As the 2017 session of the General Assembly begins, the House and the Senate remain divided on key environmental issues, many left over from last year, including a continued fight against renewable energy projects.
Legislature
Conservatives Wary of Cooper’s DEQ Pick
A coastal legislator and conservative groups have hinted at the confirmation battle that may be ahead in the Senate, leveling criticism at Michael Regan, Gov. Roy Cooper’s pick for environmental secretary.
General Assembly: A Tale of Two Sessions
State lawmakers held two special sessions last week, unanimously approving disaster relief in one and enacting controversial limits on the incoming governor’s authority and sparking protests in the other.
Extra Session Called After Disaster Relief Vote
Leaders in the General Assembly decided to keep going Wednesday after approving a disaster recovery bill, calling another session for measures aimed at diminishing the incoming governor’s powers and loosening environmental rules.
UNC Officials Appoint Collaboratory Advisers
UNC-Chapel Hill officials have appointed seven scientists and policy experts as advisers to the N.C. Policy Collaboratory, as university faculty continue to scrutinize how the legislature’s creation will operate.
Lawmakers Fund New Policy Center at UNC
State lawmakers included in the budget passed in June millions of dollars to create a new kind of environmental research and policy center on the UNC campus.
Wind Farm Bill Got Caught in Turbulence
A bill that would have banned land-based wind farms in most of Eastern North Carolina was one of the victims of a late-session showdown between the state House and Senate. It didn’t pass, but its sponsors say they’ll be back next year.
Sunset Beach De-Annex Bill Fails to Survive
A controversial bill to remove three properties from Sunset Beach’s town limits couldn’t make it out of a state House committee. Meanwhile, legislators are trying to hammer out yet another bill to weaken rules before they go home for good.
Recycling Scrapped, New Rules Capped
The North Carolina Senate approved a measure Monday that eliminates an electronics-recycling program and adds new thresholds and scrutiny for future environmental regulations.
A Handy Guide to the State Budget
The state legislature now gets down to the nitty gritty of hammering out a budget. We offer side-by-side comparisons of environmental appropriations and policy in each of the budget proposals.
Raleigh’s Long Reach to Sunset Beach
The Sunset Beach Town Council called a special meeting yesterday to try and figure out how to fend off a bill introduced in the state legislature that would remove three properties from town limits.
Conservation Funds Boosted in Budget
The N.C. House of Representatives approved yesterday a spending plan that restores some of the conservation funds cut from the budget last year and includes a number of provisions supporting oyster revitalization efforts.
Legislators Scrutinize DEQ Legal Fund
Legislators mulling Gov. Pat McCrory’s proposed budget want state environmental officials to explain why they need additional $5 million to cover litigation expense.
Lawmakers: Beaches Need More Money
State lawmakers may move to tap a bigger share of local occupancy taxes to pay for beach renourishment projects during the legislative session that begins Monday.
Bills to Weaken Protections Are Ready
A legislative committee that is the gatekeeper for new environmental bills is ready with measures that weaken stormwater regulations and stream protections. The new session of the N.C. General Assembly starts next week.
DEQ: No Push to Relax Buffer Rules
State environmental regulators say they don’t plan to seek legislative changes to water-quality rules this year, but a top official recently drew criticism for dismissing their effectiveness.