GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	2 

SENATE BILL 193
Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources Committee Substitute Adopted 4/28/97

Short Title:  Fund On-Site Wastewater Systems Study.   	(Public)

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Sponsors:

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February 19, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA TO EVALUATE THE USE OF ON-SITE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN THE STATE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year to be allocated to the Agricultural Research Service in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University to be used to evaluate the functioning of on-site wastewater management systems in various watersheds and river basins of the State.  This study:
(1)	Shall determine which watersheds or river basins are most susceptible to environmental degradation from existing conventional septic and other types of on-site wastewater management systems in order to target future placement of enhanced on-site wastewater management technologies and strategies.  In conducting the study, the Agricultural Research Service should identify one or more benchmark watersheds or subbasins for in-depth characterization of the impact of on-site wastewater management systems.
(2)	Shall consider the best available data, including findings from previous studies, to analyze the functioning and impact on the environment, including groundwater and surface water, of various on-site wastewater management systems.
(3)	May examine the need for operator training and for public education to improve the effectiveness of on-site wastewater management systems.
Section 2.  The Agricultural Research Service shall ensure that the confidentiality of any information supplied by, or collected about, any individual who voluntarily participates in the study authorized by Section 1 of this act is preserved.
Section 3.  The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall report its findings and recommendations concerning the study authorized by Section 1 of this act to the Environmental Review Commission on or before 1 January 2000.  The Environmental Review Commission shall evaluate this report and make its findings and recommendations, if any, to the 2000 Regular Session of the 1999 General Assembly.
Section 4.  This act becomes effective 1 July 1997.