MountainTrue Raleigh Report

Issue 18: Thursday, October 8, 2015

It’s the latest edition of the MountainTrue Raleigh Report. In this week’s edition:  aloha, adios and arrivederci – the legislature finally gives it – and us – a rest.

It’s A Wrap
Last Thursday morning about 4 a.m., the General Assembly’s long session adjourned. And a long session it was – only one session has been longer in the past 40 years. Here’s a quick look at what happened.

The budget provided some new funding for open space preservation, but legislators also passed a flurry of provisions that weaken environmental protections. Legislators gutted  the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA), which required an environmental review of public projects using public funds or public lands. Among other provisions, the renewable energy tax credit was allowed to expire and more “terminal groins,” or artificial, hardened structures on the coast, were approved.

A few other environmental happenings (or not happenings) from this session:

• Good news – the “freeze” of the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (REPS), which requires the state’s electric power providers to generate a portion of our electricity needs through renewable energy resources and energy efficiency, did not pass.

• Deer to the Their Hearts: After much angst and debate, the Farm Act of 2015 passed in the final days of the session, including a provision opening the door for deer farming in North Carolina, which wildlife groups and hunting groups fear will speed the arrival of wasting disease to the state.

• New Name, Limited role: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was renamed the Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ).  The state’s natural resources attractions — the three coastal aquariums, state parks, Museum of Natural Sciences and N.C. Zoo — the Clean Water Management Trust Fund and Natural Heritage Program were moved to the newly renamed Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

• Power Outage: Rep. Chuck McGrady’s legislation to begin a stakeholder process for implementing the federal Clean Power Plan did not pass, but neither did the version prohibiting implementation and encouraging legal challenges to the CPP.

• Park It: Legislators approved a $2 billion bond referendum to be placed on the ballot in March. If approved, the bond will allocate $100 million for state parks and attractions, as well as funds for construction projects at the universities and community colleges and water and sewer infrastructure.

Legislative Wrap-Ups
For more info on all the legislation impacting our air, water and natural resources, sign up for our Legislative Wrap-Ups October 27th in Franklin, October 28th in Asheville and October 29 in Hendersonville. You’ll get the skinny on the politics and the policy and learn how you can get involved.

Protecting Polluters
One of the final acts of the very long session was to pass H765, the Regulatory Reform Act of 2015 – also known as the “Polluter Protection Bill.”.  This bill is filled with nasty rollbacks of some of our most important environmental protections, including provisions protecting polluters from penalties, reducing air quality monitors and threatening intermittent streams. For a complete rundown of the offensive sections of this bill, check out this fact sheet.

MountainTrue is one of a number of organizations that have asked Governor McCrory to veto H765. You can join our efforts by calling Governor McCrory at 919-814-2000 and urging him to veto this bad bill. If you get his voicemail, leave a message asking him to veto House Bill 765.The Governor has up to 30 days to decide now that session has ended.

Clearing the Air
Did you catch the op/ed on clean air in The News & Observer written by our own Julie Mayfield? Check it out and take a few minutes to remember the power that citizen activists have on our state and our environment.

Get to Know Your Legislators
Keep your eye on our WNC Legislator Profiles. We continue to update them so you can get to know our legislators better.