Commission Proceedings 



Air quality 



Gene Cella, Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles in the 

 Department of Transportation, reported on progress in ensuring that the State's inspection 

 and maintenance program is effectively administered. Mr. Cella reported that the federal 

 Environmental Protection Agency had sent a letter stating that appropriate actions had 

 been taken to correct problems with the program. 



William E. Holman, Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, reported on 

 DENR's recommendation for fees and technology for the enhanced emissions inspection 

 and maintenance program set out in SL 1999-328, Sec. 3.10. The recommendations 

 included an increase of less that $5 for both the existing program and the enhanced 

 program and an amendment to allow the use of an on-board diagnostic (OBD) test rather 

 than the acceleration simulation mode (ASM) test specified in the 1999 legislation. Mr. 

 Holman noted that DENR was still in negotiations with service station representatives 

 about the fee, and they would come back to the ERC with additional information on these 

 recommendations. It was noted that SL 1999-328 stated that the enhanced emissions 

 inspection program would simset if the General Assembly did not take action in the 2000 

 Regular Session to adjust the emissions inspection fee. 



Janet DTgnazio, Chief Planning and Environmental Officer for the Department of 

 Transportation, discussed the issue of conformity of transportation plans with air quality 

 standards and presented two legislative proposals. The first was to provide for the 

 establishment of voluntary rural planning organizations (RPOs), through which counties 

 could engage in joint transportation planning, and the second was to remove federal 

 congestion mitigation and air quality improvement (CMAQ) funds from the State's 

 regional distribution formula. The ERC voted to recommend both proposals to the 

 General Assembly. 



Parks and conservation 



Rick A. Zechini, Assistant Commission Counsel, provided background information on 

 the issue of whether the portion of the Cullasaja River that borders the Nantahala 

 National Forest should be designated part of the State's natural and scenic river system. 

 Philip K. McKnelly, Director of the Division of Parks and Recreation, stated his agency's 

 support for the designation. Allen L. Trott, Mayor of the Town of Highlands, and 

 Richard Betts, Highland Town Administrator, spoke of their concern that the designation 

 may impede their ability to obtain a permit to expand the town's wastewater treatment 

 facility. DENR representatives said their interpretation of an Attorney General's opinion 

 on the issue was that the designation would impose no additional requirements that would 

 affect the town's ability to get a permit for the expansion of the facility. Margaret R. 

 Jones, President of Save Our Rivers, Inc., and the North Carolina Watershed Council, 

 spoke about the natural and scenic values that led her organizations to advocate for the 

 natural and scenic designation. Daniel F. McLawhom, General Counsel for DENR, said 

 DENR would be comfortable adding a section to the legislation that clarifies that the 

 designation would impose no new water quality requirements. The representatives from 

 the Town of Highlands agreed to this proposal, and the ERC voted to recommend the 

 legislation, with the additional language, to the General Assembly. 



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