Bill > H738

This bill restores wetlands protections in North Carolina by repealing two previous legislative sections (Section 54 of S.L. 2014-120 and Section 4.18 of S.L. 2015-286) and modifying the state's legal definitions of wetlands and waters. The bill introduces a specific definition for "isolated wetlands," which includes wetlands confirmed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before June 22, 2020, and certain basin wetlands or bogs identified in a 2010 state wetland assessment manual. It explicitly excludes man-made ditches or stormwater management ponds from this definition. The bill also expands the definition of "waters" to explicitly include wetlands and provides a comprehensive definition of "wetland" that encompasses areas saturated by surface or groundwater that support vegetation adapted to wet soil conditions. The definition limits wetlands classified as state waters to federal waters of the United States and isolated wetlands, while excluding prior converted cropland. The act becomes effective immediately upon becoming law, representing a significant revision of North Carolina's environmental protection statutes related to wetlands.

Government Affairs

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H738