RES-2004-018 Resolution Regarding Orange County's 2004 Legislative Agenda

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20 North Carolina Coalition for Privatization of Wastewater Evaluations P.O. Bog 2522 Wilmington, NC 28402 910-452-0001 The North Carolina Coalition for Privatization of Wastewater Evaluations (NCCPWE) represents the diverse companies, organizations, and persons in NC that believe that the role of the licensed soil scientist in evaluating land for development in NC can be expanded so as to protect public health. Specifically, the North Carolina Coalition for Privatization of Wastewater Evaluations is seeking the following legislative initiatives out of the 2003 and 2004 General Assembly: 1) Allow for a licensed soil scientist and certified site evaluator to submit soil and site suitability information to the local health department as part of a completed wastewater permit application package. The local health department would be able to issue a wastewater permit based upon this packet of information with little or no field review. The proposed legislation would create a system by which the health department could spot check these proposals prepared by the private sector, but the local health department would not have to perform a duplicate evaluation and may issue wastewater permits with no evaluation. A time trigger would be utilized to create a deadline by which the health department would have to issue a permit or notify the licensed soil scientist and certified site evaluator of any deficiencies in their proposal. 2) Create a certification program for those persons using soils information to propose a wastewater system. The "certified site evaluator" would be allowed to collect site information necessary to complete a wastewater system proposal. A certified site evaluator would not be allowed to perform acts of soil science unless the site evaluator is also a licensed soil scientist in accordance with G.S. 89F. An engineer or other professional that wanted to be involved in small wastewater system proposals would be welcome to become certified through this program. The advantage of certification is that a certified site evaluator could submit a proposal for a wastewater system to a local health department and the local health department could issue a permit with minimal or no review based upon the certified site evaluator's work and introduce a method by which site evaluators can be held accountable for their decisions. 3) Require that all lands that are subject to local subdivision approval that do not have access to a public sewer system must be evaluated by a licensed soil scientist prior to recordation with the county register of deeds. Involving the soil scientist at the beginning of a proposed development will assist the developer in making the most out of the proposed development within the parameters of the soils available and will assist the local health department by filtering out unsuitable properties from being proposed for development prior to the permit application stage. In order to assist in these goals, the NCCPWE needs your help. NCCPWE needs you to perform the following actions: 1) Contact your Senator or Representative and support these initiatives. 2) Be available to testify before the House or Senate in order to discuss how these initiatives will improve the wastewater permitting process in NC without compromising public health. 3) Write a check to NCCPWE in order to help pay for attorney's fees and legislative consultants*. * The purpose of the financial account for NCCPWE is to collect funds to pay fees associated with promoting this legislation. Records of contributions will be kept. In the event that the funds collected exceed the legal fees incurred, the excess monies will be refunded pro-rata. No administrative costs will be incurred, except for the cost of checks and deposit slips and. other office supplies necessary to deposit funds and pay bills.