Our Legislative Agenda

Curbing global warming pollution

When it comes to global warming, there’s a lot at stake for North Carolina.  With more than 3,000 miles of coast, we are the third most vulnerable state in the country to rising sea levels. Higher temperatures are predicted to bring more periods of drought, followed by heavy rains. 

The science is clearer every day: To avoid the most dangerous effects of global warming, the United States must make deep cuts in pollution, and soon.  Environment North Carolina:

• Supports Clean Cars Program/Funds, H1179/S1307, which will require new cars and trucks to be more efficient and pollute less. The Clean Cars Program, which has already been adopted by 14 other states, will save consumers money at the gas pump and cut global warming pollution by an estimated 10 percent annually. 

• Supports Motor Vehicle Emissions Study, H 2526/S 1871, which directs the state to examine the costs and benefits of adopting the Clean Cars Program in North Carolina.

• Supports Energy-Efficient State Motor Vehicle Fleets, H2720, which would require new state fleet vehicles to be in the top 10% of fuel-efficiency in their class, limiting pollution from state vehicles and saving the state money.

• Supports Congestion Relief/Intermodal Transport Fund, H 2363/S1894, and other measures to increase investment in mass transit and other transportation alternatives to reduce global warming pollution from automobiles.

Defending Our Coast

As development increases in coastal North Carolina, more parking lots, roads and other paved areas allow gasoline, pesticides, sediment, and other pollutants to flow right into North Carolina’s rivers and streams. This polluted runoff has already caused the closure of more than 76,000 acres of the state’s shellfish beds. Environment North Carolina:

• Supports new coastal stormwater rules approved by the Rules Review Commission, which will protect coastal North Carolina’s wetlands and sensitive shellfishing waters.

• Opposes Disapprove Coastal Stormwater Rule, H 2138/S 1967, and other efforts to overturn or delay new coastal stormwater rules.

Preserving Our Beaches 

North Carolina’s beaches are the envy of the nation.  That’s in part because our state has long limited hardened structures like groins, jetties, and seawalls on the coast, protecting ecosystems and preventing unnatural erosion.  Environment North Carolina: 

• Opposes Inlet Stabilization Pilot Program, S 599, which will introduce damaging hardened structures to North Carolina’s beaches.

Saving our Million Acres

The state's farmlands, wetlands and other open spaces provide wildlife habitat and clean drinking water.  Farming is a way of life for tens of thousands of families.  But North Carolina is rapidly losing the farms and natural areas that make it unique and the wetlands that make it healthy. In 2000, state leaders set a goal of preserving an additional one million acres of our natural areas by 2010.  Environment North Carolina:

• Supports the Land for Tomorrow initiative to provide $1 billion over the next five years for the protection of farmland and natural areas.

• Supports Funds/Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, H 2525, to add $20 million to the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund

Conserving wildlife

North Carolina’s tax code provides an incentive to landowners who manage their property for agriculture or forestry, but no comparable incentive for wildlife or water quality conservation. Environment North Carolina: 

• Supports Present-Use Value System Modifications, H1889, will offer an incentive to landowners to manage their property for wildlife conservation.   

Conserving water, planning for future drought

North Carolina may have escaped relatively unscathed from one of the most devastating droughts in recent history. But with more droughts predicted in the future, and with North Carolina expected to add close to three million people in the next 20 years, we cannot afford to continue wasting water. Across all sectors of our economy, we use more water than we need.  Environment North Carolina:

• Supports Drought/Water Management Recommendations, H2499/S1879, which implements stronger water use registration and reporting requirements; minimum water conservation standards that would apply during extreme drought; leak prevention and detection; and prevents water rates that create an incentive for waste.

• Supports Facilitate Use of Reclaimed Water, H 2501/S 1937.

• Supports Chapel Hill Water Conservation Strategies, H 2382/ S 1749, allowing the Town of Chapel Hill to impose restrictions that will help conserve water.

Promoting a New Energy Future

North Carolina has tremendous potential to produce its energy from homegrown farm fuels, wind, and solar power.  We have the know-how to build factories, offices, schools, and homes that use much less energy than they do today.  Environment North Carolina:

• Supports Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday, H 2605, which provides tax relief for consumers who purchase energy efficient appliances.

• Supports Codify Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings H2532/S1946, which codifies energy-efficiency standards for certain public buildings.

• Supports Energy-Efficient Buildings If State Funds, H 2531, which extends energy-efficiency standards to all buildings that receive state funding.

• Supports amending the state’s “net metering” rules to better promote the use of solar panels.

• Supports Green School Construction Loan Fund/Program, H2528, which creates a no-interest loan program for construction or major renovation of school buildings.

• Supports Income Tax Credit-Energy-Efficient Homes, H 2710.

• Supports Chapel Hill Energy Efficiency, H2381/S 1842, allowing the town of Chapel Hill to require energy efficiency and renewable energy use for new development and redevelopment.

• Supports No Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining, H 2709.

Defending Our Environment

Our Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Environmental Management Commission play an integral role in protecting the state’s air, water, land, and public health.  The General Assembly has sufficient authority to influence rules through the state’s Administrative Procedures Act.  Environment North Carolina:

• Opposes S 396, which will limit regulators’ ability to ensure that permit holders comply with the law.
• Opposes attempts to create more hurdles for needed environmental measures by requiring redundant fiscal analyses.

Providing Safe Drinking Water

Nearly half of the state’s residents get their drinking water from underground sources. Yet thousands of leaking underground petroleum storage tanks have contaminated drinking water supplies, while toxic pollution from above-ground waste sites can also threaten groundwater. Environment North Carolina:

• Supports Underground Storage Tanks Program Amends-2008, H 2498/ S 1936, which will increase fees to cover the costs of cleaning up leaking tanks. 

• Opposes lowering cleanup levels for above or below ground toxic waste sites.  Polluters responsible for leaks must clean them up to current public health standards.

Recycling for clean communities

The North Carolina General Assembly took an important step last year when it established siting requirements for landfills and created a statewide “tipping fee” to boost recycling and clean up abandoned dumps.  To build on last year’s solid waste reforms, Environment North Carolina:

• Supports Electronics Recycling Amends/Add TV’s, H 2500/ S 1926, which will add televisions to the state’s electronic recycling requirements.

• Supports Recycle Plastic Bags, H 2527, which will require retailers to provide receptacles for recycling plastic bags.