Recommendations 



Extend billboard moratorium 



This proposal would extend by one year the moratorium on constructing and permitting 

 new billboards along the portion of Interstate Highway 40 from the Orange-Alamance 

 County line to the municipal limits of the City of Wilmington. The moratorium would 

 remain in place until July 1, 2001. The proposal would become effective July 1, 2000. 



Private Counsel/ Atty. Fees/ State Emp. 



This proposal would provide that the State would, upon request, provide private counsel 

 for a State employee who is alleged in a civil action to be personally liable for damages 

 from actions taken in the course of the employee's duties to enforce environmental laws. 

 The proposal would also require the court to award attorney's fees to a State employee 

 who prevails in a lawsuit related to actions taken in the course of the employee's duties to 

 enforce environmental laws. The proposal would become effective when it becomes law, 

 and would apply to actions and special proceedings commenced on or after that date. 



Air Quality 



I/M Technology and Fee Amends 



This proposal would modify the testing technology and fees required under the State's 

 automobile emissions inspection program. In the nine counties where emissions 

 inspections are currently required, 1996 and later-model cars would be required to have 

 their emissions analyzed using on-board diagnostic systems (OBD); current emissions 

 testing requirements would remain in effect for vehicles manufactured prior to 1996. In 

 counties where emissions testmg will be phased in between 2003 and 2006, only the 

 OBD tests would be required. The charge for a combined safety and emissions test 

 would rise from the current price of $19.40 to $23.75 on July 1, 2000 and to $25.90 on • 

 July 1, 2002, when the OBD testing requirement is initiated. Except for the provisions 

 that would be phased in as noted above, the proposal would become effective when it 

 becomes law. 



DOT Establish Rural Planning Organizations 



This proposal would authorize the Department of Transportation to work with local 

 elected officials and representatives of local transportation systems to establish "Rural 

 Planning Organizations." These organizations would: 



• Work cooperatively with DOT to develop long range transportation plans. 



• Provide a forum for public participation in rural transportation plaiming. 



• Suggest regional priorities for the State's Transportation Improvement Plan. 



• Provide information to local governments and the public. 

 The proposal would become effective July 1 , 2000. 



Exclude CMAQ Funds from Formula 



This proposal would exclude federal congestion mitigation and air quality (CMAQ) funds 

 from the regional equity distribution formula for funds expended on the intrastate system 

 and the transportation improvement program. The State received approximately $18 

 million in CMAQ funds in the 1999-2000 fiscal year. The proposal would become 

 effective July 1,2000. 



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