2009 North Carolina Code
Chapter 130A - Public Health.
§ 130A-20. Abatement of an imminent hazard.

§ 130A‑20.  Abatement of an imminent hazard.

(a)        If the Secretary or a local health director determines that an imminent hazard exists, the Secretary or a local health director may order the owner, lessee, operator, or other person in control of the property to abate the imminent hazard or may, after notice to or reasonable attempt to notify the owner, lessee, operator, or other person in control of the property enter upon any property and take any action necessary to abate the imminent hazard. If the Secretary or a local health director abates the imminent hazard, the Department or the local health department shall have a lien on the property of the owner, lessee, operator, or other person in control of the property where the imminent hazard existed for the cost of the abatement of the imminent hazard. The lien may be enforced in accordance with procedures provided in Chapter 44A of the General Statutes. The lien may be defeated by a showing that an imminent hazard did not exist at the time the Secretary or the local health director took the action. The owner, lessee, operator, or any other person against whose property the lien has been filed may defeat the lien by showing that that person was not culpable in the creation of the imminent hazard.

(b)        The Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources and a local health director shall have the same rights enumerated in subsection (a) of this section to enforce the provisions of Part 4 of Article 5 and Articles 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of this Chapter. (1893, c. 214, s. 22; Rev., ss. 3446, 4450; 1911, c. 62, ss. 12, 13; 1913, c. 181, s. 3; C.S., ss. 7071, 7072; 1957, c. 1357, s. 1; 1983, c. 891, s. 2; 1997‑443, s. 11A.63; 2002‑179, s. 6; 2006‑255, s. 13.6.)