Real Results For North Carolina’s Environment
1. Preserving Our Scenic Rivers
In
2007, state officials gave special protection to the North Fork First
Broad River, one of the state’s last unspoiled waters, thanks to a
petition filed by Environment North Carolina.
2. Stopping Runoff Pollution
In
2006, Environment North Carolina helped pass a measure to prevent the
largest source of water pollution in the state—storm-water runoff—from
contaminating rivers and streams in the state’s most rapidly developing
areas.
3. Protecting Our Lakes
In 2005,
Environment North Carolina helped pass the Clean Lakes Bill, which
requires inventories of all of the state’s drinking water lakes, and
cleanup of those that are already contaminated, starting with Jordan
Lake and Falls Lake.
4. Bringing Clean Cars To North Carolina
Environment
North Carolina introduced the Clean Vehicles Bill in 2004 and 2005.
“The bill would make more clean cars available to consumers,
significantly reducing the state’s smog pollution.
5. Keeping Our Rivers Pristine
Working
with local groups, Environment North Carolina filed petitions in 2004
and 2005 with the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources to
protect the Horsepasture River, the Eno River and the Tar River from
developers.
6. Clean Air Protected
In 2002,
Environment North Carolina helped pass the Clean Smokestacks Act, which
requires the state’s 14 dirtiest coal-fired power plants to reduce
their smog and soot pollution by more than 70 percent.
7. Protecting Open Spaces
In
2005, thanks in part to our research and advocacy, lawmakers approved
$100 million for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the state’s
premier open space conservation program.
8. Planning For Growth
To
help fulfill the million-acre promise that lawmakers made in 2000,
Environment North Carolina participated in the Land for Tomorrow
initiative, which would devote 1 percent of the state’s total budget
over the next five years to preserve forests, farmlands and other
natural areas.
9. Removing Toxic Chemicals
In
2005, Environment North Carolina passed the first legislation in the
Southeast to ban the gasoline additive MTBE, a dangerous toxin that has
found its way into groundwater.
10. Fighting Global Warming
Environment
North Carolina has developed a plan to combat rising sea levels,
extreme weather, and other effects of global warming by cutting
pollution from power plants and vehicles in North Carolina.
