North Carolina § 143-214 - 3. Revision to water quality standard.

§ 143-214. 3. Revision to water quality standard.

Any person subject to the provisions of G.S. 143-215.1 may petition the Commission for a hearing pursuant to G.S. 143-215.4 for a revision to water quality standards adopted pursuant to G.S. 143-214.1 as such water quality standards may apply to a specific stream segment into which the petitioner discharges or proposes to discharge. Upon a finding by the Commission that: Natural background conditions in the stream segment preclude the attainment of the applicable water quality standards; or Irretrievable and uncontrollable man-induced conditions preclude the attainment of the applicable water quality standards; or Application of effluent limitations for existing sources established or proposed pursuant to G.S. 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 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. History (1979, c. 929; 1987, c. 827, s. 154.) Management of Water Quality in the Jordan Watershed. - For provisions pertaining to water quality rule-making for the Jordan Watershed pursuant to Session Laws 2009-216, ss. 1 and 3-8, as amended by Session Laws 2009-484, ss. 6(b), (c), 7, and 8, see the note at G.S. 143-214.7 . Jordan Lake Riparian Buffer Rules. - For provisions pertaining to the Jordan Lake Riparian Buffer Rules, see note for Session Laws 2013-395, s. 2(a), (b), under G.S. 143-214.20 . Delay Jordan Lake Rules and Jordan Lake Session Laws. - For provisions pertaining to Delay Jordan Lake Rules and Jordan Lake Session Laws, see editor's note to Session Laws 2013-395, s. 1(a), (b) under G.S. 143-214.7 and G.S. 143-215.1 . Legal Periodicals. - For survey of 1979 administrative law, see 58 N.C.L. Rev. 1185 (1980). For article, "The Evolution of Modern North Carolina Environmental and Conservation Policy Legislation," see 29 Campbell L. Rev. 535 (2007).