Commission Staff Activities 



COMMISSION STAFF ACTIVITIES 



Planning Meetims 



The Commission Counsel held an informal public planning meeting prior to each 

 Environmental Review Commission (ERC) meeting in order to facilitate the development 

 of the agenda for the meetings and to receive input from interested persons regarding the 

 fiiture work of the EiiC. These meetings were open to any person who wished to 

 participate. The planning meetings were typically attended by representatives of State 

 agencies, the regulated community, environmental advocacy groups, and local 

 governments. Planning meetings were held on 9 December 2003, 1 3 January 2004, 1 

 February 2004, 12 March 2004, and 13 April 2004. 



Workim Groups 



The Commission Counsel holds meetings of interested parties on specific topics 

 upon request. The purpose of these meetings is to gather information and facilitate the 

 exchange of viewpoints on issues related to environmental and natural resources law and 

 policy that are, or may become, the subject of legislative proposals to be considered by the 

 ERC or the General Assembly. The working group meetings are open to any person who 

 wishes to participate. The meetings are typically attended by representatives of State 

 agencies, the regulated community, environmental advocacy groups, local governments, 

 and the Attorney General's office. A primary goal of these working groups is to identify 

 and resolve issues and, whenever possible, to develop compromise legislation on a 

 consensus basis. During the period October 2003 through May 2004, the Commission 

 Counsel conducted working groups on three issues: 1) Chronic rainfall conditions; 2) 

 Phase II Stormwater Management; and 3) the Leaking Petroleum Underground Storage 

 Tank Program. 



Chronic Rainfall 



As a result of heavy rainfall received in North Carolina during the period starting in 

 October 2002 and ending in September 2003, many animal facilities experienced lagoon 

 freeboard levels in violation of their permits. Under the direction of the Commission, a 

 working group was established to resolve issues related to Notices of Violation (NOV) and 

 Notices of Deficiency (NODs) due to inadequate lagoon freeboard levels related to chronic 

 rainfall conditions. The working group met on four occasions: 29 October 2003, 14 

 January 2004, 9 February 2004, and 15 March 2004. 



The working group was able to reach consensus on these issues. The Division of Water 

 Quality presented its final recommended guidance and revisions to their enforcement 

 policy to the Commission at its 25 March 2004 meeting. A final report summarizing the 

 activities and reconmiendations of the working group was also distributed to Commission 

 members at that time. The resolution of these issues will not require additional legislation. 



Phase n Stormwater Management 



In 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted rules extending 

 NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) stormwater permitting 



11 



