North Carolina’s Environmental Policy Act, found at Article 1 in Chapter 113A, is modeled on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The act applies to state agencies, but not local agencies. Under § 113A-8 of the act, however, local governments may require by ordinance “any special-purpose unit of the government or private developer of a major development project” to submit an environmental impact statement, as defined at § 113A-4(2). Any such ordinance must be applied consistently and shall exempt projects for which an EIS or its equivalent is required by state or federal law, regulation or rule. § 113A-8(a), (b).