Regulations Affecting Water Quality, Agriculture, and the Environment: A Primer

These documents provide an overview of selected federal and North Carolina regulations affecting agriculture and the environment, with a focus on water quality. Each program, legislation, rule, or regulation:

 
• Contains a brief descriptive statement;
• Indicates the primary party or parties that might be affected; and
• Identifies contacts in state agencies that are responsible for implementation and enforcement.

In addition, North Carolina Cooperative Extension resources providing educational information about the issue and the legislation, rules and regulations that address that issue are listed (under construction).

 
• Surface Water Quality -- Regulations of sources of pollution of lakes, rivers, and other surface waters.
• Point Source Pollution -- A specific discharge that is traceable to a distinct source (pipe, ditch, container, etc.), such as those from wastewater treatment plants or industrial facilities. Point source discharges are not allowed in North Carolina without a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from the state.
• Non-Point Source Pollution -- Sources of water pollution not associated with a distinct discharge source; includes rainwater, erosion, runoff from roads, farms, and parking lots, and seepage from soil-based wastewater disposal systems.
• Wetlands Protection -- Wetlands provide important benefits, such as water quality protection, flood control, erosion protection, food production, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Increased awareness of the value of wetlands has resulted in a number of regulations and programs designed to protect wetlands and the benefits they provide.
• Drinking Water -- The quality of drinking water is a major public health concern. Drinking water quality can be degraded by a variety of sources, both natural and manmade. In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); subsequently amended in 1986. The SDWA provides the primary legislative authority for protecting public drinking water supplies. In North Carolina, the Division of Environmental Health has enforcement authority for state regulations adopted under provisions of the SDWA.
• Waste Management and Disposal (Except Animal) -- Improper disposal of many types of wastes can create a variety of environmental problems, including degradation, of surface water and groundwater. A variety of laws have been passed to encourage reductions in the quantity of wastes requiring disposal and to ensure that disposal of wastes is carried out so as to protect the environment and public health.
• Groundwater -- Water existing before the land surface, either flowing or percolating.
• Pesticide -- Includes insecticides, rodenticides, herbicides, fumigants, fungicides, and nematocides.
• Animal Waste -- Includes all commercial operations generating animal waste.
• Training and Certification Programs -- For operators and handlers of potentially polluting materials.
• Solid Waste -- Any solid, semi-solid, liquid, or contained gas generally handled as solid waste.
• Land-Use Planning -- Regulation of the uses of land.
• Endangered Species Protection -- Since the early 1900s, Congress has passed several laws designed to protect the nation's endangered species. The most comprehensive of these is the 1973 Endangered Species Act. North Carolina also has a State Endangered Species Act. In general, these laws make it illegal to buy, sell, possess, export, or import any species listed as endangered or threatened, or to do the same with any product make from such a species. It is also illegal to harass, harm, or kill a listed wildlife species without a permit.
• Acronyms -- A list of acronyms used in Regulations Affecting Water Quality, Agriculture, and the Environment.

Prepared by Theodore Feitshans, Extension Attorney, and Leon Danielson, Professor, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.

Contributing authors: Michele Marra, Associate Professor, North Carolina State University, and Vernon Cox, Soil and Water, EHNR

Regulations Affecting Water Quality, Agriculture, and the Environment: A Primer is not intended to be a legal document.

This document is part of Regulations Affecting Water Quality, Agriculture, and the Environment: A Primer. Direct questions or comments to Ted_Feitshans@ncsu.edu

NCCES is based at North Carolina’s two land-grant institutions: North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T; State University. Cooperative Extension Centers are located in all 100 counties and on the Cherokee Indian Reservation.

Server maintained and supported by Extension Technology Services, North Carolina State University.

Last modified: March 1997
Mark_Dearmon@ncsu.edu