Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_106/Article_19B.HTML
Timestamp: 2017-08-17 21:34:35
Document Index: 185716395

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 106', '§ 106', '§ 106', '§ 106', '§ 106', '§ 106', '§ 106', '§ 106', '§ 106', '§ 106']

Chapter 106 - Article 19B
Plant Protection and Conservation Act.
§ 106-202.12. Definitions.
(1) "Board" means the North Carolina Plant Conservation Board as provided in this Article.
(3) "Conserve" and "conservation" mean to use, and the use of, all methods and procedures for the purposes of increasing the number of individuals of resident species of plants up to adequate levels to assure their continuity in their ecosystems. These methods and procedures include all activities associated with scientific resource conservation such as research, census, law enforcement, habitat protection, acquisition and maintenance, propagation, and transplantation into unoccupied parts of historic range. With respect to endangered and threatened species, the terms mean to use, and the use of, methods and procedures to bring any endangered or threatened species to the point at which the measures provided for the species are no longer necessary.
(4) "Endangered species" means any species or higher taxon of plant whose continued existence as a viable component of the State's flora is determined to be in jeopardy by the Board; also, any species of plant determined to be an "endangered species" pursuant to the Endangered Species Act.
(5) "Endangered Species Act" means the Endangered Species Act of 1973, Public Law 93-205 (87 Stat. 884), as it may be subsequently amended.
(6) "Exotic species" means a species or higher taxon of plant not native or naturalized in North Carolina but appearing in the Federal Endangered and Threatened Species List or in the appendices to the International Treaty on Endangered and Threatened Species.
(7) "Plant" means any member of the plant kingdom, including seeds, roots and other parts or their propagules.
(8) "Protected plant" means a species or higher taxon of plant adopted by the Board to protect, conserve, and/or enhance the plant species and includes those the Board has designated as endangered, threatened, or of special concern.
(9) "Resident plant or resident species" means a native species or higher taxon of plant growing in North Carolina.
(10) "Scientific committee" means the North Carolina Plant Conservation Scientific Committee.
(11) "Special concern species" means any species of plant in North Carolina which requires monitoring but which may be collected and sold under regulations adopted under the provisions of this Article.
(12) "Threatened species" means any resident species of plant which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range, or one that is designated as threatened by the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service. (1979, c. 964, s. 1.)
§ 106-202.13. Declaration of policy.
The General Assembly finds that the recreational needs of the people, the interests of science, and the economy of the State require that threatened and endangered species of plants and species of plants of special concern be protected and conserved, that their numbers should be enhanced and that propagative techniques be developed for them; however, nothing in this Article shall be construed to limit the rights of a property owner, without his consent, in the management of his lands for agriculture, forestry, development or any other lawful purpose. (1979, c. 964, s. 1.)
§ 106-202.14. Creation of Board; membership; terms; chairman; quorum; board actions; compensation.
(a) The North Carolina Plant Conservation Board is created within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
(b) The Board shall consist of seven members who are residents of North Carolina, one of whom represents each of the following:
(1) The North Carolina Botanical Garden of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill;
(2) The botanical, scientific community in North Carolina;
(3) The North Carolina Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;
(4) A North Carolina citizens conservation organization;
(5) The commercial plant production industry in North Carolina;
(7) The North Carolina public at large.
The Governor shall appoint the first four members enumerated above; the Commissioner shall appoint the remaining three members.
(c) Initial appointments to the Board shall be made by October 1, 1979. Of the terms of initial appointees, the representatives of the North Carolina Botanical Garden of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the commercial plant production industry in North Carolina, and a North Carolina citizens conservation organization shall serve two-year terms; all other members shall serve four-year terms. All subsequent terms shall be for four-year terms.
(d) All members shall hold their offices until their successors are appointed and qualified. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Board prior to the expiration of the term shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term. The Commissioner may at any time remove any member from the Board for cause. Each appointment to fill a vacancy in the membership of the Board shall be of a person having the proper credentials for that vacancy and appointed by the proper appointing agency.
(e) The Board shall select its chairman from its own membership to serve for a term of two years. The chairman shall have a full vote. Any vacancy occurring in the chairmanship shall be filled by the Board for the remainder of the term. The Board may select other officers as it deems necessary.
(f) Any action of the Board shall require at least four concurring votes.
(g) Members of the Board who are not State employees shall receive per diem, subsistence and travel allowances authorized by G.S. 138-5; members who are State employees shall receive the subsistence and travel allowances authorized by G.S. 138-6; and members who are also members of the General Assembly shall receive subsistence and travel allowances authorized by G.S. 120-3.1. (1979, c. 964, s. 1; 1989, c. 727, s. 218(45); 1997-261, ss. 37, 38; 1997-443, s. 11A.119(a); 2011-145, s. 13.25(qq); 2013-155, s. 9.)
§ 106-202.15. Powers and duties of the Board.
(1) To adopt and maintain a list of protected plant species for North Carolina, identifying each entry by the common name and scientific name, along with its status as endangered, threatened, or of special concern, as provided under G.S. 106-202.16.
(2) To reconsider and revise the lists from time to time in response to public proposals and as the Board deems necessary.
(3) To conserve and to regulate the collection and shipment of those plant species or higher taxa that are of such similarity to endangered and threatened species that they cannot be easily or readily distinguished from an endangered or threatened species.
(4) To regulate within the State any exotic species, in the same manner as a resident species if the exotic species is on the Federal Endangered and Threatened Species List or it is listed in the Appendices to the International Treaty to Conserve Endangered and Threatened Species.
(5) To determine that certain plant species growing in North Carolina, whether or not they are on the endangered or threatened species list, are of special concern and to limit, regulate or forbid sale or collection of these plants.
(6) To conduct investigations to determine whether a plant should be on the protected plant lists and the requirements for survival of resident species of plants.
(7) To adopt regulations to protect, conserve and enhance resident and exotic species of plants on the lists, or to otherwise affect the intent of this Article.
(8) To develop, establish and coordinate conservation programs for endangered species and threatened species of plants, consistent with the policies of the Endangered Species Act, including the acquisition of rights to land or aquatic habitats.
(9) To enter into and administer cooperative agreements through the Commissioner of Agriculture, in concert with the North Carolina Botanical Garden and other agencies, with the U.S. Department of Interior or other federal, State or private organizations concerning endangered and threatened species of plants and their conservation and management.
(10) To cooperate or enter into formal agreements with any agency of any other state or of the federal government for the purpose of enforcing any of the provisions of this Article.
(11) Through the Commissioner, to receive funds, donations, grants or other moneys, issue grants, enter contracts, employ personnel and purchase supplies and materials necessary to fulfill its duties.
(12) To adopt rules under which the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may issue permits to licensed nurserymen, commercial growers, scientific supply houses and botanical gardens for the sale or distribution of plants on the protected list provided that the plants are nursery propagated or grown horticulturally.
(13) To stop the sale of or to seize any endangered, threatened, or special concern plant species, or part thereof possessed, transported, or moved within this State or brought into this State from any place outside the State if such is found by the Board or its duly authorized agent to be in violation of this Article or rules adopted pursuant to this Article. Such plants shall be moved or disposed of at the direction of the Board or its agent or by court order.
(14) To establish fees for permits authorized in this Article. (1979, c. 964, s. 1; 1989, c. 508, s. 1; 1997-261, s. 39; 2007-456, s. 1.)
§ 106-202.17. Creation of committee; membership; terms; chairman; meetings; committee action; quorum; compensation.
(a) The North Carolina Plant Conservation Scientific Committee is created within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
(b) The Scientific Committee shall consist of the Directors of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium, the North Carolina State University Herbarium, the North Carolina Botanical Garden of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources or their designees, a representative of the North Carolina Association of Nurserymen, Inc., appointed by the Commissioner, and a representative of a conservation organization, appointed by the Commissioner. Members shall serve for three-year terms and may succeed themselves.
(c) The Board shall select a chairman of the Scientific Committee from the Scientific Committee's membership to serve for three years.
(d) The Scientific Committee may hold its meetings at the North Carolina Botanical Garden of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
(e) Any action of the Scientific Committee shall require at least four concurring votes.
(f) Members of the Scientific Committee who are not State employees may receive per diem, subsistence and travel allowances authorized by G.S. 138-5 if they so request; members who are State employees may receive the subsistence and travel allowances authorized by G.S. 138-6 if they so request; and members who are also members of the General Assembly may receive subsistence and travel allowances authorized by G.S. 120-3.1 if they so request. (1979, c. 964, s. 1; 1989, c. 727, s. 218(46); 1993, c. 561, s. 116(i); 1997-261, s. 109; 1997-443, s. 11A.119(a); 2007-456, s. 2; 2015-241, ss. 14.30(ll), (w).)
§ 106-202.18. Powers and duties of the Scientific Committee.
The Scientific Committee shall have all of the following powers and duties:
(1) To gather and provide information and data and advise the Board with respect to all aspects of the biology and ecology of endangered and threatened plant species.
(2) To develop and present to the Board management and conservation practices for preserving endangered or threatened plant species.
(3) To recommend habitat areas for acquisition to the extent that funds are available or expected.
(4) To investigate and make recommendations to the Board as to the status of endangered, threatened plant species, or species of special concern.
(5) To make recommendations to the Board concerning regulation of the collection and shipment of endangered or threatened plant species within North Carolina.
(6) To review and comment on environmental impact statements prepared by State agencies on projects that may affect protected plants; and
(7) To advise the Board on matters submitted to the Scientific Committee by the Board or the Commissioner which involve technical questions and the development of pertinent rules and regulations, and make any recommendations as deemed by the Scientific Committee to be worthy of the Board's consideration. (1979, c. 964, s. 1; 2007-456, s. 3.)
§ 106-202.19. Unlawful acts; penalties; enforcement.
(4) Repealed by Session Laws 2012-200, s. 18, effective October 1, 2012.
(c) The Commissioner of Agriculture is authorized to apply to the superior court for, and the court shall have jurisdiction upon hearing and, for cause shown, to grant a temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating any provision of G.S. 106-202.19(a), regardless of whether there exists an adequate remedy at law. (1979, c. 964, s. 1; 1989, c. 508, s. 2; 1993, c. 539, s. 749; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1997-261, ss. 40, 41; 1998-215, s. 9; 2001-487, s. 43(b); 2007-456, ss. 4, 5; 2012-200, s. 18.)
§ 106-202.20. Forfeiture of illegally possessed plants; disposition of plants.
Upon conviction of any defendant for a violation of G.S. 106-202.19, the court, in its discretion, may order the defendant to forfeit any plant or plant parts which he possesses in violation of G.S. 106-202.19. The court shall direct disposition of any forfeited plant or plant part by destruction or sale. The clear proceeds of forfeitures and sales pursuant to this section shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C-457.2. (1989, c. 508, s. 3; 1997-261, s. 109; 1998-215, s. 10.)
§ 106-202.21. Ginseng dealer permits.
§ 106-202.22. Denial, suspension, or revocation of permit.