| 12 | 13 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 |
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| 13 | 14 | | AN ACT TO LIMIT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY TO REGULATE 2 |
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| 14 | 15 | | ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS . 3 |
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| 15 | 16 | | The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4 |
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| 16 | 17 | | SECTION 1. Part 1 of Article 7 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended 5 |
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| 17 | 18 | | by adding a new section to read: 6 |
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| 18 | 19 | | "ยง 143B-279.30. Limitation on regulation of environmental matters by units of local 7 |
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| 19 | 20 | | government. 8 |
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| 20 | 21 | | (a) No unit of local government, as that term is defined by G.S. 159-44, may enact, adopt, 9 |
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| 21 | 22 | | implement, or enforce any ordinance, rule, regulation, or policy for the protection of the 10 |
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| 22 | 23 | | environment or natural resources that imposes a more restrictive standard or limitation than those 11 |
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| 23 | 24 | | imposed by State or federal law, unless otherwise specifically directed by the General Assembly. 12 |
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| 24 | 25 | | (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a unit of local government from 13 |
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| 25 | 26 | | adopting, implementing, and enforcing requirements necessary to comply with federal or State 14 |
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| 26 | 27 | | law or a condition of a permit, certificate, or other approval issued by a federal or State agency, 15 |
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| 27 | 28 | | provided such requirement does not exceed the scope of the authority expressly granted. 16 |
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| 28 | 29 | | (c) The limitation established by this section shall not be construed to apply to any 17 |
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| 29 | 30 | | ordinance, rule, regulation, or policy adopted by a unit of local where the regulations are adopted 18 |
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| 30 | 31 | | as a condition of participation in the National Flood Insurance Program." 19 |
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| 31 | 32 | | SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law. Each unit of local 20 |
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| 32 | 33 | | government shall review and amend its ordinances, rules, regulations, and policies to ensure 21 |
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| 33 | 34 | | compliance with G.S. 143B-279.30, as enacted by Section 1 of this act, by December 1, 2025, 22 |
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| 34 | 35 | | after which date any non-compliant provisions remaining shall be null and void. 23 |
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