§ 143B-282. Environmental Management Commission - creation; powers and duties.
Part 4. Environmental ManagementCommission.
§ 143B‑282. Environmental Management Commission creation; powers and duties.
(a) There is herebycreated the Environmental Management Commission of the Department ofEnvironment and Natural Resources with the power and duty to promulgate rulesto be followed in the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the waterand air resources of the State.
(1) Within thelimitations of G.S. 143‑215.9 concerning industrial health and safety,the Environmental Management Commission shall have all of the following powersand duties:
a. To grant a permit ortemporary permit, to modify or revoke a permit, and to refuse to grant permitspursuant to G.S. 143‑215.1 and G.S. 143‑215.108 with regard tocontrolling sources of air and water pollution.
b. To issue a specialorder pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.2(b) and G.S. 143‑215.110 to anyperson whom the Commission finds responsible for causing or contributing to anypollution of water within such watershed or pollution of the air within thearea for which standards have been established.
c. To conduct anddirect that investigations be conducted pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.3 andG.S. 143‑215.108(c)(5).
d. To conduct publichearings, institute actions in superior court, and agree upon or enter intosettlements, all pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.3.
e. To direct theinvestigation of any killing of fish and wildlife pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.3.
f. To consult with anyperson proposing to construct, install, or acquire an air or water pollutionsource pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.3 and G.S. 143‑215.111.
g. To encourage localgovernment units to handle air pollution problems and to provide technical andconsultative assistance pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.3 and G.S. 143‑215.112.
h. To review and havegeneral oversight and supervision over local air pollution control programspursuant to G.S. 143‑215.3 and G.S. 143‑215.112.
i. To declare anemergency when it finds a generalized dangerous condition of water or airpollution pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.3.
j. To render adviceand assistance to local government regarding floodways pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.56.
k. To declare anddelineate and modify capacity use areas pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.13.
l. To grant permitsfor water use within capacity use areas pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.15.
m. To direct thatinvestigations be conducted when necessary to carry out duties regardingcapacity use areas pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.19.
n. To approve,disapprove and approve subject to conditions all applications for damconstruction pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.28; to require constructionprogress reports pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.29.
o. To halt damconstruction pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.29.
p. To grant finalapproval of dam construction work pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.30.
q. To have jurisdictionand supervision over the maintenance and operation of dams pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.31.
r. To direct theinspection of dams pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.32.
s. To modify or revokeany final action previously taken by the Commission pursuant to G.S. 143‑214.1and G.S. 143‑215.107.
t. To havejurisdiction and supervision over oil pollution and dry‑cleaning solventuse, contamination, and remediation pursuant to Article 21A of Chapter 143 ofthe General Statutes.
u. To administer theState's authority under 33 U.S.C. § 1341 of the federal Clean Water Act.
v. To approve CoastalHabitat Protection Plans as provided in G.S. 143B‑279.8.
(2) The EnvironmentalManagement Commission shall adopt rules:
a. For air qualitystandards, emission control standards and classifications for air contaminantsources pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.107.
b. For water qualitystandards and classifications pursuant to G.S. 143‑214.1 and G.S. 143‑215.
c. To implement waterand air quality reporting pursuant to Part 7 of Article 21 of Chapter 143 ofthe General Statutes.
d. To be applied incapacity use areas pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.14.
e. To implement theissuance of permits for water use within capacity use areas pursuant to G.S.143‑215.15 and G.S. 143‑215.16.
f. Repealed by SessionLaws 1983, c. 222, s. 3.
g. For the protectionof the land and the waters over which this State has jurisdiction frompollution by oil, oil products and oil by‑products pursuant to Article21A of Chapter 143.
h. Governingunderground tanks used for the storage of oil or hazardous substances pursuantto Articles 21, 21A, or 21B of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, includinginspection and testing of these tanks and certification of persons who inspectand test tanks.
i. To implement theprovisions of Part 2A of Article 21 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes.
j. To implement theprovisions of Part 6 of Article 21A of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes.
k. To implementbasinwide water quality management plans developed pursuant to G.S. 143‑215.8B.
(3) The Commission isauthorized to make such rules, not inconsistent with the laws of this State, asmay be required by the federal government for grants‑in‑aid forwater and air resources purposes which may be made available to the State bythe federal government. This section is to be liberally construed in order thatthe State and its citizens may benefit from such grants‑in‑aid.
(4) The Commission shallmake rules consistent with the provisions of this Chapter. All rules adopted bythe Commission shall be enforced by the Department of Environment and NaturalResources.
(5) The EnvironmentalManagement Commission shall have the power to adopt rules with respect to anyState laws administered under its jurisdiction so as to accept evidence ofcompliance with corresponding federal law or regulation in lieu of a Statepermit, or otherwise modify a requirement for a State permit, upon findings bythe Commission, and after public hearings, that there are:
a. Similar andcorresponding or more restrictive federal laws or regulations which alsorequire an applicant to obtain a federal permit based upon the same generalstandards or more restrictive standards as the State laws and rules require;and
b. That the enforcementof the State laws and rules would require the applicant to also obtain a Statepermit in addition to the required federal permit; and
c. That the enforcementof the State laws and rules would be a duplication of effort on the part of theapplicant; and
d. Such duplication ofState and federal permit requirements would result in an unreasonable burdennot only on the applicant, but also on the citizens and resources of the State.
(6) The Commission mayestablish a procedure for evaluating renewable energy technologies that are, orare proposed to be, employed as part of a renewable energy facility, as definedin G.S. 62‑133.8; establish standards to ensure that renewable energytechnologies do not harm the environment, natural resources, culturalresources, or public health, safety, or welfare of the State; and, to theextent that there is not an environmental regulatory program, establish anenvironmental regulatory program to implement these protective standards.
(b) The EnvironmentalManagement Commission shall submit quarterly written reports as to itsoperation, activities, programs, and progress to the Environmental ReviewCommission. The Environmental Management Commission shall supplement thewritten reports required by this subsection with additional written and oralreports as may be requested by the Environmental Review Commission. TheEnvironmental Management Commission shall submit the written reports requiredby this subsection whether or not the General Assembly is in session at thetime the report is due.
(c) The EnvironmentalManagement Commission shall implement the provisions of subsections (d) and (e)of 33 U.S.C. § 1313 by identifying and prioritizing impaired waters and bydeveloping appropriate total maximum daily loads of pollutants for thoseimpaired waters. The Commission shall incorporate those total maximum dailyloads approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency into itscontinuing basinwide water quality planning process.
(d) The EnvironmentalManagement Commission may adopt rules setting out strategies necessary forassuring that water quality standards are met by any point or nonpoint sourceor by any category of point or nonpoint sources that is determined by theCommission to be contributing to the water quality impairment. These strategiesmay include, but are not limited to, additional monitoring, effluentlimitations, supplemental standards or classifications, best managementpractices, protective buffers, schedules of compliance, and the establishmentof and delegations to intergovernmental basinwide groups.
(e) In appointing themembers of the Commission, the appointing authorities shall make every effortto ensure fair geographic representation of the Commission. (1973, c. 1262, s. 19; 1975,c. 512; 1977, c. 771, s. 4; 1983, c. 222, s. 3; 1985, c. 551, s. 1; 1989, c. 652,s. 2; c. 727, s. 218(128); 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 1036, s. 1; 1991 (Reg.Sess., 1992), c. 990, s. 1; 1993, c. 348, s. 3; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 18, s.27.4(b); 1997‑392, s. 2(a), (b); 1997‑400, s. 3.2; 1997‑443,s. 11A.119(a); 1997‑458, ss. 8.4, 8.5; 1997‑496, s. 16; 1998‑212,s. 14.9H(f); 1999‑328, s. 4.13; 2001‑424, s. 19.13(a); 2002‑165,s. 1.9; 2007‑397, s. 2(c).)