Commission Staff Activities 



COMMISSION STAFF ACTIVITIES 



Planning Meetings 



The Commission Counsel held an informal 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 

 future work of the ERC. 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 21 October 1999, 8 November 1999, 6 

 December 1999, 10 January 2000, 7 February 2000, 6 March 2000, 29 March 2000, and 

 18 April 2000. 



Working Groups 



The Commission Counsel holds meetmgs of interested parties on specific topics 

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

 exchange of viewpoints on issues related to envirormiental 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 April 1999 through May 2000, the 

 Commission Counsel conducted working groups on two matters: proposed 

 "environmental excellence" legislation and issues related to the Leaking Petroleum 

 Underground Storage Tank Program. 



Environmental Excellence Agreements 



Prior to the public bill introduction deadline of the 1999 Regular Session, 

 representatives of the North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry and other groups 

 representing the regulated community asked various members of the General Assembly 

 to introduce bills in both houses entitled "A Bill to Establish a Voluntary Program 

 Regarding Environmental Excellence Program Agreements." Although substantive 

 legislation was not introduced. Senate Bill 1 133 and House Bill 1201 were introduced as 

 blank bills, and the Commission Counsel was asked to convene a working group to 

 discuss the proposal developed by the industry groups. 



Meetings of the working group were held on 15 April 1999, 23 April 1999, 3 May 

 1999, 19 May 1999, 17 May 1999, 24 May, 1999, 1 June 1999, 7 June 1999, 14 June 

 1999, 21 June 1999, 21 June 1999, 28 June 1999, 16 July 1999 (telephone conference 

 call), 20 July 1999, 10 November 1999, 7 February 2000, 6 March 2000, 14 March 2000, 

 14 March 2000, 14 March 2000, 29 March 2000, 7 April 2000, 1 May 2000, and 5 May 

 2000 (subcommittee meeting). 



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