{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/45.2-2113.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/45.2-2113.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/45.2-2113.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/45.2-2113.html"}],"law_id":364279,"edition_id":2,"section_id":364279,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2113","catch_line":" Plugging","history":"1982, c. 269, \u00a7 45.1-277; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.","full_text":"The plugging of an exploration hole shall be as follows:\n\n1\n\nEach exploration hole shall be adequately plugged with cement from the bottom of the hole upward to a point three feet below plow depth. The remainder of the hole between the top of the plug and the surface shall be filled with cuttings or nontoxic material.\n\n2\n\nIf multiple aquifers alternating usable quality water and saltwater zones, or other conditions determined by the Director to be potentially deleterious to surface water or groundwater are encountered, the conditions shall be isolated immediately by cement plugs. Each hole shall be plugged with cement to prevent water from flowing into or out of the hole or mixing within the hole. The length of the plug shall be determined by the Director on the basis of available data on the specific site.\n\n3\n\nEach exploration hole shall be plugged as soon as reasonably practical after drilling, unless multiple aquifers are encountered.\n\n4\n\nAlternative plugging procedures and materials may be utilized if the applicant demonstrates to the Director’s satisfaction that the alternatives will protect groundwater and comply with the provisions of this article. In the event that a hole is more suitably plugged with a nonporous material other than cement, the material shall have characteristics at least equal to cement.\n\n5\n\nIn the event that an exploration hole is to remain unplugged pursuant to the provisions of § 45.2-2114, the procedure contained in subdivision 2, if applicable, shall be applied and the exploration hole shall be plugged to the extent required by that subdivision.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1357110,"text":"The plugging of an exploration hole shall be as follows:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":1357111,"text":"Each exploration hole shall be adequately plugged with cement from the bottom of the hole upward to a point three feet below plow depth. The remainder of the hole between the top of the plug and the surface shall be filled with cuttings or nontoxic material.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":1357112,"text":"If multiple aquifers alternating usable quality water and saltwater zones, or other conditions determined by the Director to be potentially deleterious to surface water or groundwater are encountered, the conditions shall be isolated immediately by cement plugs. Each hole shall be plugged with cement to prevent water from flowing into or out of the hole or mixing within the hole. The length of the plug shall be determined by the Director on the basis of available data on the specific site.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":1357113,"text":"Each exploration hole shall be plugged as soon as reasonably practical after drilling, unless multiple aquifers are encountered.","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":1357114,"text":"Alternative plugging procedures and materials may be utilized if the applicant demonstrates to the Director’s satisfaction that the alternatives will protect groundwater and comply with the provisions of this article. In the event that a hole is more suitably plugged with a nonporous material other than cement, the material shall have characteristics at least equal to cement.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"5"},"5":{"id":1357115,"text":"In the event that an exploration hole is to remain unplugged pursuant to the provisions of § 45.2-2114, the procedure contained in subdivision 2, if applicable, shall be applied and the exploration hole shall be plugged to the extent required by that subdivision.","type":"section","prefixes":["5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"5","prefix_anchor":"5","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4"}},"ancestry":[{"id":51996,"edition_id":2,"name":"Exploration for Uranium Ore","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":3,"parent_id":51993,"metadata":{"child_laws":12,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:51:52","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:02","permalink":{"id":1452241,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51996,"identifier":"3","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3","url":"\/45.2\/V\/21\/3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51993,"edition_id":2,"name":"Nuclear Energy","identifier":"21","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":5,"parent_id":51971,"metadata":{"child_laws":20,"child_structures":3},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:51:51","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:01","permalink":{"id":1452203,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51993,"identifier":"21","token":"45.2\/V\/21","url":"\/45.2\/V\/21\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51971,"edition_id":2,"name":"Other Sources of Energy; Energy Policy","identifier":"V","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":5,"parent_id":51927,"metadata":{"child_laws":88,"child_structures":24},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:51:43","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:59","permalink":{"id":1451889,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51971,"identifier":"V","token":"45.2\/V","url":"\/45.2\/V\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51927,"edition_id":2,"name":"Mines, Minerals, and Energy","identifier":"45.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":99,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":627,"child_structures":120},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:51:17","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:32","permalink":{"id":1449541,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51927,"identifier":"45.2","token":"45.2","url":"\/45.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":364274,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2108","catch_line":" Definitions","url":"\/45.2-2108\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2108","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":364275,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2109","catch_line":" Regulations","url":"\/45.2-2109\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2109","metadata":false},{"id":364276,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2110","catch_line":" Permit for exploration activity required; fee","url":"\/45.2-2110\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2110","metadata":false},{"id":364277,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2111","catch_line":" Maps or plats of proposed exploration activity area","url":"\/45.2-2111\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2111","metadata":false},{"id":364278,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2112","catch_line":" Abandoning exploration hole; affidavits required","url":"\/45.2-2112\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2112","metadata":false},{"id":364279,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2113","catch_line":" Plugging","url":"\/45.2-2113\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2113","metadata":false},{"id":364280,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2114","catch_line":" Developing an exploration hole as a water well","url":"\/45.2-2114\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2114","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":364281,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2115","catch_line":" Right of inspection by Director","url":"\/45.2-2115\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2115","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":364282,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2116","catch_line":" Uranium mining permit applications; uranium mining deemed to have significant effect on surface","url":"\/45.2-2116\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2116","metadata":false},{"id":364283,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2117","catch_line":" State and local authority","url":"\/45.2-2117\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2117","metadata":false},{"id":364284,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2118","catch_line":" Confidentiality of logs, surveys, and reports","url":"\/45.2-2118\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2118","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":364285,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2119","catch_line":" Civil penalty","url":"\/45.2-2119\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2119","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}}],"previous_section":{"id":364278,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2112","catch_line":" Abandoning exploration hole; affidavits required","url":"\/45.2-2112\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2112","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":364280,"structure_id":51996,"section_number":"45.2-2114","catch_line":" Developing an exploration hole as a water well","url":"\/45.2-2114\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2114","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/45.2-2113\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1982. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 269 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1982 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":364280,"section_number":"45.2-2114","catch_line":" Developing an exploration hole as a water well","order_by":null,"url":"\/45.2-2114\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1452263,"object_type":"law","relational_id":364279,"identifier":"45.2-2113","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2113","url":"\/45.2-2113\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/45.2-2113\/","token":"45.2\/V\/21\/3\/45.2-2113","dublin_core":{"Title":" Plugging","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 45.2-2113","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The plugging of an exploration hole shall be as follows:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Each exploration hole shall be adequately plugged with cement from the bottom of the hole upward to a point three feet below plow depth. The remainder of the hole between the top of the plug and the surface shall be filled with cuttings or nontoxic material<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> If multiple aquifers alternating usable quality water<\/span> and saltwater zones, or other conditions determined by the Director<\/span> to be potentially deleterious to surface water or groundwater are encountered, the conditions shall be isolated immediately by cement plugs. Each hole shall be plugged with cement to prevent water from flowing into or out of the hole or mixing within the hole. The length of the plug shall be determined by the Director<\/span> on the basis of available data on the specific site. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Each exploration hole shall be plugged as soon as reasonably practical after drilling, unless multiple aquifers are encountered. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Alternative plugging procedures and materials<\/span> may be utilized if the applicant demonstrates to the Director<\/span>’s satisfaction that the alternatives will protect groundwater and comply with the provisions of this article. In the event that a hole is more suitably plugged with a nonporous material<\/span> other than cement, the material<\/span> shall have characteristics at least equal to cement. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> In the event that an exploration hole is to remain unplugged pursuant to the provisions of § 45.2-2114<\/a>, the procedure contained in subdivision 2, if applicable, shall be applied and the exploration hole shall be plugged to the extent required by that subdivision. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\n PLUGGING (\u00a7 45.2-2113)\n\nThe plugging of an exploration hole shall be as follows:\n\n1. Each exploration hole shall be adequately plugged with cement from the bottom\nof the hole upward to a point three feet below plow depth. The remainder of the\nhole between the top of the plug and the surface shall be filled with cuttings\nor nontoxic material.\n\n2. If multiple aquifers alternating usable quality water and saltwater zones, or\nother conditions determined by the Director to be potentially deleterious to\nsurface water or groundwater are encountered, the conditions shall be isolated\nimmediately by cement plugs. Each hole shall be plugged with cement to prevent\nwater from flowing into or out of the hole or mixing within the hole. The length\nof the plug shall be determined by the Director on the basis of available data\non the specific site.\n\n3. Each exploration hole shall be plugged as soon as reasonably practical after\ndrilling, unless multiple aquifers are encountered.\n\n4. Alternative plugging procedures and materials may be utilized if the\napplicant demonstrates to the Director’s satisfaction that the\nalternatives will protect groundwater and comply with the provisions of this\narticle. In the event that a hole is more suitably plugged with a nonporous\nmaterial other than cement, the material shall have characteristics at least\nequal to cement.\n\n5. In the event that an exploration hole is to remain unplugged pursuant to the\nprovisions of § 45.2-2114, the procedure contained in subdivision 2, if\napplicable, shall be applied and the exploration hole shall be plugged to the\nextent required by that subdivision.\n\nHISTORY: 1982, c. 269, \u00a7 45.1-277; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}