GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
S	2
SENATE BILL 1047
Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources Committee Substitute Adopted 4/26/01

Short Title:	Restore Mountain Air Quality.	()	
Sponsors:	     	
Referred to:	     	
April 5, 2001

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO RESTORE AIR QUALITY IN THE MOUNTAIN REGION OF THE STATE. 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The following definitions apply throughout this act:
(1)	"Commission" means the Environmental Management Commission.
(2)	"Department" means the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
(3)	"Haze" means the presence of air contaminants from natural and man‑made sources in the atmosphere that reduce or impair visibility or the visual air quality of the State.  Haze‑causing pollutants include, but are not limited to, fine particles directly emitted to the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels and other carbon sources and particles formed when gases emitted to the atmosphere form particles such as sulfates or nitrates.
(4)	"Mountain region" means the counties that contain or that are located west of the Blue Ridge scarp.
SECTION 2.  The General Assembly finds that visibility existing in North Carolina prior to 1980 was approximately 65 miles under average visibility conditions during the period May through October.  The General Assembly further finds that visibility has become progressively more impaired since 1980 due to the increasing levels of haze caused by air contaminants emitted by man‑made sources and this impairment has been particularly severe in the mountain region of the State.  In order to restore the visibility once enjoyed in the mountain region of the State, on or before July 1, 2002, the Commission shall establish a Haze Reduction Plan to reduce haze caused by air contamination in the mountain region of the State to the levels of haze caused by air contaminants emitted by man‑made sources existing prior to 1980. The Plan shall identify and quantify, to the extent practicable with existing information, the air contaminants caused by man‑made sources impacting the mountain region of the State.  The Plan shall also identify all sources of air contaminants that significantly impact the mountain region of the State, including sources located outside of the State.  The Commission shall specifically consider the implementation of the particulate matter standards established by 15A NCAC 2D .0410 (PM2.5 Particulate Matter) during the development of the Plan.  The Commission may phase‑in implementation of the Plan over a period not to exceed 20 years, with priority to be given to implementation of the Plan in the Class I areas of the mountain region of the State.
SECTION 3.  The Commission shall report the findings and recommendations of the Haze Reduction Plan to the Environmental Review Commission no later than October 1, 2002. The report shall specifically identify man-made air contaminant sources that significantly contribute to the current levels of haze that are not subject to the regulatory authority of the Commission.
SECTION 4.  Beginning October 1, 2001, the Department shall report annually to the Environmental Review Commission on the programs, activities, and status of any multistate air quality body in which the Department participates.
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.