Senate amendments make the following changes to the 4th edition.

Amendment #1 amends GS 113A-4 concerning certain required environmental statements, providing that for the purposes of GS 113A-4(2) (concerning information that must be included in statements for actions involving significant expenditures of public money or use of public land for projects and programs significantly affecting environmental quality), a direct environmental impact can include impacts that are secondary or cumulative with other previous actions if such impacts are reasonably predictable and not speculative, but cannot include impacts that occur outside of North Carolina (previously, did not include impacts that are speculative, secondary, or cumulative with other previous actions or that occur outside of North Carolina).

Amendment #2 amends GS 113A-9 by modifying the proposed definition for significant expenditure of public moneys to mean expenditures of public funds that are greater than $10 million for a single project or action, or a related group of projects or actions (was, expenditures of public funds that are greater than $20 million for a single project or action, or a related group of projects or actions). Also modifies the definition for use of public land to include land-disturbing activity of greater than 10 acres (was, greater than 20 acres).

Amendment #3 amends GS 113A-9 to modify the definition for major development project, providing that the term does not include any projects of less than ten contiguous acres in extent (previously, could not include projects less than two contiguous acres in extent). 

House amendments make the following changes to the 2nd edition.

Amendment #1

Amends GS 143-215.22L(d), providing clarifying language that except as provided in the subsection, the definitions set out in GS 113A-9 apply to this section. Also adds language that provides, notwithstanding the thresholds for significant expenditure of public monies or use of public land set forth in GS 113A-9, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will conduct a study of the environmental impacts of any proposed transfer of water for which a certificate is required.

Amendment #2

Amends proposed GS 113A-9(7a), the definition for significant expenditure of public moneys, providing that the term means expenditures of public funds greater than $10 million for a single project (was, $20 million). 

Amendment #3

Amends proposed GS 113A-9(11), the definition for use of public land, providing that the term means activity that affects more than five acres of upland property which results in changes in the natural cover or topography of those lands or activity that would be inconsistent with the approved management plan for a state park (previously, term meant land-disturbing activity of greater than 20 acres resulting in substantial, permanent changes in the natural cover or topography). 

Amendment #4

Amends GS 159G-38, deleting all the changes made to the section in the previous edition. Deletes all the substantive provisions of subsections (a) and (b), adding language that establishes an environmental assessment process, requiring the Division of Water Infrastructure to establish an environmental assessment process for CWSRF and DWSRF funded projects sufficient to meet federal environmental assessment requirements.