North Carolina legislation · 2025-2026 Session
North Carolina S597: Environmental Justice.
Status: In committee, March 26, 2025
What the bill says
An act to require consideration of the cumulative impact of a proposed environmental permitting decision on minority or low-income communities and to provide enhanced public participation opportunities for permitting decisions impacting overburdened communities.
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REQUIRE CONSIDERATION OF THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF A PROPOSED ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING DECISION ON MINORITY OR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND TO PROVIDE ENHANCED PUBLIC PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERMITTING DECISIONS IMPACTING OVERBURDENED COMMUNITIES. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 74-51 reads as rewritten: "§ 74-51. Permits - Application, granting, conditions. (a) Any operator desiring to engage in mining shall make written application to the Department for a permit. The application shall be upon a form furnished by the Department and shall fully state the information called for; in addition, the applicant may be required to furnish any other information as may be deemed necessary by the Department in order adequately to enforce this Article. The application shall be accompanied by a reclamation plan that meets the requirements of G.S. 74-53. No permit shall be issued until a reclamation plan has been approved by the Department. The application shall be accompanied by a signed agreement, in a form specified by the Department, that in the event a bond forfeiture is ordered pursuant to G.S. 74-59, the Department and its representatives and contractors shall have the right to make whatever entries on the land and to take whatever actions may be necessary in order to carry out reclamation that the operator has failed …
Sponsors
- Murdock, Natalie S. (D, 20) · primary sponsor
- Meyer, Graig (D, 23) · primary sponsor
- Mayfield, Julie (D, 49)
- Salvador, DeAndrea (D, 39)
- Smith, Kandie D. (D, 5)
- Waddell, Joyce (D, 40)
Latest actions
- : Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- : Passed 1st Reading
- : Filed
Subjects: MINORITIES, MANUFACTURING, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMN., INDUSTRIAL LOCATION, PLANNING & ZONING, COMMERCE, PUBLIC, COMMISSIONS
Common questions
- What is S597?
- S597 is a bill in the North Carolina Legislature (2025-2026 Session): Environmental Justice.
- What does S597 do?
- In its own words: An act to require consideration of the cumulative impact of a proposed environmental permitting decision on minority or low-income communities and to provide enhanced public participation opportunities for permitting decisions impacting overburdened communities.
- What is the status of S597?
- In committee as of March 26, 2025. Latest action: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (March 26, 2025).
- Who sponsored S597?
- Murdock, Natalie S. (D, 20), with 5 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for S597?
- On the North Carolina Legislature website: https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S597
Source: official North Carolina record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.