NC S555

Appropriates $15 million in recurring funds for fiscal year 2025-2026 to establish the Wetlands Restoration and Protection Fund, supporting restoration projects, conservation easements, public awareness campaigns, and enforcement of wetland protection laws

Reserves $5 million of the appropriation specifically for wetland monitoring and research initiatives conducted in collaboration with research institutions

Restores state-level protection for isolated wetlands that lost federal protection under the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision by repealing sections of S.L. 2014-120 and S.L. 2015-286

Amends G.S. 143-212 to add statutory definitions for "isolated wetlands" and "wetlands," explicitly classifying both waters of the United States and isolated wetlands as state-regulated waters

Requires annual reports to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee beginning September 1, 2026, detailing fund balances, recipients, project outcomes, and recommendations for further legislative changes