GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1423

Short Title:  Environmental Justice Commission.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Fitch; and H. Hunter.
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Referred to:  Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.
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May 17, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE STUDY COMMISSION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The Environmental Justice Study Commission is created.  The Commission shall consist of 12 members:  six Senators appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and six Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Sec. 2.  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall designate one Senator as cochair and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate one Representative as cochair.
Sec. 3.  The Environmental Justice Study Commission shall study:
(1)	The advantages and disadvantages of adopting as a requirement that future applicants for solid waste, hazardous waste, low-level radioactive waste, and any other environmental permits to provide State agencies with socioeconomic and demographic data on the community affected by the permit;
(2)	The current criteria for siting solid waste, hazardous waste, and low-level radioactive waste management facilities; the identity of major emitters of air pollution and major dischargers of wastewater in low-income and minority communities;
(3)	The advisability of adopting policies to increase the participation of low-income and minority citizens in environmental decisions;
(4)	The advisability of adopting policies to ensure fairness in the siting of solid waste, hazardous waste, and low-level radioactive waste management facilities and in the permitting of major emitters and dischargers of pollution; and
(5)	Any other issues related to achieving environmental               justice that the Commission chooses to study.
Sec. 4. The Commission shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before the first day of the 1995 Session of the General Assembly by filing the report with the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  Upon filing its final report, the Commission shall terminate.
Sec. 5.  The Commission, while in the discharge of official duties, may exercise all the powers provided for under the provisions of G.S. 120-19, and G.S. 120-19.1 through G.S. 120-19.4.  The Commission may meet at any time upon the joint call of the cochairs.  The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building.
Sec. 6.  Members of the Commission shall receive subsistence and travel expenses at the rates set forth in G.S. 120-3.1.
Sec. 7.  The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Administrative Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist in the work of the Commission.  The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Supervisors of Clerks shall assign clerical staff to the Commission, upon the direction of the Legislative Services Commission.  The expenses relating to clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission.
Sec. 8.  When a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Commission, the vacancy shall be filled by the same appointing officer who made the initial appointment.
Sec. 9.  All State departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall furnish the Commission with any information in their possession or available to them.
Sec. 10.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the sum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year for the expenses of the Commission.
Sec. 11.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1993.