North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 2 D · 1 R cosponsors

HB 873 — DEQ Agency Bill.

Last action — Reptd Fav Com Substitute

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

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced April 09, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

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

Prognosis

Advancing 36% · 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.

  • 3 sponsors

    0 primary, 3 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (2 D · 1 R) — cross-party backing.

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

323 added · 264 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to House Bill 873 clarify that charter schools in North Carolina must allow the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) access to their facilities for group meetings. This change ensures that the DEQ can effectively engage with local schools on environmental matters, fostering better communication and cooperation on important issues. Additionally, the bill revises the definitions around responsibility for inactive hazardous sites, which could strengthen accountability for managing environmental hazards. These updates are important for enhancing environmental oversight and improving community engagement in schools.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 2 HOUSE BILL 873 Committee Substitute Favorable 4/30/25 Short Title:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 873 Short Title:
Representative K.
Hall.
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
April 10, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MAKE VARIOUS CHANGES TO THE STATUTES GOVERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
Agriculture and Environment, if favorable, Finance, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House April 10, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MAKE VARIOUS CHANGES TO THE STATUTES GOVERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
"§ 115C-238.35A.
*H873-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 "§ 115C-238.35A.
*H873-v-2* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 A charter school shall adopt policies to allow the Department of Environmental Quality to have access to facilities that can facilitate group meetings on charter school property consistent with G.S.
A charter school shall adopt policies to allow the Department of Environmental Quality to have access to facilities that can facilitate group meetings on charter school property consistent with G.S.
7 CLARIFY REQUIREMENTS FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE RECYCLING SECTION 2.
9 CLARIFY INACTIVE HAZARDOUS SITES RESPONSIBLE PARTY SECTION 2.
G.S.
130A-310.7(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a) Notwithstanding any other provision or rule of law, and subject only to the defenses set forth in this subsection, any person who:
(1) Discharges or deposits;
or (2) Contracts or arranges for any discharge or deposit;
or (3) Accepts for discharge or deposit;
or (4) Transports or arranges for transport for the purpose of discharge or deposit any hazardous substance, the result of which discharge or deposit is the existence of an inactive hazardous substance or waste disposal site, shall be considered a responsible party.
Neither an innocent landowner who is a bona fide purchaser of the inactive hazardous substance or waste disposal site without knowledge or without a reasonable basis for knowing that hazardous substance or waste disposal had occurred nor a person whose interest or ownership in the inactive hazardous substance or waste disposal site is based on or derived from a security interest in the propertyshall be considered a responsible party.
A landowner who purchases (i) with knowledge that disposal of hazardous substances or waste occurred on the property or (ii) with a reasonable basis for knowing disposal of hazardous substances or waste occurred on the property shall be considered a responsible party if they conduct any activity that causes exposure to or migration of the existing contamination.
A responsible party shall be directly liable to the State for any or all of the reasonably necessary expenses of developing and implementing a remedial action program for such site.
The Secretary shall bring an action for reimbursement of the Inactive Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund in the name of the State in the superior court of the county in which the site is located to recover such sum and the cost of bringing the action.
The State must show that a danger to the public health or the environment existed and that the State complied with the provisions of this Part." CLARIFY REQUIREMENTS FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE RECYCLING SECTION 3.
130A-290 is subject to the requirements of this Article and rules adopted by the Commission applicable to commercial hazardous waste facilities." MODIFY PAYMENT OF BROWNFIELDS PROPERTY REUSE ACT FEES SECTION 3.(a) G.S.
130A-290 is subject to the requirements of this Article and rules adopted by the Commission applicable to commercial hazardous waste facilities." MODIFY PAYMENT OF BROWNFIELDS PROPERTY REUSE ACT FEES SECTION 4.(a) G.S.
"§ 130A-310.39.
Page 2 House Bill 873-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 "§ 130A-310.39.
Page 2 House Bill 873-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (3) Anyprospectivedeveloperor ownerof properties subject to a recorded Notice of Brownfields Property who is out of compliance with the requirements of this Part regarding the Notice shall pay a fee to the Department and the Department of Justice sufficient to cover the costs to the State to enforce or otherwise seek to correct the noncompliance.
(3) Anyprospectivedeveloperor ownerof properties subject to a recorded Notice of Brownfields Property who is out of compliance with the requirements of this Part regarding the Notice shall pay a fee to the Department and the Department of Justice sufficient to cover the costs to the State to enforce or otherwise seek to correct the noncompliance.
The Department may collect unpaid fees and interest in any manner that a unit of local government may collect delinquent taxes." SECTION 3.(b) G.S.
The Department may collect unpaid fees and interest in any manner that a unit of local government may collect delinquent taxes." SECTION 4.(b) G.S.
130A-310.35 is entitled to the partial exclusion provided by this section forthefirst fivetaxable yearsbeginningaftercompletion ofqualifyingimprovements made after the later of July 1, 2000, or the date of the upon which the Department of Environmental Quality provides written confirmation that the prospective developer of that land and the proposed improvements are eligible to receive a brownfields agreement.
130A-310.35 is entitled to the partial exclusion provided by this section forthefirst fivetaxable yearsbeginningaftercompletionofqualifyingimprovements made after the later of July 1, 2000, or the date of the upon which the Department of Environmental Quality provides written confirmation that the prospective developer of that land and the proposed improvements are eligible to receive a brownfields agreement.
After property has qualified for the exclusion provided by this section, the assessor for the county in which the property is located shall annually appraise the improvements made to the property during the period of time that the owner is entitled to the exclusion.
After property House Bill 873-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 has qualified for the exclusion provided by this section, the assessor for the county in which the property is located shall annually appraise the improvements made to the property during the period of time that the owner is entitled to the exclusion.
Year Percent of Appraised Value Excluded Year 1 90% Year 2 75% Year 3 50% Year 4 30% Year 5 10%." SECTION 3.(c) Subsection (a) of this section becomes effective January 1, 2026.
Year Percent of Appraised Value Excluded Year 1 90% Year 2 75% Year 3 50% Year 4 30% Year 5 10%." SECTION 4.(c) Subsection (a) of this section becomes effective January 1, 2026.
SOLID WASTE BENEFICIAL REUSE CLARIFICATION SECTION 4.(a) G.S.
SOLID WASTE BENEFICIAL REUSE CLARIFICATION SECTION 5.(a) G.S.
and House Bill 873-Second Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (2) Ash generated by a solid waste management facility from the burning of solid waste.
and (2) Ash generated by a solid waste management facility from the burning of solid waste.
(1) Seventy-five percent (75%), by weight or volume, of the recovered material stored at a facility at the beginning of a calendar year commencing January 1, shall be removed from the facility through sale, use, or reuse by December 31 of the same year.
(1) Seventy-five percent (75%), by weight or volume, of the recovered material stored at a facility at the beginning of a calendar year commencing January 1, Page 4 House Bill 873-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 shall be removed from the facility through sale, use, or reuse by December 31 of the same year.
Page 4 House Bill 873-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (2) An applicant for a determination under this subsection shall submit information on forms prescribed by the Department and any additional information required by the Department necessary for a determination under this subsection.
(2) An applicant for a determination under this subsection shall submit information on forms prescribed by the Department and any additional information required by the Department necessary for a determination under this subsection.
(5) The applicant for a determination under this subsection shall submit to the Department on an annual basis a report detailing the usage of material under the approval and certifying compliance with this Article and any applicable rules adopted under this Article.
House Bill 873-First Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (5) The applicant for a determination under this subsection shall submit to the Department on an annual basis a report detailing the usage of material under the approval and certifying compliance with this Article and any applicable rules adopted under this Article.
In determining the amount of the total application fee in rule, the Department shall have the authorityto establish separate fee amounts for annual fees for each year based on the length of time for which the approval will be valid as requested by the applicant." SECTION 4.(b) This section becomes effective January 1, 2026.
In determining the amount of the total application fee in rule, the Department shall have the authorityto establish separate fee amounts for annual fees for each year based on the length of time for which the approval will be valid as requested by the applicant." SECTION 5.(b) This section becomes effective January 1, 2026.
EXPAND ELIGIBILITY FOR TARGETED INTEREST RATES ON WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS SECTION 5.
EXPAND ELIGIBILITY FOR TARGETED INTEREST RATES ON WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS SECTION 6.
House Bill 873-Second Edition Page 5 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 a.
a.
A project that is awarded a loan from the CWSRF or the DWSRF and is in a category for which the Department or federal law encourages a special focus." 7 REVISE STEWARDSHIP LAWS SECTION 6.
A project that is awarded a loan from the CWSRF or the DWSRF and is in a category for which the Department or federal law encourages a special focus." REVISE STEWARDSHIP LAWS SECTION 7.
The Department and the Commission shall pursue the voluntary involvement of third-party groups to leverage resources and ensure that there is no additional cost to private mitigation bankers or the taxpayers in achieving these mitigation credits.
The Department and the Commission shall pursue the Page 6 House Bill 873-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 voluntary involvement of third-party groups to leverage resources and ensure that there is no additional cost to private mitigation bankers or the taxpayers in achieving these mitigation credits.
(f) The Department of Environmental Quality shall report to the Environmental Review Commission by March 1 of each year in which there are changes in inventory during the preceding year under the provisions of this section regarding the changes." EFFECTIVE DATE Page 6 House Bill 873-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 SECTION 7.
(f) The Department of Environmental Quality shall report to the Environmental Review Commission by March 1 of each year in which there are changes in inventory during the preceding year under the provisions of this section regarding the changes." IMPROVEMENT OF CONSERVATION AGREEMENT PROTECTIONS SECTION 8.(a) G.S.
14-130 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-130.
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Trespass on public lands.
If any person shall erect a building on any state-owned lands, or cultivate or remove timber from any such lands, without the permission of the State, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Moreover, the State can recover from any person cutting timber on its land three times the value of the timber which is cut.
For purposes of this section, "state-owned lands" includes lands subject to a conservation agreement where the holder of the agreement is the State or any State agency." SECTION 8.(b) G.S.
1-539.1 reads as rewritten:
"§1-539.1.
Damagesforunlawfulcutting,removalorburningoftimber;misrepresentation of property lines.
(a) Any person, firm or corporation not being the bona fide owner thereof or agent of the owner who shall who, without the consent and permission of the bona fide owner enter enters upon the land of another and injure, cut or remove injures, cuts, or removes any valuable wood, timber, shrub or tree therefrom, shall be from that land is liable to the owner of said the land for triple the value of such wood, timber, shrubs or trees so injured, cut or removed.
(b) If any person, firm or corporation shall willfully and intentionally set sets on fire, or cause causes to be set on fire, in anymanner whatever, any valuable wood, timber or trees on the lands of another, such person, firm or corporation shall be is liable to the owner of said the lands for triple the value of such wood, timber or trees damaged or destroyed thereby.
(c) Any person, firm or corporation cutting timber under contract and incurring damages as provided in subsection (a) of this section as a result of a misrepresentation of property lines House Bill 873-First Edition Page 7 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 by the party letting the contract shall be entitled to reimbursement from the party letting the contract for damages incurred.
(d) For purposes of this section, "owner" includes the holder, as defined in G.S.
121-35, of any conservation agreement which includes the right to cut or prohibit the cutting of timber." EFFECTIVE DATE SECTION 9.
House Bill 873-Second Edition Page 7
Page 8 House Bill 873-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Reptd Fav Com Substitute

  2. Re-ref Com On Finance

  3. Passed 1st Reading

  4. Ref to the Com on Agriculture and Environment, if favorable, Finance, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  5. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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0 sponsors · 3 co-sponsors · 176 not signed on

Sponsors (0)

None.

Co-sponsors (3)

Not signed on (176)

176 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 176 →

"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

public-safety environment education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 873?
HB 873 is sponsored by Pricey Harrison (Democratic), Maria Cervania (Democratic), and Kyle Hall (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 873?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced April 09, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 873?
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