(a) Repealed by 2014-4, s. 5(a), effective July 31, 2015.

(a1) Members, Selection. – The North Carolina Mining Commission shall consist of eight members appointed as follows:

(1) One member who is the executive director of the North Carolina State University Minerals Research Laboratory, or the executive director’s designee, ex officio and nonvoting.

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(2) The State Geologist, ex officio and nonvoting.

(3) One member appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation in conformance with Section 5(8) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution, who is a representative of the mining industry.

(4) One member appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation in conformance with Section 5(8) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution, who is a representative of the mining industry.

(5) One member appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation in conformance with Section 5(8) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution, who is a representative of the mining industry.

(6) One member appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation in conformance with Section 5(8) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution, who is a representative of the mining industry.

(7) One member appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in conformance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 120-121, who is a representative of a nongovernmental conservation interest.

(8) One member appointed by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate in conformance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 120-121, who is a representative of a nongovernmental conservation interest.

(a2) Process for Appointments by the Governor. – The Governor shall transmit to the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives, within four weeks of the convening of the session of the General Assembly in the year for which the terms in question are to expire, the names of the persons to be appointed by the Governor and submitted to the General Assembly for confirmation by joint resolution. If an appointment is required pursuant to this subsection when the General Assembly is not in session, the member may be appointed and serve on an interim basis pending confirmation by the General Assembly. For the purpose of this subsection, the General Assembly is not in session only (i) prior to convening of the regular session, (ii) during any adjournment of the regular session for more than 10 days, or (iii) after sine die adjournment of the regular session.

(b) Terms. – The term of office of a member of the Commission is four years, beginning effective January 1 of the year of appointment and terminating on December 31 of the year of expiration. At the expiration of each member’s term, the appointing authority shall replace the member with a new member of like qualifications for a term of four years. In order to establish regularly overlapping terms, initial appointments shall be made effective June 1, 2016, or as soon as feasible thereafter, and expire as follows:

(1) The initial appointments made by the Governor:

a. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(3) of this section shall expire December 31, 2020.

b. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(4) of this section shall expire December 31, 2020.

c. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(5) of this section shall expire December 31, 2019.

d. Pursuant to subdivision (a1)(6) of this section shall expire December 31, 2019.

(2) The initial appointment made by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to subdivision (a1)(7) of this section shall expire December 31, 2018.

(3) The initial appointment made by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate pursuant to subdivision (a1)(8) of this section shall expire December 31, 2018.

(c) Vacancies. – In case of death, incapacity, resignation, or vacancy for any other reason in the office of any member appointed by the Governor, prior to the expiration of the member’s term of office, the name of the successor shall be submitted by the Governor within four weeks after the vacancy arises to the General Assembly for confirmation by the General Assembly. In case of death, incapacity, resignation, or vacancy for any other reason in the office of any member appointed by the General Assembly, vacancies in those appointments shall be filled in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 120-122 If a vacancy arises or exists when the General Assembly is not in session, and the appointment is deemed urgent by the Governor, the member may be appointed by the Governor and serve on an interim basis pending confirmation or appointment by the General Assembly, as applicable. An appointment to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired balance of the term.

(d) Removal. – The Governor may remove any member of the Commission from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in accordance with the provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143B-13, or for good cause.

(e) Compensation. – The members of the Commission shall receive per diem and necessary traveling and subsistence expenses in accordance with the provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 138-5

(f) Quorum. – A majority of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

(g) Staff. – All clerical and other services required by the Commission shall be supplied by the Secretary of Environmental Quality. The Commission staff shall be housed in the Department of Environmental Quality and supervised by the Secretary of Environmental Quality. (1973, c. 1262, s. 29; 1977, c. 771, s. 4; 1983, c. 279, s. 2; 1989, c. 727, s. 193; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 944, s. 1; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 1039, s. 16; 2006-79, ss. 3 and 4; repealed by 2012-143, s. (1)(a), effective August 1, 2012; reenacted by 2014-4, s. 5(a); 2015-241, s. 14.30(v); 2016-95, s. 6(a); 2021-180, s. 12.23(c).)