Environment (Environmental Justice)

HB 850 imposes a moratorium on approving new or expanded surface water transfers exceeding 15 million gallons per day between river basins until March 1, 2027. This directly affects water utilities, developers, or entities seeking large-scale water transfers that would move significant volumes between river systems. The bill requires the UNC Collaboratory to study and recommend updates to the current approval process, focusing on environmental equity, climate impacts on water flows, economic fairness for affected communities, and incentives for drought-resilient infrastructure. The study must address how transfers impact downstream users, river ecosystems, and potential financial burdens on lower-income areas or alternative infrastructure costs.

HB 77 requires North Carolina state agencies to evaluate the cumulative environmental impact of proposed permits on minority and low-income communities before approving them. It directly affects developers seeking permits for mining, solid waste facilities, hazardous waste sites, and other projects, as well as the communities near these sites. Key provisions mandate that agencies deny permits if proposed actions would disproportionately harm these communities when considering existing pollution sources in the area, and require detailed impact analyses in all relevant reports and plans. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to pending permit applications on that date.

SB 597 requires North Carolina state agencies to evaluate the cumulative environmental impact of proposed permits on minority and low-income communities before granting approvals. This applies to mining, waste facilities, hazardous waste sites, and other projects requiring state permits, directly affecting permit applicants and state agencies like the Department of Environmental Quality. The bill mandates that agencies deny permits if they find the proposed project would have a disproportionate adverse impact on these communities, considering existing environmental burdens in the area. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, for all pending permit applications.

HB 684 establishes North Carolina's first formal environmental justice framework to address disproportionate health and environmental risks faced by BIPOC, low-income, and marginalized communities. The bill defines key terms like "communities of color" (40%+ nonwhite residents or 10% higher than county/state) and "disproportionate impact" to guide state agencies. It requires all state agencies to identify and reduce environmental health disparities by considering environmental justice in decision-making, ensuring equitable distribution of benefits like clean air, green spaces, and renewable energy. The law aims to create consistent standards for addressing pollution burdens and health inequities across North Carolina.