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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>345320</law_id><section_number>10.1-1005</section_number><catch_line>Pollution; penalties</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="38" identifier="10.1">Conservation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">Activities Administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="13" identifier="10">Cave Protection Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> It shall be unlawful for any <span class="dictionary">person</span>, without express, prior, written permission of the <span class="dictionary">owner</span>, to store, dump, litter, dispose of or otherwise place any refuse, garbage, dead animals, sewage, or toxic substances harmful to <span class="dictionary">cave life</span> or humans, in any cave or <span class="dictionary">sinkhole</span>. It shall also be unlawful to burn within a cave or <span class="dictionary">sinkhole</span> any <span class="dictionary">material</span> which produces any smoke or gas which is harmful to any naturally occurring organism in any cave. <a id="paragraph-1287432" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1005/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any violation of this section shall be punished as a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-1287433" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/10.1-1005/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1979, c. 252, &#xA7; 10-150.14; 1982, c. 81; 1988, c. 891.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
