NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1965 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 634

HOUSE BILL 278

 

 

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 75A OF THE GENERAL STATUTES RELATING TO MOTOR BOATS AND VESSELS SO AS TO REQUIRE SEWAGE TREATMENT OR HOLDING DEVICES.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

 

Section 1.  Subsection (5) of G.S. 75A-2 is hereby rewritten to read as follows:

" 'Vessel' means every description of watercraft or structure, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation or habitation on the water."

Subsection (2) of G.S. 75A-2 is hereby rewritten to read as follows:

" 'Operate' means to navigate or otherwise use or occupy a motor boat or vessel, and shall be applicable to any motor boat or vessel that is afloat."

Sec. 2.  G.S. 75A-6 is hereby amended by adding a new subsection immediately after subsection (n) to read as follows:

"(o)      The State Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to prepare design standards that will be used as a guide in approving sewage treatment devices and holding tanks for marine toilets installed in boats operating on the inland lake waters of the State.

"No vessel operating on the inland lake waters of this State that is equipped with a marine toilet shall be registered by the Wildlife Resources Commission unless such vessel is provided with a sewage treatment device or holding tank approved by the State Board of Health.

"All vessels operating on the inland lake waters of the State that are equipped with a marine toilet shall be required to provide a sewage treatment device or holding tank approved by the State Board of Health.

"The protectors of the Wildlife Resources Commission shall inspect vessels on the inland lake waters to determine if approved treatment devices or holding tanks are properly installed and if they are operating in a satisfactory manner.

"Any boat or vessel equipped with a sewage treatment device or holding tank operated on the inland lake waters of North Carolina which does not meet the design standards and approval of the State Board of Health prior to January 1, 1966, may continue to use such device or tank until January 1, 1969."

Sec. 3.  G.S. 75A-10, is amended by adding subsection (c) to read as follows: "(c) no person shall place, throw, deposit, or discharge or cause to be placed, thrown, deposited, or discharged into the inland lake waters of this State, any litter, raw sewage, bottles, cans, papers, or other liquid or solid materials which render the waters unsightly, noxious, or otherwise unwholesome so as to be detrimental to the public health or welfare or to the enjoyment and safety of the water for recreational purposes.

"Violation of this provision shall be a misdemeanor and subject to penalty as provided in Section 18(a)". Section 18(a) is amended to add "75A-10(c)", following 75A-9, and Section 18 (b) is amended by adding "(a)" and "(b)" following 75A-10.

Sec. 4.  This Act shall become effective on January 1, 1966.

Sec. 5.  All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with this Act are hereby repealed.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 20th day of May, 1965.