NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1981 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 1090

HOUSE BILL 747

 

 

AN ACT TO CREATE A LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE WATER POLLUTION PROBLEMS AND WATER RESOURCES NEEDS OF THE CHOWAN RIVER BASIN AND THE ALBEMARLE SOUND BASIN.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1. Creation of Commission; Membership; Chairmen. There is created the Legislative Commission to study the water pollution problems and water resources needs of the Chowan River Basin and Albemarle Sound Basin. The commission shall consist of eight members appointed as follows:

(1)        two members of the Senate appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, one of whom shall be designated a cochairman of the commission;

(2)        two nonlegislative members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, both of whom shall be residents of the Chowan River or Albemarle Sound Basin areas;

(3)        two 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 of the House of Representatives, both of whom shall be residents of the Chowan River or Albemarle Sound Basin areas.

Sec. 2. Duties of the Commission. The commission shall conduct an extensive study of water pollution problems and water resources needs in the Chowan River and Albemarle Sound Basins. The commission shall report its findings to the 1983 General Assembly by January 1, 1983. The report may include any proposed legislation, programs or interstate agreements necessary to effectuate the findings of the commission. The report shall include an evaluation of the Chowan River restoration efforts undertaken by the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development.

Sec. 3. Staff. The Legislative Services Officer shall provide professional assistance and secretarial support to the commission.

Sec. 4. Duties of the Department. The Department of Natural Resources and Community Development shall be responsible for conducting the Chowan River Restoration efforts and initiating studies which could lead to an Albemarle Basin Restoration Project. During fiscal years 1981-82 and 1982-83 the Department shall: develop a plan for an Albemarle Sound Restoration Project; submit annual reports to the Governor and the General Assembly; conduct a program of investigations which shall lead to recommendations for appropriate restoration strategies; implement the restoration strategies through appropriate State and federal laws; develop the appropriate financial, technical and institutional cooperation with local governments and Virginia; develop an index or indicator for the success of the restoration efforts and report on it periodically; operate a local office in the Albemarle Sound area to respond to citizen inquiries; augment State funds with the local and federal funds that can be made available to assist in the project; and assign a full-time project manager to the activities described in this act.

Sec. 5. Travel and Subsistence Allowances. Members of the commission who are members of the General Assembly shall receive subsistence and travel allowances at the rate set forth in G.S. 120-3.1. Members of the commission who are not officials or employees of the State of North Carolina and who are not members of the General Assembly shall receive per diem compensation and travel expenses at the rate set forth in G.S. 138-5. Any members of the commission who are officials or employees of the State of North Carolina shall receive travel allowances at the rate set forth in G.S. 138-6.

Sec. 6. Appropriations to the Commission. There is appropriated to the General Assembly from the General Fund the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the 1981-82 fiscal year for the operation of the Legislative Commission to study the water pollution problems and water resources needs of the Chowan River and Albemarle Sound Basins and to evaluate the Chowan River Restoration efforts of the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development.

Sec. 7. Appropriations to the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development. For the purposes of this act, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development the sum of ninety-five thousand dollars ($95,000) for the 1981-82 fiscal year.

Sec. 8. This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 10th day of October, 1981.