(a) The Department of Environmental Quality shall develop an express review program to provide express permit and certification reviews in all of its regional offices. Participation in the express review program is voluntary, and the program is to become supported by the fees determined pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The Department of Environmental Quality shall determine the project applications to review under the express review program from those who request to participate in the program. The express review program may be applied to any one or all of the permits, approvals, or certifications in the following programs: the erosion and sedimentation control program, the coastal management program, and the water quality programs, including water quality certifications and stormwater management. The express review program shall focus on the following permits or certifications:

(1) Stormwater permits under Part 1 of Article 21 of Chapter 143 of the N.C. Gen. Stat..

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(2) Stream origination certifications under Article 21 of Chapter 143 of the N.C. Gen. Stat..

(3) Water quality certification under Article 21 of Chapter 143 of the N.C. Gen. Stat..

(4) Erosion and sedimentation control permits under Article 4 of Chapter 113A of the N.C. Gen. Stat..

(5) Permits under the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA), Part 4 of Article 7 of Chapter 113A of the N.C. Gen. Stat..

(b) The Department of Environmental Quality may determine the fees for express application review under the express review program. Notwithstanding N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-215.3D, the maximum permit application fee to be charged under subsection (a) of this section for the express review of a project application requiring all of the permits under subdivisions (1) through (5) of subsection (a) of this section shall not exceed five thousand five hundred dollars ($5,500). Notwithstanding N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-215.3D, the maximum permit application fee to be charged for the express review of a project application requiring all of the permits under subdivisions (1) through (4) of subsection (a) of this section shall not exceed four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500). Notwithstanding N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-215.3D, the maximum permit application fee charged for the express review of a project application for any other combination of permits under subdivisions (1) through (5) of subsection (a) of this section shall not exceed four thousand dollars ($4,000). Express review of a project application involving additional permits or certifications issued by the Department of Environmental Quality other than those under subdivisions (1) through (5) of subsection (a) of this section may be allowed by the Department, and, notwithstanding N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-215.3D or any other statute or rule that sets a permit fee, the maximum permit application fee charged for the express review of a project application shall not exceed four thousand dollars ($4,000), plus one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the fee that would otherwise apply by statute or rule for that particular permit or certification. Additional fees, not to exceed fifty percent (50%) of the original permit application fee under this section, may be charged for subsequent reviews due to the insufficiency of the permit applications. The Department of Environmental Quality may establish the procedure by which the amount of the fees under this subsection is determined, and the fees and procedures are not rules under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-2(8a) for the express review program under this section.

(c) Repealed by Session Laws 2008-198, s. 10.2, effective August 8, 2008. (2005-276, s. 12.2(a); 2008-198, s. 10.2; 2015-241, s. 14.30(u).)