Bill Information:

AN ACT TO AMEND CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES LAWS TO (1) REPEAL 2008 AND SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEAR HEAVY-DUTY DIESEL VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS; (2) DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO STUDY THE CONTINUED NEED TO CONDUCT VEHICLE EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS; (3) PROVIDE THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION WITH THE FLEXIBILITY TO DETERMINE WHETHER RULES ARE NECESSARY FOR CONTROLLING THE EFFECTS OF COMPLEX SOURCES ON AIR QUALITY; (4) AMEND THE RULES THAT PERTAIN TO OPEN BURNING FOR LAND CLEARING OR RIGHT-OF-WAY MAINTENANCE; (5) CLARIFY THAT AN AIR QUALITY PERMIT SHALL BE ISSUED FOR A TERM OF EIGHT YEARS AND PROVIDE THAT A THIRD PARTY WHO IS DISSATISFIED WITH A DECISION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION REGARDING AN AIR QUALITY PERMIT MAY FILE A CONTESTED CASE UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT WITHIN 30 DAYS; (6) AMEND COASTAL AREA MANAGEMENT ACT MINOR PERMIT NOTICE REQUIREMENTS; (7) AMEND THE DIRECTION TO THE MINING ENERGY COMMISSION CONCERNING ADOPTION OF RULES GOVERNING DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION PERAINING TO HYDRAULIC FRACTURING FLUID CHEMICALS AND CONSTITUENTS; (8) EXEMPT THE MINING AND ENERGY COMMISSION, THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, AND THE COMMISSION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH FROM PREPARING FISCAL NOTES FOR RULES THAT PERTAIN TO THE MANAGEMENT OF OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT; (9) CLARIFY THE PROCESS FOR APPEALS FROM CIVIL PENALTIES ASSESSED BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT HAS ESTABLISHED AND ADMINISTERS AN EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL PROGRAM APPROVED UNDER G.S. 113A-60 AND PROVIDE THAT CIVIL PENALTIES ASSESSED BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT PURSUANT TO THE SEDIMENTATION POLLUTION CONTROL ACT OF 1973 SHALL BE REMITTED TO THE CIVIL PENALTY AND FORFEITURE FUND; (10) PROVIDE FOR LOW-FLOW DESIGN ALTERNATIVES FOR WASTEWATER SYSTEMS; (11) DIRECT THE COMMISSION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH TO ADOPT RULES TO PROVIDE FOR NOTICE OF KNOWN CONTAMINATION TO APPLICANTS WHO SEEK TO CONSTRUCT NEW PRIVATE DRINKING WATER WELLS AND TO DIRECT LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO EITHER ISSUE A PERMIT OR DENY AN APPLICATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, REPAIR, OR OPERATION OF A WELL WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF AN APPLICATION; (12) CLARIFY THOSE UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS THAT ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE SECONDARY CONTAINMENT UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2020; (13) MAKE TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING CHANGES TO PROTECTED SPECIES, MARINE, AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES STATUTES; (14) MAKE CLARIFYING AND CONFORMING CHANGES TO THE STATUTES PERTAINING TO THE MANAGEMENT OF SNAKES AND OTHER REPTILES; (15) AMEND THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT TO PROVIDE THE WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION WITH TEMPORARY RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY FOR MANNER OF TAKE; (16) PROHIBIT PUBLIC ENTITIES FROM PURCHASING OR ACQUIRING PROPERTY WITH KNOWN CONTAMINATION WITHOUT APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF STATE; (17) CLARIFY THAT NO BUILDING PERMIT IS REQUIRED FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OF FUEL DISPENSERS; (18) CLARIFY THE FEES THAT THE SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES MAY ADOPT FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA AQUARIUMS; (19) REPEAL THE MOUNTAIN RESOURCES PLANNING ACT; (20) PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS REGARDING THE NUMBER OF ACRES REQUIRED FOR PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT FOR BROWNFIELDS AGREEMENTS; (21) DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO ADOPT RULES FOR SELECTIVE PRUNING WITHIN HIGHWAY RIGHTS-OF-WAY; (22) CLARIFY REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLIANCE BOUNDARIES WITH RESPECT TO GROUNDWATER QUALITY STANDARDS; (23) EXEMPT CERTAIN RADIO TOWERS FROM APPLICABILITY WITH THE MILITARY LANDS PROTECTION ACT; (24) CLARIFY THAT EXTENDED DURATION PERMITS FOR SANITARY LANDFILLS AND TRANSFER STATIONS AUTHORIZED BY S.L. 2012-187 ARE PERMITS FOR OPERATION AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION; (25) ADD A FACTOR FOR CONSIDERATION IN ASSESSING SOLID WASTE PENALTIES; (26) LIMIT LOCAL GOVERNMENT REGULATION OF STORAGE, RETENTION, OR USE OF NONHAZARDOUS RECYCLED MATERIALS; (27) AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "BUILT-UPON AREA" FOR PURPOSES OF IMPLEMENTING STORMWATER PROGRAMS; (29) EXEMPT PONDS THAT ARE CONSTRUCTED AND USED FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES FROM RIPARIAN BUFFER RULES; (30) PROVIDE THAT A THIRD PARTY WHO IS DISSATISFIED WITH A DECISION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION REGARDING A WATER QUALITY PERMIT MAY FILE A CONTESTED CASE UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT WITHIN 30 DAYS; (31) REPEAL REQUIREMENTS FOR INCREASES IN VEHICULAR SURFACE AREAS; (32) AMEND DREDGE AND FILL PERMIT APPLICANT PROCEDURE FOR NOTICE TO ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS; (33) PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS WITH EXPIRED AUTHORIZATIONS MAY OBTAIN NEW AUTHORIZATIONS THAT ALLOW THE SYSTEMS TO WITHDRAW SURFACE WATER FROM THE SAME WATER BODY AT THE SAME RATE AS WAS APPROVED IN THE EXPIRED AUTHORIZATION; AND (34) COMBINE THE DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY AND THE DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES TO CREATE A NEW DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; AND (36) DIRECT THE COMMISSION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH TO CLARIFY ITS RULES THAT IMPLEMENT THE PROHIBITION ON SMOKING IN BARS AND RESTAURANTS AND (37) LIMIT REVIEW OF ENGINEERING WORK.