130A-310.65. Definitions.

As used in this Part:

(1) "Background standard" means the naturally occurring concentration of a substance in the absence of the release of a contaminant.

(2) Repealed by Session Laws 2014-122, s. 11(i), effective September 20, 2014.

(3) "Contaminant" means any substance regulated under any program listed in G.S. 130A-310.67(a).

(3a) "Contaminated off-site property" or "off-site property" means property under separate ownership from the contaminated site that is contaminated as a result of a release or migration of contaminants at the contaminated site. This term includes publicly owned property, including rights-of-way for public streets, roads, or sidewalks.

(4) "Contaminated site," "source site," or "site" means any real property that is contaminated, and is the property from which the contamination originated, and may be subject to remediation under any of the programs or requirements set out in G.S. 130A-310.67(a).

(5) "Contamination" means a contaminant released into an environmental medium that has resulted in or has the potential to result in an increase in the concentration of the contaminant in the environmental medium in excess of unrestricted use standards.

(6) "Fund" means the Risk-Based Remediation Fund established pursuant to G.S. 130A-310.76.

(7) "Institutional controls" means nonengineered measures used to prevent unsafe exposure to contamination, such as land-use restrictions.

(8) "Registered environmental consultant" means an environmental consulting or engineering firm approved to implement and oversee voluntary remedial actions pursuant to Part 3 of Article 9 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes and rules adopted to implement the Part.

(9) "Remedial action plan" means a plan for eliminating or reducing contamination or exposure to contamination.

(10) "Remediation" means all actions that are necessary or appropriate to clean up, mitigate, correct, abate, minimize, eliminate, control, or prevent the spreading, migration, leaking, leaching, volatilization, spilling, transport, or further release of a contaminant into the environment in order to protect public health, safety, or welfare or the environment.

(11) "Systemic toxicant" means any substance that may enter the body and have a harmful effect other than causing cancer.

(12) "Unrestricted use standards" means contaminant concentrations for each environmental medium that are acceptable for all uses; that are protective of public health, safety, and welfare and the environment; and that comply with generally applicable standards, guidance, or methods established by statute or adopted, published, or implemented by the Commission or the Department.