Credit 1-Site Selection
SS Credit 1 deals primarily with avoiding unsuitable sites as opposed to selecting a valuable site. Since there are no costs associated with this credit, project participants should see this credit as a shoe-in. The has created a short list of sites that could potentially create too much environmental disturbance. If your site falls under any of these criteria, you will not receive the credit.
The does not allow you to develop on sites below 5 ft. above the 100 year flood elevation as defined by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). You must also avoid a site that is within 100 ft. of wetlands as defined by CFR (Code of Federal Regulations); prime farmland as defined by the USDA (U.S department of Agriculture); and habitats for any endangered species or a public parkland. All sites must also comply with the Clean Water Act, by not developing within 50 ft. of a water body. The owner of the project is the party responsible for selecting a site that avoids all of these conditions.
(Source: -NC 2. 2 Reference Guide)