Rules Review
N.C. Gen. Stat. §150B-21.3A, adopted in 2013, requires state agencies to review existing rules every 10 years. The Department of Environmental Quality's rules are located by subchapters in Title 15A of the NC Administrative Code. The Department's rules will be reviewed on a schedule established by the Rules Review Commission. As rules become available for public comment, links will be available below.
The Department is required to evaluate each of the existing rules and make an initial determination from one of these two classifications:
- Necessary – Means any rule other than an unnecessary rule.
- Unnecessary – Means a rule that the agency determines to be obsolete, redundant, or otherwise not needed.
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the Environmental Management Commission is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules. Public comment means written comments objecting to the rule, in whole or in part, or objecting to the initial determination of the rule as necessary or unnecessary.
The comment period begins January 24, 2025, and ends on April 1, 2025.
Please specify which rule citation (ex: 15A NCAC 02L .0101) your comment corresponds to.
The following links can be used to view the Environmental Management Commission's initial determinations for each Subchapter:
- Subchapter 02L - Initial Determinations
- Subchapter 02N - Initial Determinations
- Subchapter 02O- Initial Determinations
- Subchapter 02P - Initial Determinations
To view the Environmental Management Commission's existing Subchapter of Rules, click below:
- Subchapter 02L Rules - Groundwater Classifications and Standards
- Subchapter 02N Rules - Criteria and Standards Applicable to Underground Storage Tanks
- Subchapter 02O Rules - Financial Responsibility Requirements for Owners and Operators of Underground Storage Tanks
- Subchapter 02P Rules - Commercial Leaking Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund
To submit electronic comments, email here: publiccomments@deq.nc.gov
Or mail written comments to:
Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Waste Management
Underground Storage Tank Section
1646 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1646
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the Environmental Management Commission is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules. Public comment means written comments objecting to the rule, in whole or in part, or objecting to the initial determination of the rule as necessary or unnecessary.
The comment period begins January 24, 2025, and ends on April 1, 2025.
Please specify which rule citation (ex: 15A NCAC 02I .0101) your comment corresponds to.
To view the Environmental Management Commission's initial determinations for each rule, click here. To view the Environmental Management Commission's existing rules, click here.
To submit electronic comments, email jennifer.everett@deq.nc.gov.
Or mail written comments to:
Depart. of Environmental Quality
Office of General Counsel
Attn: Jennifer Everett
1601 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1601
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the Environmental Management Commission is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules. Public comment means written comPursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the Environmental Management Commission is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules. Public comment means written comments objecting to the rule, in whole or in part, or objecting to the initial determination of the rule as necessary or unnecessary.
The comment period begins January 24, 2025, and ends on April 1, 2025.
Please specify which rule citation (ex: 15A NCAC 02G .0501) your comment corresponds to.
To view the Environmental Management Commission's initial determinations for each rule, click here. To view the Environmental Management Commission's existing rules, click here.
To submit electronic comments, email publiccomments@deq.nc.gov.
Or mail written comments to:
Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources
Water Planning Section
1611 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1611
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the Environmental Management Commission is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules. Public comment means written comments objecting to the rule, in whole or in part, or objecting to the initial determination of the rule as necessary or unnecessary.
The comment period begins September 27, 2024, and ends on November 26, 2024.
Please specify which rule citation (ex: 15A NCAC 02R .0102) your comment corresponds to.
To view the Environmental Management Commission's initial determinations for each rule, click here. To view the Environmental Management Commission's existing rules, click here.
To submit electronic comments, email here: publiccomments@deq.nc.gov subject line: "DMS public comment"
Or mail written comments to:
Depart. of Environmental Quality
Division of Mitigation Services
1652 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1652
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the Environmental Management Commission is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules. Public comment means written comments objecting to the rule, in whole or in part, or objecting to the initial determination of the rule as necessary or unnecessary.
The comment period begins July 12, 2024, and ends on Sept. 20, 2024.
Please specify which rule citation (ex: 15A NCAC 02K .0101) your comment corresponds to.
To view the Environmental Management Commission's initial determinations for each rule, click here. To view the Environmental Management Commission's existing rules, click here.
To submit electronic comments, email here: dwm.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov
Or mail written comments to:
Depart. of Environmental Quality
Division of Waste Management
Dry Cleaning Solvent Cleanup Act Program
1646 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1646
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the Water Treatment Facility Operators Certification Board is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules. Public comment means written comments objecting to the rule, in whole or in part, or objecting to the initial determination of the rule as necessary or unnecessary.
Please specify which rule citation (ex: 15A NCAC 18D .0103) your comment corresponds to.
The comment period begins July 29 and ends October 4, 2024.
To view the Water Treatment Facility Operators Certification Board’s initial determinations for each rule, click here. To view the Board’s existing rules, click here.
To submit electronic comments, email here: jay.frick@deq.nc.gov
Or mail written comments to:
Jay Frick
Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources
Public Water Supply Section
1634 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1634
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification Commission is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules. Public comment means written comments objecting to the rule, in whole or in part, or objecting to the initial determination of the rule as necessary or unnecessary.
Please specify which rule citation (ex: 15A NCAC 08F .0101) your comment corresponds to.
The comment period begins August 16 and ends October 22, 2024.
To view the Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification Commission’s initial determinations for each rule, click here. To view the Commission’s existing rules, click here.
To submit electronic comments, email here: jay.frick@deq.nc.gov
Or mail written comments to:
Jay Frick
Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources
Public Water Supply Section
1634 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1634
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the Coastal Resources Commission is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules. Public comment means written comments objecting to the rule, in whole or in part, or objecting to the initial determination of the rule as necessary or unnecessary.
The comment period begins September 10, 2024, and ends on November 9, 2024.
Please specify which rule citation (ex: 15A NCAC 07B .0100) your comment corresponds to.
To view the Coastal Resources Commission's initial determinations for each rule, click here. To view the Coastal Resources Commission's existing rules, click here.
To submit electronic comments, email here: Tancred.Miller@deq.nc.gov
Or mail written comments to:
Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Coastal Management
400 Commerce Avenue
Morehead City, NC 28557
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the NC Commission for Public Health is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules. Public comment means written comments objecting to the rule, in whole or in part, or objecting to the initial determination of the rule as necessary or unnecessary.
Please specify which rule citation (ex: 15A NCAC 18C .0102) your comment corresponds to.
The comment period begins November 8, 2024, and ends January 17, 2025.
To view the Commission’s initial determinations for each rule, click here. To view the Commission’s existing rules, click here.
To submit electronic comments, email to: jay.frick@deq.nc.gov
Or mail written comments to:
Jay Frick
Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources
Public Water Supply Section
1634 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1634
If you would like to receive notification of DEQ's Periodic Review and Expiration of Existing Rules, you may subscribe to our DEQ Rules mailing list: