the Director of the Department of Energy, including the prohibition of all mining and mineral mining activity in any area of the locality zoned for residential use.
Current laws in Virginia allow localities the ability to create and administer regulations relating to mining. The regulations cannot be less stringent than current State regulations. Also, the localities must demonstrate to Virginia Energy that they can administer the program.
The existing regulation permitting localities to adopt and administer mining regulations in their jurisdiction was pointed out to Delegate Irene Shin (D-Northern VA), patron of HB 1533 by VTCA and VA Energy. Shortly after the bill was withdrawn by the patron.
The speculation was that this bill was introduced in response to the TikTok influencer, "Tunnel Girl" and her social media escapades of building a tunnel and shelter under her home in Herndon, VA. In her TikTok videos, “Tunnel Girl” often refers to her project as the “mine”, “mining”, or “quarrying”.