GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

H                                                                                                                                                   D

HOUSE BILL DRH40686-MWz-24A

Short Title:      Airport Prop. Purchase/NCEPA Waiver.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Representatives Torbett, Iler, Presnell, and Shepard (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to require the department of transportation to waive the North Carolina Environmental Policy Act (NCEPA) ENVIRONMENTAL documentation requirements for acquisitions of property for future airport development, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE house Select Committee on Strategic Transportation Planning and Long Term Funding Solutions.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the Department of Transportation shall not require environmental documentation under the North Carolina Environmental Policy Act from any airport meeting all of the following requirements:

(1)        The airport is acquiring 40 acres or less of property for future airport development.

(2)        The airport is located in a county with a population of greater than 900,000 people, according to the most recent decennial federal census.

(3)        The airport has a total annual enplanement of over 20,000,000 passengers, according to the most recent data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration.

SECTION 2.  The Department may adopt temporary rules to implement the provisions of this act. Any temporary rules adopted in accordance with this section shall remain in effect until permanent rules that replace the temporary rules become effective.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and expires July 1, 2020.