North Carolina General Statutes
Article 21B - Air Pollution Control.
§ 143-215.112 - Local air pollution control programs.

143-215.112. Local air pollution control programs.
(a) The Commission is authorized and directed to review and have general oversight and supervision over all local air pollution control programs and to this end shall review and certify such programs as being adequate to meet the requirements of this Article and Article 21 of this Chapter and any applicable standards and rules adopted pursuant thereto. The Commission shall certify any local program which:
(1) Provides by ordinance or local law for requirements compatible with those imposed by the provisions of this Article and Article 21 of this Chapter, and the standards and rules issued pursuant thereto; provided, however, the Commission upon request of a municipality or other local unit may grant special permission for the governing body of such unit to adopt a particular class of air contaminant regulations which would result in more effective air pollution control than applicable standards or rules promulgated by the Commission;
(2) Provides for the adequate enforcement of such requirements by appropriate administrative and judicial process;
(3) Provides for an adequate administrative organization, staff, financial and other resources necessary to effectively and efficiently carry out its programs; and
(4) Is approved by the Commission as adequate to meet the requirements of this Article and any applicable rules pursuant thereto.
(b) No municipality, county, local board or commission or group of municipalities and counties may establish and administer an air pollution control program unless such program meets the requirements of this section and is so certified by the Commission.
(c) (1) The governing body of any county, municipality, or group of counties and municipalities within a designated area of the State, as defined in this Article and Article 21, subject to the approval of the Commission, is hereby authorized to establish, administer, and enforce a local air pollution control program for the county, municipality, or designated area of the State which includes but is not limited to:
a. Development of a comprehensive plan for the control and abatement of new and existing sources of air pollution;
b. Air quality monitoring to determine existing air quality and to define problem areas, as well as to provide background data to show the effectiveness of a pollution abatement program;
c. An emissions inventory to identify specific sources of air contamination and the contaminants emitted, together with the quantity of material discharged into the outdoor atmosphere;
d. Adoption, after notice and public hearing, of air quality and emission control standards, or adoption by reference, without public hearing, of any applicable rules and standards duly adopted by the Commission; and administration of such rules and standards in accordance with provisions of this section.
e. Provisions for the establishment or approval of time schedules for the control or abatement of existing sources of air pollution and for the review of plans and specifications and issuance of approval documents covering the construction and operation of pollution abatement facilities at existing or new sources;
f. Provision for adequate administrative staff, including an air pollution control officer and technical personnel, and provision for laboratory and other necessary facilities.
(2) Subject to the approval of the Commission as provided in this Article and Article 21, the governing body of any county or municipality may establish, administer, and enforce an air pollution control program by any of the following methods:
a. Establishing a program under the administration of the duly elected governing body of the county or municipality.
b. Appointing an air pollution control board consisting of not less than five nor more than seven members who shall serve for terms of six years each and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Two members shall be appointed for two-year terms, two shall be appointed for four-year terms, and the remaining member or members shall be appointed for six-year terms. Where the term "governing body" is referred to in this section, it shall include the air pollution control board. Such board shall have all the powers and authorities granted to any local air pollution control program. The board shall elect a chairman and shall meet at least quarterly or upon the call of the chairman or any two members of the board.
c. Appointing an air pollution control board as provided in this subdivision, and by appropriate written agreement designating the local health department or other department of county or municipal government as the administrative agent for the air pollution control board.
d. Designating, by appropriate written agreement, the local board of health and the local health department as the air pollution control board and agency.
(2a) Any board or body which approves permits or enforcement orders shall have at least a majority of members who represent the public interest and do not derive any significant portion of their income from persons subject to permits or enforcement orders under the Clean Air Act and any potential conflicts of interest by members of such board or body or the head of an executive agency with similar powers shall be adequately disclosed.
(3) If the Commission finds that the location, character or extent of particular concentrations of population, air contaminant sources, the geographic, topographic or meteorological considerations, or any combinations thereof, are such as to make impracticable the maintenance of appropriate levels of air quality without an area-wide air pollution control program, the Commission may determine the boundaries within which such program is necessary and require such area-wide program as the only acceptable alternative to direct State administration. Subject to the provisions of this section, each governing body of a county or municipality is hereby authorized and empowered to establish by contract, joint resolution, or other agreement with any other governing body of a county or municipality, upon approval by the Commission, an air pollution control region containing any part or all of the geographical area within the jurisdiction of those boards or governing bodies which are parties to such agreement, provided the counties involved in the region are contiguous or lie in a continuous boundary and comprise the total area contained in any region designated by the Commission for an area-wide program. The participating parties are authorized to appoint a regional air pollution control board which shall consist of at least five members who shall serve for terms of six years and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Two members shall be appointed for two-year terms, two shall be appointed for four-year terms and the remaining member or members shall be appointed for six-year terms. A participant's representation on the board shall be in relation to its population to the total population of the region based on the latest official United States census with each participant in the region having at least one representative; provided, that where the region is comprised of less than five counties, each participant will be entitled to appoint members in relation to its population to that of the region so as to provide a board of at least five members. Where the term "governing body" is used, it shall include the governing board of a region. The regional board is hereby authorized to exercise any and all of the powers provided in this section. The regional air pollution control board shall elect a chairman and shall meet at least quarterly or upon the call of the chairman or any two members of the board. In lieu of employing its own staff, the regional air pollution control board is authorized, through appropriate written agreement, to designate a local health department as its administrative agent.
(4) Each governing body is authorized to adopt any ordinances, resolutions, rules or regulations which are necessary to establish and maintain an air pollution control program and to prescribe and enforce air quality and emission control standards, a copy of which must be filed with the Commission and with the clerk of court of any county affected. Provisions may be made therein for the registration of air contaminant sources; for the requirement of a permit to do or carry out specified activities relating to the control of air pollution, including procedures for application, issuance, denial and revocation; for notification of violators or potential violators about requirements or conditions for compliance; for procedures to grant temporary permits or variances from requirements or standards; for the declaration of an emergency when it is found that a generalized condition of air pollution is causing imminent danger to the health or safety of the public and the issuance of an order to the responsible person or persons to reduce or discontinue immediately the emission of air contaminants; for notice and hearing procedures for persons aggrieved by any action or order of any authorized agent; for the establishment of an advisory council and for other administrative arrangements; and for other matters necessary to establish and maintain an air pollution control program.
(5) No permit required by section 305(e) of Title III (42 U.S.C. 7429(e)) for a solid waste incineration unit combusting municipal waste shall be issued by a local air pollution control program that is administered by the governing body of a unit of local government that is responsible, in whole or in part, for the design, construction, or operation of the unit.
(6) No local air pollution control program may limit or otherwise regulate any combustion heater, appliance, or fireplace in private dwellings. For purposes of this subdivision, "combustion heater, appliance, or fireplace" means any heater, appliance, or fireplace that burns combustion fuels, including, but not limited to, natural or liquefied petroleum gas, fuel oil, kerosene, wood, or coal, for heating, cooking, drying, or decorative purposes.
(d) (1) Violation of any ordinances, resolutions, rules or regulations duly adopted by a governing body are punishable as provided in G.S. 143-215.114B.
(1a) Each governing body, or its authorized agent, shall have the power to assess civil penalties under G.S. 143-215.114A. Any person assessed shall be notified of the assessment by registered or certified mail, and the notice shall specify the reasons for the assessment. If the person assessed fails to pay the amount of the assessment to the governing body or its authorized agent within 30 days after receipt of notice, or such longer period not to exceed 180 days as the governing body or its authorized agent may specify, the governing body may institute a civil action in the superior court of the county in which the violation occurred, to recover the amount of the assessment. If any action or failure to act for which a penalty may be assessed under this section is continuous, the governing body or its authorized agent may assess a penalty not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per day for so long as the violation continues. In determining the amount of the penalty, the governing body or its authorized agent shall consider the degree and extent of harm caused by the violation, the cost of rectifying the damage, and the amount of money the violator saved by not having made the necessary expenditures to comply with the appropriate pollution control requirements.
(2) Each governing body, or its duly authorized agent, may institute a civil action in the superior court, brought in the name of the agency having jurisdiction, for injunctive relief to restrain any violation or immediately threatened violation of such ordinances, orders, rules, or regulations and for such other relief as the court shall deem proper. Neither the institution of the action nor any of the proceedings thereon shall relieve any party to such proceedings from the penalty prescribed by this Article and Article 21 for any violation of same.
(d1) (1) The governing body responsible for each local air pollution control program shall require that the owner or operator of all air contaminant sources subject to the requirement to obtain a permit under Title V pay an annual fee, or the equivalent over some other period, sufficient to cover costs as provided in section 502(b)(3)(A) of Title V (42 U.S.C. 7661a(b)(3)(A)) and G.S. 143-215.3(a)(1d). Fees collected pursuant to this subdivision shall be used solely to cover all reasonable direct and indirect costs required to develop and administer the Title V permit program.
(2) Each governing body is authorized to expend tax funds, nontax funds, or any other funds available to it to finance an air pollution control program and such expenditures are hereby declared to be for a public purpose and a necessary expense.
(d2) (1) Any final administrative decision rendered in an air pollution control program of such governing body shall be subject to judicial review as provided by Article 4 of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes, and "administrative agency" or "agency" as used therein shall mean and include for this purpose the governing body of any county or municipality, regional air pollution control governing board, and any agency created by them in connection with an air pollution control program.
(2) A local air pollution control program shall inform a permit applicant as to whether or not the application is complete within the time specified in the rules for action on the application. If a local air pollution program fails to act on an application for a permit required by Title V or this Article within the time periods specified by the Commission under G.S 143-215.108(d)(2), the failure to act on the application constitutes a final agency decision to deny the permit. A permit applicant, permittee, or other person aggrieved, as defined in G.S. 150B-2, may seek judicial review of a failure to act on the application as provided in G.S. 143-215.5 and Article 4 of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 150B-51, upon review of a failure to act on an application for a permit required by Title V or this Article, a court may either: (i) affirm the denial of the permit or (ii) remand the application to the local air pollution control program for action upon the application within a specified time.
(e) (1) If the Commission has reason to believe that a local air pollution control program certified and in force pursuant to the provisions of this section is inadequate to abate or control air pollution in the jurisdiction to which such program relates, or that such program is being administered in a manner inconsistent with the requirement of this Article, the Commission shall, upon due notice, conduct a hearing on the matter.
(2) If, after such hearing, the Commission determines that an existing local air pollution control program or one which has been certified by the Commission is inadequate to abate or control air pollution in the municipality, county, or municipalities or counties to which such program relates, or that such program is not accomplishing the purposes of this Article, it shall set forth in its findings the corrective measures necessary for continued certification and shall specify a reasonable period of time, not to exceed one year, in which such measures must be taken if certification is not to be rescinded.
(3) If the municipality, county, local board or commission or municipalities or counties fail to take such necessary corrective action within the time specified, the Commission shall rescind any certification as may have been issued for such program and shall administer within such municipality, county, or municipalities or counties all of the regulatory provisions of this Article and Article 21. Such air pollution control program shall supersede all municipal, county or local laws, regulations, ordinances and requirements in the affected jurisdiction.
(4) If the Commission finds that the control of a particular class of air contaminant source because of its complexity or magnitude is beyond the reasonable capability of the local air pollution control authorities or may be more efficiently and economically performed at the State level, it may assume and retain jurisdiction over that class of air contaminant source. Classification pursuant to this subdivision may be either on the basis of the nature of the sources involved or on the basis of their relationship to the size of the communities in which they are located.
(5) Any municipality or county in which the Commission administers its air pollution control program pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection may, with the approval of the Commission, establish or resume a municipal, county, or local air pollution control program which meets the requirements for certification by the Commission.
(6) Repealed by Session Laws 1993, c. 400, s. 10.
(7) Any municipality, county, local board or commission or municipalities or counties or designated area of this State for which a local air pollution control program is established or proposed for establishment may make application for, receive, administer and expend federal grant funds for the control of air pollution or the development and administration of programs related to air pollution control; provided that any such application is first submitted to and approved by the Commission. The Commission shall approve any such application if it is consistent with this Article, Article 21 and other applicable requirements of law.
(8) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if the Commission determines that an air pollution source or combination of sources is operating in violation of the provisions of this Article and that the appropriate local authorities have not acted to abate such violation, the Commission, upon written notice to the appropriate local governing body, may act on behalf of the State to require any person causing or contributing to the pollution to cease immediately the emission of air pollutants causing or contributing to the violation or may require such other action as it shall deem necessary. (1973, c. 821, s. 6; c. 1262, s. 23; c. 1331, s. 3; 1979, c. 545, s. 7; 1987, c. 748, s. 1; c. 827, ss. 1, 154, 210; 1989, c. 135, s. 7; 1993, c. 400, s. 10; 1997-496, s. 6; 2010-180, s. 6; 2014-120, s. 24(f).)