GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1983 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 924

SENATE BILL 605

 

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE NEUSE RIVER BASIN AND TO CREATE A LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO REVIEW WATER POLLUTION PROBLEMS AND WATER RESOURCES NEEDS, AND OVERSEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEUSE RIVER BASIN WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  Creation of the Commission;  Membership; Chairmen.  There is created the Legislative Commission to oversee the development of the Neuse River Basin Water Quality Management Plan.  The Commission shall consist of 10 members appointed as follows:

(1)       Three members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom shall be designated a cochairman of the Commission;

(2)       Two nonlegislative members appointed by the President of the Senate who are residents of the Neuse River Basin area;

(3)       Three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated a cochairman of the Commission.

(4)       Two nonlegislative members appointed by the Speaker who are residents of the Neuse River Basin area.

Sec. 2.  Duties of the Commission.  The Commission and the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development shall jointly conduct an extensive review of water pollution problems and water resources needs of the Neuse River Basin. Ongoing analysis and monitoring of algal problems in the Neuse River Basin shall be intensified to result in the development of the "Neuse River Basin Action Plan" by June 1, 1984.  A preliminary report that will include, to the extent possible, any needed action and/or legislation necessary to improve the water quality of the Neuse River shall be submitted to the General Assembly by February 1, 1985.  A final "Neuse River Basin Water Quality Management Plan" shall be submitted to the General Assembly by May 1, 1986.

The interim report may be in the form of a progress report, but the final report shall specify:

(1)       actions necessary to reduce algal growth to acceptable levels;

(2)       the impact of contributors in the Neuse Basin on water quality conditions in the Lower Neuse Basin;

(3)       steps to control harmful contributions in the Neuse Basin that have detrimental effects on water quality conditions in the entire Neuse Basin;

(4)       the feasibility of establishing a phosphate detergent ban in the Neuse River Basin;

(5)       the effect such a ban is likely to have on phosphorous contributions basinwide;

(6)       a determination of the ecological health of the Neuse River with regard to water quality parameters. In addition, the Commission shall evaluate the efforts of the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development related to water quality evaluations in the Neuse River Basin.

Sec. 3.  Staff.  The Legislative Services Officer shall provide professional assistance as directed by the Legislative Services Commission.  The Department of Natural Resources and Community Development shall provide the technical expertise required by the Commission.

Sec. 4.  Travel and Subsistence Allowances.  Legislative members of the Commission shall receive subsistence and travel allowances according to the provisions of G.S. 120-3.1. Nonlegislative members of the Commission shall receive per diem compensation and travel expenses as provided by G.S. 138-5.

Sec. 5.  Of the funds appropriated to the General Assembly in Section 2 of Chapter 761 of the 1983 Session Laws, the General Assembly may use sufficient amounts to carry out the provisions of this act, including payments to the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, if authorized by the Legislative Services Commission.

Sec. 6.  This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 22nd day of July, 1983.