REG'L WATER STUDY/IBT SUBBASIN/TMDL. (NEW)

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View NCGA Bill Details(link is external)2025-2026 Session
House Bill 694 (Public) Filed Wednesday, April 2, 2025
AN ACT TO DIRECT THE ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER AT THE SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL TO STUDY WATER AND WASTEWATER REGIONALIZATION, TO ELIMINATE CERTAIN SUBBASIN DESIGNATIONS AND REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR AN INTERBASIN TRANSFER CERTIFICATE FOR WATER TRANSFERS BETWEEN THOSE CERTAIN SUBBASINS WITHIN THE SAME MAJOR RIVER BASIN, AND TO REVISE 2020 FARM ACT TMDL TRANSPORT FACTOR CALCULATION APPLICABILITY.
Intro. by Warren, Ross.
Status: Ch. SL 2025-77 (Jul 9 2025)

SOG comments (1):

Long title change

Submitted by iveybyrd on

Previous title was AN ACT TO DIRECT THE ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER AT THE SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL TO STUDY WATER AND WASTEWATER REGIONALIZATION AND IDENTIFY AREAS OF THE STATE WHERE THE COSTS OF WATER OR WASTEWATER SERVICES COULD BE LOWERED AND QUALITY OF THOSE SERVICES IMPROVED.

Bill History:

H 694/S.L. 2025-77

Bill Summaries:

  • Bill H 694 (2025-2026)
    Summary date: Jul 10 2025 - View Summary

    AN ACT TO DIRECT THE ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER AT THE SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL TO STUDY WATER AND WASTEWATER REGIONALIZATION, TO ELIMINATE CERTAIN SUBBASIN DESIGNATIONS AND REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR AN INTERBASIN TRANSFER CERTIFICATE FOR WATER TRANSFERS BETWEEN THOSE CERTAIN SUBBASINS WITHIN THE SAME MAJOR RIVER BASIN, AND TO REVISE 2020 FARM ACT TMDL TRANSPORT FACTOR CALCULATION APPLICABILITY. SL 2025-77. Enacted July 9, 2025. Effective July 9, 2025, except as otherwise provided. 

    Environment, Environment/Natural Resources, Government, State Agencies, UNC System, Department of Environmental Quality (formerly DENR), Public Enterprises and Utilities
    STUDY, GS 143
  • Bill H 694 (2025-2026)
    Summary date: Jun 4 2025 - View Summary

    Senate committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes.

    Makes organizational changes so that the content of the previous edition of the act is now placed under Section 1 of the act. Converts whereas clauses into legislative findings.

    Adds the following new content.

    Section 2

    Includes legislative findings regarding the elimination of the Haw River, Deep River, and Contentnea Creek subbasin designations.

    Amends GS 143-215.22G, to now include the Haw River (2-1) and Deep River (2-2) basins in the Cape Fear River basin, and the Contentnea Creek basin (10-2) in the Neuse River basin.

    Section 3

    Amends Section 15 of SL 2020-18 (Specify that the TMDL Transport Factor Applies when Offsetting Certain Permitted Wastewater Discharges) to allow the TMDL transport factor exceptions from subsection (a) of that bill to apply to all wastewater discharge permit applications for local governments in the Neuse River basin. Allows the Environmental Management Commission (Commission) to use the Department of Environmental Quality's (Department) watershed modeling for the Neuse River basin to adopt new transport zones and delivery factors by rule once the Department has completed the watershed modeling. Eliminates the requirement for the Department to provide the Commission a list of qualified professionals from which the Commission can select at least two to validate the completed watershed modeling before the Department can use the modeling to adopt the new transport zones and delivery factors.

    Makes conforming organizational changes. Amends the act’s titles.

    Environment, Environment/Natural Resources, Government, State Agencies, UNC System, Department of Environmental Quality (formerly DENR), Public Enterprises and Utilities
    STUDY, GS 143
  • Bill H 694 (2025-2026)
    Summary date: Apr 7 2025 - View Summary

    Contains whereas clauses.

    Directs the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government (EFC) to study and report on the benefits, costs, and financial, statutory, or regulatory obstacles to regionalization of water and wastewater services across the State.  Tasks EFC to provide recommendations on the following matters:

    • Legislative or regulatory changes in financial, auditing, or oversight requirements imposed on public water and wastewater systems that will lead to more informed decision making on financial stability of those systems, and the potential of various regionalization measures to address financial instability.
    • Particular public water or wastewater systems in the State that would benefit significantly from various regionalization measures.

    Defines public water system and wastewater system. Requires EFC to consult with various stakeholders, including the State Water Infrastructure Authority, and any other entity the EFC finds relevant to the issues it’s studying. Directs EFC to report its findings and recommendations to the specified NCGA committees by no later than April 1, 2026.

    Environment, Environment/Natural Resources, Government, State Agencies, UNC System, Public Enterprises and Utilities
    STUDY
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