North Carolina General Statutes 143-214.3. Revision to water quality standard
(a) Any person subject to the provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-215.1 may petition the Commission for a hearing pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-215.4 for a revision to water quality standards adopted pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-214.1 as such water quality standards may apply to a specific stream segment into which the petitioner discharges or proposes to discharge.
(b) Upon a finding by the Commission that:
(1) Natural background conditions in the stream segment preclude the attainment of the applicable water quality standards; or
(2) Irretrievable and uncontrollable man-induced conditions preclude the attainment of the applicable water quality standards; or
(3) Application of effluent limitations for existing sources established or proposed pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-215.1 more restrictive than those effluent standards and limitations determined or promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to section 301 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in order to achieve and maintain applicable water quality standards would result in adverse social and economic impact, disproportionate to the benefits to the public health, safety or welfare as a result of maintaining the standards; and
(4) There exists no reasonable relationship between the cost to the petitioner of achieving the effluent limitations necessary to comply with applicable water quality standards to the benefits, including the incremental benefits to the receiving waters, to be obtained from the application of the said effluent limitations;
Then the Commission shall revise the standard or standards, as such standard may apply to the petitioner, provided that such revised standards shall be no less stringent than that which can be achieved by the application of the highest level of treatment which will result in benefits, including the incremental benefits to the receiving waters, having a reasonable relationship to the cost to the petitioner to apply such treatment, as determined by the evidence; provided, however, in no event shall these standards be less stringent than the level attainable with the application by the petitioner of those effluent standards and limitations determined or promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to section 301 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act; provided, further, that no revision shall be granted which would endanger human health or safety. (1979, c. 929; 1987, c. 827, s. 154.)
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 143-214.3
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- standards: means such measure or measures of the quality of water and air as are established by the Commission pursuant to N. See North Carolina General Statutes 143-213
- United States: shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- water pollution: means the man-made or man-induced alteration of the chemical, physical, biological, or radiological integrity of the waters of the State, including, but specifically not limited to, alterations resulting from the concentration or increase of natural pollutants caused by man-related activities. See North Carolina General Statutes 143-213