RALEIGH -- Republican lawmakers unveiled environmental reform legislation that would prevent agencies from creating new regulatory rules more stringent than federal law. The bill would also double the time an environmental permit granted by the state is valid to 10 years.

The legislation would require agencies to provide an inventory of existing rules that are tougher than federal rules by October 1. Those policies would then be scrutinized by a legislative panel.  The inventory and review provision is included in the recent $19.7 billion state budget, which has yet to be signed by Gov. Bev Perdue.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown, R-Onslow worried current state environmental rules and enforcement are strangling development.  “Everybody that I’ve talked to has told me that it’s just so much tougher today than it was 10 years ago – five years ago,” he said.  “I think we’ve just got to get back to customer service.”

Opponents said the bill would prevent agencies – particularly the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – from updating rules when needed. Likewise, critics argued that bill supporters were mischaracterizing the DENR permitting process.

“Very few permits ever get denied for projects that are proposed along our coast,” said North Carolina Coastal Federation executive director Todd Miller. “The state has worked very hard to be more a development consultant rather than a regulator over the years.”

In addition, the measure would prevent agencies from creating new environmental regulatory rules that are more stringent than federal law. That idea was also included in the recent $19.7 billion state budget, which has yet to be signed by Gov. Bev Perdue.  However, the reform bill would require agencies to provide an inventory of existing rules that are tougher than federal rules by October 1. Those policies would then be scrutinized by a legislative panel.

Miller said federal rules haven’t done an adequate job of protecting other states’ coastal resources. “If we inspire to be like some of these other more urbanized states, in terms of fisheries that have health advisories – you can’t eat the fish you catch even if you’re lucky enough to catch them,” he said. “That’s not a future that we seek here along our coast.”

Brown, whose district includes several coastal communities surrounding Camp Lejeune, downplayed concerns that the proposed regulatory reform would negatively impact the environment. “I don’t think anybody wants to get rid of all the rules and regulations, but I think the process has been so bad that it’s been a moving for people,” he said. “And it just relates to a lot of costs.”

The legislation will likely move quickly as lawmakers are rushing to meet the “crossover” deadline later this week.  The Senate Commerce Committee could take up the proposal as early as Tuesday.