N.C. Gen. Stat. » Chapter 150B
NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-19.3 (2026)

Limitation on certain environmental rules

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) An agency authorized to implement and enforce State and federal environmental laws may not adopt a rule for the protection of the environment or natural resources that imposes a more restrictive standard, limitation, or requirement than those imposed by federal law or rule, if a federal law or rule pertaining to the same subject matter has been adopted, unless adoption of the rule is required by one of the subdivisions of this subsection. A rule required by one of the following subdivisions of this subsection shall be subject to the provisions of G.S. 150B-21.3(b1) as if the rule received written objections from 10 or more persons under G.S. 150B-21.3(b2):

(1) A serious and unforeseen threat to the public health, safety, or welfare.

(2) An act of the General Assembly or United States Congress that expressly requires the agency to adopt rules.

(3) A change in federal or State budgetary policy.

(4) A federal regulation required by an act of the United States Congress to be adopted or administered by the State.

(5) A court order.

(b) For purposes of this section, "an agency authorized to implement and enforce State and federal environmental laws" means any of the following:

(1) The Department of Environmental Quality created pursuant to G.S. 143B-279.1.

(2) The Environmental Management Commission created pursuant to G.S. 143B-282.

(3) The Coastal Resources Commission established pursuant to G.S. 113A-104.

(4) The Marine Fisheries Commission created pursuant to G.S. 143B-289.51.

(5) The Wildlife Resources Commission created pursuant to G.S. 143-240.

(6) The Commission for Public Health created pursuant to G.S. 130A-29.

(7) The Sedimentation Control Commission created pursuant to G.S. 143B-298.

(8) The North Carolina Oil and Gas Commission created pursuant to G.S. 143B-293.1.

(9) The Pesticide Board created pursuant to G.S. 143-436. (2011-398, s. 2; 2012-143, s. 1(d); 2014-4, s. 4(c); 2014-120, s. 57; 2015-241, s. 14.30(u).)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 1 case (1 in the last 5 years), 2022–2022 · leading case: Small MS4 Coalition v. Dept. of Env't, 479 Md. 1 (Md. 2022).
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Small MS4 Coalition v. Dept. of Env't, 479 Md. 1 (Md. 2022). “” N.C. Gen. Stat. §150B-19.3(a) (2021). Similarly, Arizona law provides that its environmental agency is to “[a]dopt, by rule, a permit program for [waters of the United States] that is consistent with but not more stringent than the requirements 6 The legislative history of the…”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-19.3(a) — 1 case
Small MS4 Coalition v. Dept. of Env't, 479 Md. 1 (Md. 2022). “” N.C. Gen. Stat. §150B-19.3(a) (2021). Similarly, Arizona law provides that its environmental agency is to “[a]dopt, by rule, a permit program for [waters of the United States] that is consistent with but not more stringent than the requirements 6 The legislative history of the…”
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