North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee 2 R cosponsors

SB 665 — Upland Basin Permitting Reform.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 18% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (2 R).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

18 added · 19 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the most recent version of Senate Bill 665, specific wording has been updated to clarify the process regarding requests for supplemental information related to water quality permits. The bill now emphasizes the criteria for upland basins that are eligible for these permits, particularly in relation to human consumption and environmental impact. These changes are important because they help ensure that the permitting process is more transparent and focused on protecting water quality, which is vital for both public health and environmental integrity.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA Mar 25, 2025 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 665 Short Title:
665 SESSION 2025 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS15260-TQ-17 Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REFORM PERMITTING RELATED TO UPLAND BASINS.
Rules and Operations of the Senate March 26, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REFORM PERMITTING RELATED TO UPLAND BASINS.
Upland basins shall be considered a water dependent use for purposes of general use standards adopted by the Coastal Resources Commission.
Upland basins shall be considered a water dependent use for purposes of general use standards adopted bythe Coastal Resources Commission.
(a) Unless the Director of the Division of Water Resources makes a finding, based on site-specific technical information, that the applicant cannot substantially comply with one or *DRS15260-TQ-17* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 more of the criteria listed in subsection (b) of this section, the Division of Water Resources and the Division of Coastal Management shall approve an application for the development of an upland basin project, within 60 days after the applicant submits a completed application or supplemental information requested by the Department to demonstrate substantial compliance with all of the criteria set forth in subsection (b) of this section.
(a) Unless the Director of the Division of Water Resources makes a finding, based on site-specific technical information, that the applicant cannot substantially comply with one or *S665-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 more of the criteria listed in subsection (b) of this section, the Division of Water Resources and the Division of Coastal Management shall approve an application for the development of an upland basin project, within 60 days after the applicant submits a completed application or supplemental information requested by the Department to demonstrate substantial compliance with all of the criteria set forth in subsection (b) of this section.
The Department may make one writtenrequestforany supplementalinformationnecessaryto makeits findingwithin 30days after the applicant submits a complete application, and the permit may be conditioned upon measures that are materially necessary to ensure that the applicant complies with all the criteria set forth in subsection (b)ofthis section.
The Department may make one writtenrequestforanysupplementalinformationnecessarytomakeits findingwithin 30days after the applicant submits a complete application, and the permit may be conditioned upon measures that are materially necessary to ensure that the applicant complies with all the criteria set forth in subsection (b)ofthis section.When theDepartment requests supplementalinformation,the60-day review period restarts upon receipt of the supplemental information requested by the Department.
When theDepartment requests supplementalinformation,the60-day review period restarts upon receipt of the supplemental information requested by the Department.
(b) The criteria with which an upland basin shall comply to qualify for permitting pursuant to subsection (a) of this section are all of the following:
(b) The criteria with which an upland basin shall complyto qualify for permittingpursuant to subsection (a) of this section are all of the following:
Page 2 DRS15260-TQ-17 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 a.
Page 2 Senate Bill 665-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 a.
Anuplandbasinmaybesitedwithinanareawhere shellfishharvesting forhuman consumptionis asignificant existing useor adjacent to such areas.
Anuplandbasinmaybesitedwithinanareawhere shellfishharvesting forhuman consumptionis asignificant existinguseor adjacent to such areas.
Substantial compliance with subdivisions (1) through (10) of this subsection shall create a presumption that the project has avoided significantadverseimpactstotheproductivityandbiologicintegrityofcoastal wetlands, non-coastal wetlands, shellfish beds, submerged aquatic vegetation, water quality, spawning areas, and primary nursery areas and to have complied with State water quality antidegradation requirements.
Substantial compliance with subdivisions (1) through (10) of this subsection shall create a presumption that the project has avoided significant adverseimpactstotheproductivityandbiologicintegrityofcoastal wetlands, non-coastal wetlands, shellfish beds, submerged aquatic vegetation, water quality, spawning areas, and primary nursery areas and to have complied with State water quality antidegradation requirements.
(c) Once an upland basin developed and approved in accordance with this Part becomes operational and continues to operate for at least 24 months, if the Director of the Division of Water Resources determines that additional information is needed to assure long term compliance with applicable water quality standards, the Division of Water Resources shall notify the then-owner of that basin project to provide information materially necessary to address the concerns raised by the Director.
(c) Once an upland basin developed and approved in accordance with this Part becomes operational and continues to operate for at least 24 months, if the Director of the Division of Water Resources determines that additional information is needed to assure long term compliance with applicable water qualitystandards, the Division of Water Resources shall notify the then-owner of that basin project to provide information materially necessary to address the concerns raised by the Director.
(g) In the absence of site-specific technical concerns provided to the applicant by the Director of the Division of Water Resources based on information provided during the permit DRS15260-TQ-17 Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 review process, an upland basin project that satisfies the criteria provided in subsection (b) of this section shall be deemed to satisfy all of the following:
(g) In the absence of site-specific technical concerns provided to the applicant by the Director of the Division of Water Resources based on information provided during the permit Senate Bill 665-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 review process, an upland basin project that satisfies the criteria provided in subsection (b) of this section shall be deemed to satisfy all of the following:
If data collected as part of the requirements of this Part, or otherwise, indicate material noncompliance with applicable water quality standards in the waters within the upland basin or adjacent waters within the vicinity of each entrance to the upland basin, the Department may require the owner of the upland basin development at the time of the noncompliance to bring the waters within the upland basin and adjacent waters into compliance with applicable water quality standards, in light of the overall goals and policies set forth in this Part to promote the construction and use of upland basins.
If data collected as part of the requirements of this Part, or otherwise, indicate material noncompliance with applicable water qualitystandards in the waters within the upland basin or adjacent waters within the vicinity of each entrance to the upland basin, the Department may require the owner of the upland basin development at the time of the noncompliance to bring the waters within the upland basin and adjacent waters into compliance with applicable water quality standards, in light of the overall goals and policies set forth in this Part to promote the construction and use of upland basins.
Page 4 DRS15260-TQ-17
Page 4 Senate Bill 665-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 177 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (177)

177 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

environment transportation
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 665?
SB 665 is sponsored by Norman W. Sanderson (Republican) and Bobby Hanig (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 665?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 665?
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