North Carolina § 74-76 - Definitions.

§ 74-76. Definitions.

Wherever used or referred to in this Article, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context: "Commission" means the North Carolina Mining Commission created by G.S. 143B-290. "Department" means the Department of Environmental Quality. "Exploration activity" means (i) the breaking of the surface soil in order to locate a natural deposit of uranium and to determine its quality and quantity or (ii) any activity that is directly connected with the breaking of the surface soil and that is undertaken to facilitate or accomplish the location and analysis of a uranium deposit. Exploration activity does not include an insignificant breaking of the surface soil and extraction of samples by hand tools for exploration purposes. This Article shall in no way limit or restrict to applicability of the Mining Act of 1971 to any activity that satisfies the definition of mining in that act. "Land" includes submerged, tidal and estuarine lands. History (1983, c. 279, s. 1; 1989, c. 727, s. 218(15); 1997-443, s. 11A.119(a); 2012-143, s. 1(d); 2014-4, s. 5(c); 2015-241, s. 14.30(u).) Editor's Note. - Session Laws 2012-143, s. 1(d), effective August 1, 2012, provides, in part: "The Revisor of Statutes shall make the conforming statutory changes necessary to reflect the reconstitution of the North Carolina Mining Commission as the North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission as provided in subsection (b) of this section." Pursuant to that authority, in subdivision (1), "North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission" has been substituted for "Mining Commission," and "G.S. 143B-293.1" has been substituted for "G.S. 143B-290." Session Laws 2014-4, s. 5(c), provides: "The Revisor of Statutes shall make the conforming statutory changes necessary to the General Statutes to reflect renaming of the Mining and Energy Commission to the Mining Commission, effective August 1, 2015, as provided in this section." Pursuant to this authority, "North Carolina Mining Commission created by G.S. 143B-290 " was substituted for "North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission created by G.S. 143B-293.1 " in subdivision (1). Session Laws 2014-4, s. 31(a), is a severability clause. Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2015-241, s. 14.30(u), effective July 1, 2015, substituted "Department of Environmental Quality" for "Department of Environment and Natural Resources" in subdivision (2).