A bill recently proposed in the North Carolina Senate could further erode protections for North Carolina streams, wetlands, lakes and riparian buffers.
Sound Rivers officials said the bill proposes any 401-permit application that has received a Nationwide Permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would be automatically approved if the application isn’t processed by the state DEQ within five days.
Sound Rivers Executive Director Heather Deck said an underfunded and understaffed DEQ combined with unrealistic timelines will gut state review, and essentially hand over decisions on impacts to North Carolina wetlands and waterways to the federal Corps of Engineers.
Deck said that would have impacts on future flooding, stream health, likely fisheries habitat and more. She added that the Corps is not required to look at the impacts to water quality, so the state review is critical.
