Commission Proceedings 



entire 1 00-year floodplain and adopt minimum standards for floodplain development. 

 The proposal would make a local government's eligibility for State infrastructure 

 assistance contingent upon the adoption of ordinances consistent with State standards. In 

 response to concerns about using existing floodplain maps, which are often out-of-date, 

 Ms. Smith said DENR was addressing that problem as a separate issue. She noted that 

 better maps may be used as they are developed. Questions were also raised about the 

 potential impact of the proposal on the availability of flood insurance. ERC staff was 

 then directed to work with DENR to draft legislation reflecting the proposal. 



Maintenance of septic tanks (continued from March 16, 2000) 



Linda C. Sewall, Director of the Division of Environmental Health in DENR, 

 reviewed recommendations previously presented to the ERC by the Commission for 

 Health Services (CHS) for the maintenance of septic tanks. She noted that a 

 recommendation to certify septic tank installers had aroused particular interest, and the 

 ERC had requested that the septic tank industry be consulted about this recommendation. 

 She said all stakeholders were in favor of certifying or licensing septic tank installers, but 

 not through programs administered by local Health Departments, as recommended by 

 CHS. She said the other options were to establish a certification program administered 

 by a State agency or a establish a licensing program administered by an independent 

 board. Doug Lassiter, Legislative Liaison for the North Carolina Septic Tank 

 Association, spoke in support of licensing by an independent board. ERC members 

 expressed interest in having legislative proposals drafted to reflect these options. 



Forestry issues related to water quality 



William E. Holman, Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, said the report 

 on improving compliance with Forest Practice Guidelines related to water quality had not 

 yet been completed to everyone's satisfaction, but that there was consensus on some 

 points. These included an acknowledgement of the importance of all types of forest lands 

 to water quality. He also noted that there was increasing interest in sustainable forestry, 

 and recommended that the ERC hear the results of a current study on the impact of chip 

 mills when that study is complete. 



In response to a comment that forestry officials often don't visit sites during 

 harvesting. Senator Kinnaird circulated a bill she introduced in the 1999 Regular Session 

 that would require timber harvesters to notify DENR 30 days prior to conducting a timber 

 harvest. Other members raised questions about the feasibility of the proposal and noted 

 that it would have to include a personal-use exemption to be workable. 



Brownfields 



Edmund P. Regan, Deputy Director of the North Carolina Associafion of County 

 Commissioners, and Kimberly L. Hibbard, Associate General Counsel for the Nordi 

 Carolma League of Municipalities, spoke in support of a legislative proposal to 

 encourage the redevelopment of brownfields by providing temporary property tax 

 abatements for improvements to brownfield sites. The ERC voted to recommend the 

 proposal to the General Assembly. 



IS 



