Summary

North Carolina’s Erosion and Sedimentation Control (E&SC) program is designed to allow development by minimizing erosion at construction sites and preventing off-site pollution from sedimentation. The Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee directed the Program Evaluation Division (PED) to examine the effectiveness and efficiency of the E&SC program and determine whether duplication exists between it and the federal National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. PED found that the E&SC program fulfills requirements of the NPDES program and thus no duplication exists; additionally, it is not advantageous to merge oversight of the programs. PED also found that the E&SC program is not self-supporting; program fees cover less than 50% of expenditures and state appropriations help support program operations. Further, PED found that insufficient information management practices challenge continuous improvement. Based on these findings, the General Assembly should modify state law to outline reporting requirements for delegated programs and increase fees; direct the development of rules for inspections and amendment of Memorandums of Agreement with delegated local programs; and direct the Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources to improve its information management practices.

Final Report

Executive Summary

Mandatory Evaluation Components

Recommendations

Presentation

Handout