North Carolina Administrative Code
Title 15A - Environmental Quality
Chapter 01 - DEPARTMENTAL RULES
Subchapter C - CONFORMITY WITH NORTH CAROLINA ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT
Section .0400 - MINIMUM CRITERIA
Section 01C .0408 - MINOR CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES

Universal Citation: 15A NC Admin Code 01C .0408

Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 12, December 1, 2024

This Rule sets out the general and specific minimum criteria for construction activities. Construction and land disturbing activities that satisfy both the general minimum criteria and any specific minimum criteria applicable to the project do not require preparation of environmental documents.

(1) General criteria.

(a) In the 20 coastal counties, land disturbing activity that:
(i) is located more than 575 feet away from waters classified as High Quality Waters (HQW) or impacts less than five acres located all or in part within 575 feet of waters classified as High Quality Waters (HQW);

(ii) is located outside of any Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) watershed or area that requires specific management actions to protect ORW waters as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0225; and

(iii) impacts less than five acres located in any Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) watershed or in any area that requires specific management actions to protect ORW waters as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0225.

(b) Land disturbing activity outside the 20 coastal counties that:
(i) is located more than one mile from waters classified as HQW or impacts less than five acres located within one mile of and draining to waters classified as HQW;

(ii) is located outside of any Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) watershed or area that requires specific management actions to protect ORW waters as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0225;

(iii) impacts less than five acres located in any Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) watershed or in any area that requires specific management actions to protect ORW waters as defined in 15A NCAC 02B .0225; and

(iv) is located more than 25 feet from any waters classified as Trout (Tr) waters or impacts less than five acres located all or in part within 25 feet of any waters classified as Trout (Tr) waters.

(c) Channel disturbance and land disturbing activities associated with non-compensatory stream restoration or stream enhancement.

(d) Land disturbing activities impacting wetlands if the activity will result in the loss of one acre or less of Class WL wetlands.

(e) Land disturbing activities impacting streams if the activity will result in channel disturbance of less than 500 linear feet of perennial streams. Land disturbing activities that impact 500 linear feet or more of perennial streams do not require preparation of an environmental document if stream restoration or stream enhancement is performed.

(2) Specific Criteria.

(a) The following activities related to wastewater treatment systems.
(i) Relocation of discharge points within the same river basin;

(ii) New discharge facilities with a proposed permitted expansion of less than 500,000 gallons per day and producing an instream waste concentration of less than 33 percent during the 7-day 10-year low flow conditions;

(iii) Expansion of an existing discharge facility of less than 500,000 gallons per day additional flow;

(iv) New surface irrigation, high rate infiltration, or subsurface waste water systems with a proposed permitted capacity not exceeding 100,000 gallons per day;

(v) Reclaimed water utilization systems with reclaimed water utilization being the sole disposal option with a proposed permitted capacity not exceeding 200,000 gallons per day;

(vi) New reclaimed water utilization sites with a proposed permitted capacity not to exceed 500,000 gallons per day when the reclaimed water utilization system is required for compliance with any other wastewater disposal permit;

(vii) New reclaimed water utilization sites with a proposed permitted capacity not to exceed 1,000,000 gallons per day when the reclaimed water utilization system is not required for compliance with any other wastewater disposal permit;

(viii) New reclaimed water utilization distribution lines;

(ix) New permits or modification to existing permits for land application of residuals utilization, where less than 10 acres not previously permitted is prior converted within three years or will be converted from a non-plantation forested area to application area;

(x) New or expanding surface disposal sites disposing less than 3000 dry tons of residuals per year;

(xi) Gravity sewer extensions with less than three miles of new lines or lines of less than 18 inches in diameter; and

(xii) New or expanding individual pump stations and associated force mains with a proposed permitted capacity of less than 1750 gallons per minute.

(b) The following activities related to potable water systems.
(i) Improvements to water treatment plants that involve less than 1,000,000 gallons per day added capacity and total design withdrawal less than one-fifth of the 7-day, 10-year low flow of the contributing stream;

(ii) Improvements not intended to add capacity to the facility;

(iii) Installation of appurtenances in existing rights-of-way for streets or utilities, or water lines and appurtenances less than five miles in length and having only directional bore stream crossings or no stream crossings; and

(iv) Construction of water tanks, or booster pumping or secondary or remote disinfection stations.

(c) Groundwater withdrawals of less than 1,000,000 gallons per day where such withdrawals are not expected to cause alterations in established land use patterns, or degradation of groundwater or surface water quality.

(d) The following activities related to solid waste disposal:
(i) Construction of solid waste management facilities, other than landfills exempt pursuant to G.S. 130A-294(a)(4), which store, treat, process incinerate, or dispose of less than 350 tons per day (averaged over one year) of solid waste; and

(ii) Disposal of solid waste by land application on 100 total acres or less, where less than 10 percent of the total land application area is converted from a non-plantation forested area.

(e) Construction of a minor source or modification of a minor source of air emissions as defined in 15A NCAC 02D .0530, that are less than 100 tons per year or 250 tons per year as defined therein.

(f) Construction relating to the reclamation of underground storage tanks and restoration of groundwater quality.

(g) The construction, repair or removal of dams less than 25 feet in height and having less than 50 acre-feet of effective storage capacity.

(h) Any new construction for a building that involves all of the following;
(i) A footprint of less than 10,000 square feet;

(ii) A location that is not a National Register Archaeological site; and

(iii) The building's purpose is not for storage of hazardous waste.

(i) Demolition of or additions, rehabilitation or renovations to a structure not listed in the National Register of Historic places or less than 50 years of age.

(j) Routine grounds construction and landscaping of sidewalks, trails, walls, gates and related facilities, including outdoor exhibits.

(k) Installation of on-farm Best Management Practices that meet the standards of the North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Commission and the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service.

(l) Construction or remodeling of swimming pools.

(m) Construction of a new two-lane road in accordance with DOT accepted design practices and DOT standards and specifications involving less than a total of 25 cumulative acres of ground surface limited to a single project, and not contiguous to any other project making use of this provision.

(n) Expansion of a two-lane road in accordance with DOT accepted design practices and DOT standards and specifications involving less than a total of 10 cumulative acres of ground surface limited to a single project, and not contiguous to any other project making use of this provision.

Authority G.S. 113A-4; 113A-6; 113A-9; 113A-10; 113A-11; 113A-12; 143B-10;
Eff. April 1, 2003;
Readopted Eff. June 1, 2022.

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