§ 143B-293.2.  North Carolina Oil and Gas Commission - members; selection; removal; compensation; quorum; services.

(a) Repealed by Session Laws 2014-4, s. 4(a), effective July 31, 2015.

(a1) Members Selection. - The North Carolina Oil and Gas Commission shall consist of nine members appointed as follows:

(1) One appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation in conformance with Section 5(8) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution, who, at the time of initial appointment, is an elected official of a municipal government located in a region of North Carolina that has oil and gas potential. A person serving in this seat may complete a term on the Commission even if the person is no longer serving as an elected official of a municipal government but may not be reappointed to a subsequent term.

(2) One appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in conformance with G.S. 120-121, who shall be a geologist with experience in oil and gas exploration and development.

(3) One appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in conformance with G.S. 120-121, who is a member of a nongovernmental conservation interest.

(4) One appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation in conformance with Section 5(8) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution, who, at the time of initial appointment, is a member of a county board of commissioners of a county located in a region of North Carolina that has oil and gas potential. A person serving in this seat may complete a term on the Commission even if the person is no longer serving as county commissioner but may not be reappointed to a subsequent term.

(5) One appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate in conformance with G.S. 120-121, who is a member of a nongovernmental conservation interest.

(6) One appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate in conformance with G.S. 120-121, who shall be an engineer with experience in oil and gas exploration and development.

(7) One appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation in conformance with Section 5(8) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution, who shall be a representative of a publicly traded natural gas company.

(8) One appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation in conformance with Section 5(8) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution, who shall be a licensed attorney with experience in legal matters associated with oil and gas exploration and development.

(9) One appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation in conformance with Section 5(8) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution, with experience in matters related to public health.

(a2) Process for Appointments by the Governor. - The Governor shall transmit to the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives, within four weeks of the convening of the session of the General Assembly in the year for which the terms in question are to expire, the names of the persons to be appointed by the Governor and submitted to the General Assembly for confirmation by joint resolution. If an appointment is required pursuant to this subsection when the General Assembly is not in session, the member may be appointed and serve on an interim basis pending confirmation by the General Assembly. For the purpose of this subsection, the General Assembly is not in session only (i) prior to convening of the regular session, (ii) during any adjournment of the regular session for more than 10 days, or (iii) after sine die adjournment of the regular session.

(b) Terms. - The term of office of members of the Commission is four years, beginning effective January 1 of the year of appointment and terminating on December 31 of the year of expiration. A member may be reappointed to no more than two consecutive four-year terms. The term of a member who no longer meets the qualifications of their respective appointment, as set forth in subsection (a1) of this section, shall terminate but the member may continue to serve until a new member who meets the qualifications is appointed. In order to establish regularly overlapping terms, initial appointments shall be made effective June 1, 2016, or as soon as feasible thereafter, and expire as follows:

(1) The initial appointments made by the Governor:

a. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(1) of this section shall expire December 31, 2020.

b. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(4) of this section shall expire December 31, 2020.

c. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(7) of this section shall expire December 31, 2020.

d. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(8) of this section shall expire December 31, 2019.

e. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(9) of this section shall expire December 31, 2019.

(2) The initial appointments made by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

a. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(2) of this section shall expire December 31, 2018.

b. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(3) of this section shall expire December 31, 2019.

(3) The initial appointments made by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate:

a. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(5) of this section shall expire December 31, 2018.

b. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(6) of this section shall expire December 31, 2019.

(c) Vacancies. - In case of death, incapacity, resignation, or vacancy for any other reason in the office of any member appointed by the Governor, prior to the expiration of the member's term of office, the name of the successor shall be submitted by the Governor within four weeks after the vacancy arises to the General Assembly for confirmation by the General Assembly. In case of death, incapacity, resignation, or vacancy for any other reason in the office of any member appointed by the General Assembly, vacancies in those appointments shall be filled in conformance with G.S. 120-122. If a vacancy arises or exists when the General Assembly is not in session and the appointment is deemed urgent by the Governor, the member may be appointed by the Governor and serve on an interim basis pending confirmation or appointment by the General Assembly, as applicable. An appointment to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired balance of the term.

(c1) Removal. - The Governor shall have the power to remove any member of the Commission from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 143B-13 of the Executive Organization Act of 1973, or for good cause.

(d) Compensation. - The members of the Commission shall receive per diem and necessary traveling and subsistence expenses in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 138-5.

(e) Quorum. - A majority of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

(f) Staff. - All staff support required by the Commission shall be supplied by the Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources and the North Carolina Geological Survey, and supervised by the Secretary of Environmental Quality.

(g) Committees. - In addition to the Committee on Civil Penalty Remissions required to be established under G.S. 143B-293.6, the chair may establish other committees from members of the Commission to address specific issues as appropriate. No member of a committee may hear or vote on any matter in which the member has an economic interest. A majority of a committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

(h) Office May Be Held Concurrently With Others. - Membership on the Oil and Gas Commission is hereby declared to be an office that may be held concurrently with other elective or appointive offices in addition to the maximum number of offices permitted to be held by one person under G.S. 128-1.1. (1973, c. 1262, s. 30; 1997-496, s. 8; 2006-79, ss. 3, 4; 2012-143, s. 1(b); 2012-187, s. 1.1; 2013-365, s. 3(a); 2014-4, s. 4(a); 2016-95, s. 7(a); 2017-212, s. 4.8(a).)