Campaign Watch: Conservationists Go Ten for Ten

The appeal of protecting public health and our clean air, water, and land showed clearly at the polls last week in districts across the state. Primary voters picked the NCLCV-endorsed candidates in all ten of the state legislative districts in which NCLCV made recommendations.

In what can probably be considered the flagship race of the ten, voters in House District 2 chose Rep. Winkie Wilkins (D-Person) by a landslide over Rep. Jim Crawford (D-Granville). Wilkins and Crawford were 'double-bunked' by the Republican majority's redistricting plan adopted last year. In that contest, Wilkins was the clear environmental choice over Crawford, who had the lowest NCLCV Conservation Legislative Scorecard total (18%) of any Democrat in the 2011 N.C. General Assembly. The outcome serves as a good reminder to legislators that even in a rural district with economic challenges, voters care about their health and clean air and water for their families.

In the other contests in which NCLCV made endorsements, primary voters agreed with these recommendations:

Washington Watch: Interior, EPA Announce Draft Fracking Rules

Another round in the ongoing development of rules on fracking was announced recently in Washington. The Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on May 4 announced draft rules intended to reduce the risks to groundwater from hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for oil and gas on federal public lands. Separately, the EPA announced draft permitting guidance for the use of diesel fuel in fracking.

Environmental group reactions to the draft BLM rules were mixed, but were generally characterized by the view that the final rules need to go farther. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) senior policy analyst Amy Mall called the rules "a critical first step" but noted that "several states already have stronger protections in place" and that "industry does not inspire confidence when it balks at the notion of sharing chemical ingredients [used in fracking] upfront. Communities shouldn't have to wait for that information until after the deed is done."

For more on the NRDC comments on BLM's draft rules, go to www.nrdc.org/media/2012/120504.asp.

For more information on the EPA's draft permitting guidance on the use of diesel fuel in fracking, see water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/class2/hydraulicfracturing/hydraulic-fracturing.cfm

Coast Watch: SC Panel Calls for Groin Ban

Whoops.

About 10 years ago, the South Carolina state legislature 'clarified' its law to permit the construction and repair of groins (long rock and wooden walls that run out into the water) along its coastal beaches. As a result, our neighbor to the south today has 166 of these unsightly and dangerous contraptions marring its coastline.

This month, an SC state study commission has recommended that the legislature reverse course and ban most new coastal groins. According to the Blue Ribbon Committee on Shoreline Management, these sand-trapping devices cause more problems than they solve. Even when they catch sand on one side, they usually accelerate erosion on the other side. The problem is shifted to the neighboring property owners--who then want their own groins, further expanding the damage. A more detailed discussion of the committee's action can be found here: www.thestate.com/2012/05/02/v-print/2258622/state-panel-urges-ban-on-surf.html

North Carolina legislators who last year authorized more "pilot project" groins on our state's coast should be paying attention. Do we really have to repeat South Carolina's mistakes when we already know what the bad outcome will be?

Education & Resources: Science of Climate Change

Could you make use, in your educational conversations with friends, of a sharper understanding of the science behind the projections of dramatic global climate change? Then you're in luck. The Southeast Coastal Climate Network (SECCN) is offering a webinar this week on that very topic.

SECCN's webinar will feature Dr. Greg Carbone, climatologist at the University of South Carolina. It will be held Wednesday, May 16, beginning at noon. You can register at www.cleanenergy.org.

Conservationists: Joe Hackney

Retiring former N.C. House Speaker Joe Hackney received a well-deserved tribute in the Carrboro Citizen on May 3. To read "Mr. Hackney Heads Home", go here: www.carrborocitizen.com/main/2012/05/03/mr-hackney-heads-home/

Speaker Hackney will be one of the initial recipients of "The Joe"--an award for retiring environmental champions, named in his honor--at NCLCV's Green Tie Awards Dinner in Raleigh on May 20. For details and to reserve tickets, go to: nclcv.org/what/honoring/green_tie_2012/

Insko was honored as a 2012 Representative of the Year for her longtime commitment to and ability to prioritize protecting the environment.

Hackney was honored with a new award named after him called “The Joe.” The Joe will be an award to honor environmental champions who will not be returning to the General Assembly.

The Green Tie Awards honor legislators who have spoken out and supported environmental issues in the N.C. General Assembly.

The awards honor legislators who have "stepped up, spoken out and carried water for environmental issues at the General Assembly," NCLCV said in a news release.

McGrady was one of three state legislators to be named 2012 Rising Stars, along with Reps. Susi Hamilton and Patsy Keever. The Rising Star award recognizes "true environmental champions," who are "some of the newer voices that our citizens can count on to make sure the environment is a priority when hard decisions have to be made," the release says. "These legislators make the environment an issue they champion as they move into leadership positions."

Official presentation of the awards will be June 20 at NCLCV's Annual Green Tie Awards Dinner in downtown Raleigh.

There was no Senator of the Year award for the second year, the organization announced, because "environmental efforts have been hit hard at the General Assembly this session, and much of the worst anti-environmental legislation has been originating in the Senate."

The NC League of Conservation Voters announced today the recipients of its annual Green Tie Awards, which honor legislators who have stepped up, spoken out, and carried water for environmental issues at the General Assembly.

From NCLCV, this year’s winners include:

2012 Defender of the Environment – Representative Pricey Harrison

The Defender of the Environment award recognizes Rep. Harrison’s consistent willingness to defend against bad environmental legislation, the pollution lobby, and her commitment to taking a strong stand to defend our communities against environmental degradation.

2012 Representative of the Year – Representatives Martha Alexander and Verla Insko

The Representative of the Year award recognizes Rep. Alexander and Insko’s consistent ability to prioritize protecting our environment when making hard decisions, their long-time and effective willingness to engage with the environmental community, and taking members to task in the Environmental Committee when they are threatening our state’s resources.

2012 Rising Stars – Representatives Susi Hamilton, Patsy Keever, and Chuck McGrady

The “Rising Star” award highlights the fact that these winners are some of the newer voices that our citizens can count on to make sure the environment is a priority when hard decisions have to be made. These legislators make the environment an issue they champion as they move into leadership positions.

The Joe – Representatives Joe Hackney, Grier Martin, and Jennifer Weiss; Senator Marc Basnight

New this year and named after former Speaker and long-time environmental leader Joe Hackney, “The Joe” honors environmental champions who will not be returning to the Legislature. Their leadership will be sorely missed.

The League also makes a point of noting the absence of a Senator of the Year for the second year, given that much of the anti-environmental legislation last session originated in the state Senate.

Official presentation of the awards takes place June 20th at NCLCV’s Annual Green Tie Awards Dinner in downtown Raleigh.

NC League of Conservation Voters Announces 2012 Green Tie Winners

RALEIGH - NC League of Conservation Voters announced today the recipients of its annual Green Tie Awards. The Green Tie Awards honor legislators who have stepped up, spoken out, and carried water for environmental issues at the General Assembly. Whether it's sponsoring pro-active legislation that will help clean up or protect our communities statewide, or being a consistent voice and vote for better environmental policies, these awards are a way to recognize the true environmental champions. Official presentation of the awards will take place on June 20th at NCLCV's Annual Green Tie Awards Dinner in downtown Raleigh. The event is attended by business, environmental, and political leaders from across the state.

2012 Defender of the Environment - Representative Pricey Harrison

The Defender of the Environment award recognizes Rep. Harrison's consistent willingness to defend against bad environmental legislation, the pollution lobby, and her commitment to taking a strong stand to defend our communities against environmental degradation.

2012 Representative of the Year - Representatives Martha Alexander and Verla Insko

The Representative of the Year award recognizes Rep. Alexander and Insko's consistent ability to prioritize protecting our environment when making hard decisions, their long-time and effective willingness to engage with the environmental community, and taking members to task in committees or on the House Floor when they are threatening our state's resources.

2012 Rising Stars - Representatives Susi Hamilton, Patsy Keever, and Chuck McGrady

The Rising Star award highlights the fact that these winners are some of the newer voices that our citizens can count on to make sure the environment is a priority when hard decisions have to be made. These legislators make the environment an issue they champion as they move into leadership positions.

The Joe - Representatives Joe Hackney, Grier Martin, and Jennifer Weiss; Senator Marc Basnight

New this year and named after former Speaker and long-time environmental leader Joe Hackney, "The Joe" honors environmental champions who will not be returning to the Legislature. Their leadership will be sorely missed.

Of particular interest is the absence of a Senator of the Year for the second year. Environmental efforts have been hit hard at the General Assembly this Session, and much of the worst anti-environmental legislation has been originating in the Senate.

NC League of Conservation Voters is a statewide lobbying organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing North Carolina's natural environment. NCLCV has been working to protect North Carolina's environment and our citizen's health for over 40 years, turning environmental values into North Carolina priorities. NCLCV's vision for the future of North Carolina is that all citizens and our elected decision-makers will better understand and appreciate North Carolina's unique natural environment, and the integral role it plays in North Carolina's economy and quality of life. nclcv.org

• Legislative Watch: NCLCV Announces 2012 Green Tie Winners
• Campaign Watch: Primary Is Tomorrow (May 8)
• Washington Watch: EPA Accepting CO2 Rule Comments
• Education & Resources: Studies Show Basis for Growing Weather Extremes

Legislative Watch: NCLCV Announces 2012 Green Tie Winners

NCLCV today announced ten state legislators as the 2012 recipients of its Green Tie Awards for excellence in defense of public health and our natural environment. NCLCV Governmental Relations Director Dan Crawford said, "Whether they've sponsored pro-active legislation that will help clean up or protect our communities statewide, or been a consistent voice and vote for better environmental policies, these leaders have been true environmental champions in our General Assembly."

Here are the 2012 Green Tie honorees:

2012 Defender of the Environment – Representative Pricey Harrison

The Defender of the Environment award recognizes Rep. Harrison’s consistent willingness to defend our state against bad environmental legislation and the pollution lobby that promotes bad policies, and her strong defense of our communities against environmental degradation.

2012 Representatives of the Year – Representatives Martha Alexander and Verla Insko

The Representative of the Year award recognizes Reps. Alexander and Insko for their consistent ability to prioritize protecting our environment when making hard decisions, their long-standing and effective willingness to engage with the environmental community, and their readiness to take other legislators to task in committee or on the House floor when our state’s resources are threatened.

2012 Rising Stars – Representatives Susi Hamilton, Patsy Keever, and Chuck McGrady

The Rising Star award highlights leading newer voices that our citizens can count on to make sure the environment is a priority when hard decisions have to be made. These legislators can be expected to make the environment an issue they champion as they move into leadership positions.

The Joe – Representatives Joe Hackney, Grier Martin, and Jennifer Weiss; retired Senator Marc Basnight

New this year and named after former Speaker and long-time environmental leader Joe Hackney, “The Joe” honors environmental champions who will not be returning to the legislature. These leaders will be sorely missed.

NCLCV notes with concern that this will be the second year in which it was unable to recognize a Senator of the Year. Environmental efforts have been hit hard at the General Assembly this session, and many of the most damaging bills originated in the Senate. Some of the worst legislation passed the Senate by alarming unanimous votes. This signals a legislative atmosphere in which environmental concerns have been looked upon so unfavorably that even allies have not stood up and spoken out.

Of course, this deep ebb in the Senate makes the efforts of environmental champions in the House that much more critical and deserving of recognition.

The Green Tie Awards Dinner will take place this year on June 20 in Raleigh. For more details or to purchase tickets, go to http://nclcv.org/what/honoring/green_tie_2012/

Campaign Watch: Primary Is Tomorrow (May 8)

Speaking of the need for environmental champions in the legislature and statewide offices, please keep in mind that the process of choosing next year's leaders is already underway. Early voting is now done for the spring, and just one day remains to vote in this year's state primary: Tuesday, May 8. If you haven't voted yet, don't forget to get to your precinct polling place tomorrow between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

NCLCV has made 10 endorsements in legislative primaries this year: http://conservationpac.org/what/endorsements/2012/

If you're unsure about your polling place and districts this year, you can confirm them at www.NCElectionConnection.com.  If that doesn't answer your questions, you can call this toll-free hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683), or 888-OUR-VOTE (888-687-8683).

A greener N.C. General Assembly starts now.

Washington Watch: EPA Accepting CO2 Rule Comments

In April, the EPA issued its final proposed rules to limit carbon pollution from power plants. Regulated industry groups and Washington politicians immediately attacked the rules. At the same time, environmental advocates continued to organize in support of the proposal.

Among the groups backing the rules are the national League of Conservation Voters (NCLCV’s national partner group), and the southern regional group, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE). SACE has created a web page to facilitate interested citizens’ submission of supportive comments prior to the EPA public comment deadline of June 12.

Interested conservationists can access that SACE page here: http://www.cleanenergy.org/index.php?/Take-Action.html?form_id=51&item_id=163

Education & Resources: Studies Show Basis for Growing Weather Extremes

Scientists use the technical language “intensification of the water cycle”. The term sounds dry. (Please excuse the counter-pun). It means that evaporation and precipitation are speeding up as the global climate warms.

That's as predicted. It's old news—even if the climate-deniers still argue otherwise.

Alarmingly, however, the most recent major study indicates that the water cycle may be speeding up at twice the rate predicted by previous climate models. That means even greater extremes, reached sooner—wet areas getting more rainfall (or, in some cases, even more snowfall); and dry areas experiencing less.

The resulting increase in regional flooding and droughts is likely to hit major food-producing regions hard, which is a potential catastrophe in an era of growing population and food demand. Populations in semi-arid areas are also likely to find water increasingly scarce, contributing to famine, disease, and severe economic impacts as well.

The measurements used in the latest study consider the relative salinity of the surface layer of different parts of the ocean. This stands in as a marker for differing rates of evaporation and precipitation. (More evaporation from an area means saltier surface water; more rainfall means fresher surface water.) The results of this study are just the latest to indicate that, contrary to the climate-deniers' screeds, concerns about the rate of climate change have likely been too conservative, rather than overstated.

This is one of those matters in which the chance to say “I told you so” is not good enough. Action to slow down the problem is much to be preferred. Those whose minds are open to scientific research but who are still undecided on the severity of the threat of climate change may find this latest analysis persuasive.

A longer discussion of this story appeared in the April 26 edition of the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/27/world/study-hints-at-greater-threat-of-extreme-weather.html?_r=1&hpw

Contact: Dan Crawford, Director of Governmental Relations, NC League of Conservation Voters; dan@nclcv.org, 919-839-0020 or 919-539-1422

RALEIGH – NC League of Conservation Voters announced today the recipients of its annual Green Tie Awards. The Green Tie Awards honor legislators who have stepped up, spoken out, and carried water for environmental issues at the General Assembly. Whether it’s sponsoring pro-active legislation that will help clean up or protect our communities statewide, or being a consistent voice and vote for better environmental policies, these awards are a way to recognize the true environmental champions. Official presentation of the awards will take place on June 20th at NCLCV’s Annual Green Tie Awards Dinner in downtown Raleigh. The event is attended by business, environmental, and political leaders from across the state.

2012 Defender of the Environment – Representative Pricey Harrison

The Defender of the Environment award recognizes Rep. Harrison’s consistent willingness to defend against bad environmental legislation, the pollution lobby, and her commitment to taking a strong stand to defend our communities against environmental degradation.

2012 Representative of the Year – Representatives Martha Alexander and Verla Insko

The Representative of the Year award recognizes Rep. Alexander and Insko’s consistent ability to prioritize protecting our environment when making hard decisions, their long-time and effective willingness to engage with the environmental community, and taking members to task in committees or on the House Floor when they are threatening our state’s resources.

2012 Rising Stars – Representatives Susi Hamilton, Patsy Keever, and Chuck McGrady

The “Rising Star” award highlights the fact that these winners are some of the newer voices that our citizens can count on to make sure the environment is a priority when hard decisions have to be made. These legislators will make the environment an issue they champion as they move into leadership positions.

The Joe – Representatives Joe Hackney, Grier Martin, and Jennifer Weiss; Senator Marc Basnight

New this year and named after former Speaker and long-time environmental leader Joe Hackney, “The Joe” honors environmental champions who will not be returning to the Legislature. Their leadership will be sorely missed.

Of particular interest is the absence of a Senator of the Year for the second year. Environmental efforts have been hit hard at the General Assembly this Session, and much of the worst anti-environmental legislation has been originating in the Senate.

NC League of Conservation Voters is a statewide lobbying organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing North Carolina’s natural environment. NCLCV has been working to protect North Carolina’s environment and our citizen’s health for over 40 years, turning environmental values into North Carolina priorities. NCLCV’s vision for the future of North Carolina is that all citizens and our elected decision-makers will better understand and appreciate North Carolina’s unique natural environment, and the integral role it plays in North Carolina’s economy and quality of life.

Legislative Watch: ALEC Attacks Renewable Energy

What could possibly lead a national group to spearhead an all-out attack on state programs that are successfully promoting energy efficiency and the development of clean, renewable energy?

Sadly, the answer becomes clear after applying the old adage to "follow the money". The shadowy yet grossly influential organization of monied special interests and legislators known as American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is answering to its financial backers, who profit from maximizing the drilling, mining, refining, and burning of oil and coal. So the economic and environmental consequences to Americans as a whole are just not their concern. (Watchdog groups which track corporate investment in such groups report that ALEC's big financial backers include ExxonMobil, the oil-baron Koch brothers, and Peabody Energy, the world's largest private coal company.)

ALEC is already well known among informed environmental advocates for authoring and distributing 'model' legislation to gut pollution controls and tie state environmental agencies up in too much red tape to effectively regulate corporate polluters. Now, it's launching a campaign to repeal the laws in 29 states (including North Carolina) which require electric utilities to meet more of their electric demand through renewables and efficiency.

National media such as Bloomberg News report that ALEC is drafting such 'model' legislation to repeal or weaken these renewable energy and energy efficiency "portfolio standards", and that it is expected to start hitting the states later this year. (ALEC was already reported to be involved in efforts opposing renewable energy portfolio standards on the national level.)

ALEC is also reported to be creating a so-called "energy freedom" index that would rank states on their regulation and taxation of energy. Presumably, the more that a state did to collect taxes on petroleum products, regulate pollution from their production, or encourage the development of alternatives, the lower their "freedom" score would be. The ghost of George Orwell just loves this stuff.

Articles with more information on this topic include these:

Campaign Watch: Early Voting Continues

There's almost a week to go of early voting opportunities prior to the May 8 primary day. Most counties have early voting venues open this week Monday-Friday, and then Saturday May 5 until 1 p.m. To confirm venues and times in your county, go to www.NCElectionConnection.com.  Don't forget that NCLCV has made 10 endorsements in legislative primaries this year:http://conservationpac.org/assets/NCLCV-2012primary-endorsements.pdf

NCLCV's legislative endorsements continued to draw media attention last week, as in this article in the Independent Weekly on the endorsement of Representatives Rosa Gill and Darren Jackson (both D-Wake): http://www.indyweek.com/citizen/archives/2012/04/24/wake-reps-rosa-gill-darren-jackson-get-conservation-voters-nod-in-democratic-primaries

Finally, please remember that for your friends and colleagues with questions about where they vote in the new districts, resources are available. First, refer them to the Election Connection website noted above. Still confused? Then they can call this toll-free hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683), or 888-OUR-VOTE (888-687-8683).

Education & Resources: Breathe Easier?

The American Lung Association (ALA) last week released its "State of the Air" annual report for 2012, and overall, the news was encouraging. The ALA summary description notes, "This year's report found that air quality is the best we've seen in the majority of American cities that are most-polluted by ozone or year-round particle pollution. Although they still have unhealthy air quality, they show continued progress in the cleanup of ozone smog and particle pollution. This steady progress toward more healthy air proves that the Clean Air Act is working."

Not that the ALA is suggesting that it's time to ease off. One of North Carolina's three major metro areas, the Charlotte region, continues to find itself with one of the unenviable top-twenty spots on the bad air list. On the plus side, it's at number 18, an improvement from last year's number 10. However, it's important to remember that year-to-year variations in weather patterns were likely responsible for that shift. This year's report is based on 2008-2010 data, which doesn't include last summer's hot, high-ozone days. As Clean Air Carolina's June Blotnick told the Charlotte Observer, "It's good news that we're off the Top 10 list, but the devil is in the details."

Read more, including a link to the full report, here: http://www.lung.org/about-us/our-impact/top-stories/hows-the-air-out-there.html

Conservationists: Brian Kasher

The White House last week announced that it was honoring nine individuals as environmental “Champions of Change” for their use of innovative approaches “to promote energy efficiency, revitalize outdoor spaces and waterways, adopt transportation solutions that conserve natural resources, [and] improve walkability and other quality of life aspects of our towns and cities.”

Among the individuals honored was Brian Kasher, the Manager of Environmental Health and Safety for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. He was recognized for his leadership in “efforts to reduce environmental impacts and improve sustainability across the [school] district.”

More information on the work of Kasher and the other individuals honored can be found here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions

Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy and state Rep. Patsy Keever are both making the case that they're the party's strongest candidate, with each touting experiences and views that they say will serve them best in a fall campaign — and in Congress. (Rutherfordton resident Timothy Murphy is also on the Democratic primary ballot, but has comparatively less campaign money and political experience.)

Neither Bellamy nor Keever is a stranger to hard-fought primaries: Then-Asheville City Council member Bellamy picked off incumbent Mayor Charles Worley in the 2005 primary to win her current position; Keever defeated Statehouse incumbent Bruce Goforth in the 2010 primary to win hers. (Keever also won the 11th District congressional primary in 2004 but went on to lose the general election against Republican Rep. Charles Taylor.)

But to outflank each other and earn a spot on the November ballot, each faces a big challenge this year: consolidating support here in the mountains where they're known best, while reaching out to Democrats in a geographically and culturally diverse area that stretches southeast all the way to Gaston County.

And the winner must then prepare for what's likely to be a tough general-election fight with powerful GOP incumbent Patrick McHenry in an area that historically has leaned Republican.

Early success

Bellamy won the city's top job at the age of 33, becoming the youngest mayor in North Carolina and the first African American to ever serve in the local post. She currently works as the executive director for the ARC of Buncombe County, a nonprofit that helps people with developmental disabilities. She previously served as the marketing and development manager for Mountain Housing Opportunities, a nonprofit that helps lower-income people buy homes in Buncombe County.

All of that, Bellamy argues, gives her "broader experience" than Keever.

"I have more experience on diverse issues. I can point to the number of jobs I have helped create, the positive partnerships I've helped create," she says. For example, she "was part of the discussion" with Linamar and New Belgium executives that resulted in plans to build production facilities here and eventually create about 550 local jobs that pay higher-than-average wages.

Bellamy also ticks off a long list of other economic efforts she's most proud of engaging in as mayor, including changing the city's Unified Development Ordinance to "make it more business-friendly," lobbying for the N.C. film-incentive program "to help more movies come be filmed" in the state, and channeling federal stimulus and N.C. Community Development Initiative dollars to local programs.

But Bellamy’s years in office haven't been immune from criticism — especially in regard to certain equality issues.

Her opposition to same-sex partner benefits for city employees and to an "equality" resolution, which created a domestic-partnership registry and established an anti-bullying ordinance, outraged many local progressives.

Most recently, she rankled some when campaign business caused her to miss City Council's April 10 vote on a resolution to officially oppose Amendment One. However, she says she supports her fellow Council members in their unanimous opposition.

"I still continue to believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. However, this amendment is far-reaching. We already have on the books a definition of marriage, and it already addresses this issue," she says.

In contrast, Keever goes further than just opposing the amendment, casting the issue of same-sex marriage as a civil-rights issue.

"What people choose to do with their religious rights, their religious rituals, is one thing, but marriage is a contract with the state, and everybody should have the same right to that contract," she argues.

Lessons learned

Like Bellamy, Keever asserts that her range of experience sets her apart.

"I think I've had much more experience than Terry has. I think I can relate to a wider variety of people," she said in January when she announced her candidacy.

Keever served 12 years on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, and she considers her efforts to spearhead junk-car and sign ordinances, improve composting and litter-pickup services and create an economic-development partnership with the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce among her biggest accomplishments.

Since 2010, Keever has served in the General Assembly, where, she says, her ability to distinguish herself has been hampered by an overreaching GOP majority.

"The Republican leadership has done everything in its power to strip us of any say so in anything," she says. They also stripped her of her Statehouse seat, drawing her residence out of the district she currently represents and leading her to decide to run for Congress.

But she's taken pride in casting votes against GOP-backed bills like the Women's Right to Know Act, which she calls "atrocious" and "a complete intrusion into a woman's right to have control over her body."

The freshman legislator also earned accolades from the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, which ranked her among the most "green" members of the legislature.

But like her chief primary opponent, some of Keever's positions have created controversy — particularly her decision last year to cast the lone vote in the Statehouse against a bill that banned people on the sex-offender registry from being able to work as emergency-service providers. At the time, the Buncombe County Republican Party pounced on the issue, releasing a statement calling it evidence of poor judgment and a "sick mindset.”

Keever stands behind the move, despite anticipating that it might be used to attack her as the campaign continues.

"I'm sure it will be brought up against me in the race,” she says. The vote, she adds, was a statement of protest. “It was a vote to say we really need to look at the sex-offender registry," she says, and she consulted with district attorneys and other experts before concluding it was the correct course. "My feeling is you have to do the right thing, and if you're concerned about being re-elected and that's your biggest concern, than you should be out of office.”

The most fulfilling part of serving in the General Assembly has been constituent service, Keever says, noting that it would also be a key duty she would look forward to as a member of Congress.

But it’s her 25 years of experience teaching in the Buncombe County school system that Keever says has done more to shape how she would serve in Washington than anything else.

"When you're a teacher, you teach every one of your students — you don't choose who you have," she says. "I've always felt it was the same thing as a representative. Whether I was a county commissioner, or in the Statehouse, or if I'm in Congress, it's about your relationships with people."

National stage, local problems

If elected, both Bellamy and Keever say they'll focus on issues that voters say are important to the region.

Bellamy is particularly interested in working on committees related to housing and transportation, "because those are big issues impacting the district, issues that deal with infrastructure."

Polk County is in need of funding to improve its water and sewage system, Rutherford County is dealing with a housing crisis, and highway upgrades are needed in Cleveland County, she reports. And much of the district is plagued with closed manufacturing plants that need remediation money to clean them up and attract new businesses, she adds.

"My goal is to make sure they're getting the resources they need at the federal level that they deserve, that have been neglected," Bellamy says. However, she cautions, "There's not a silver bullet that's going to solve all our ills."

For her part, Keever says that she agrees on the need for more federal spending on infrastructure improvements, noting that she strongly supported the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and President Barack Obama's $447 billion jobs bill that Congress denied last year.

"The federal stimulus has made a huge difference. It's kept our schools going. I would love to see us do more stimulus if we can," she says. "There's so much infrastructure that needs to be done — and we could be creating jobs as government."

In Congress, Keever says, she'd be most excited about working on issues related to education, health and the environment. "I want to be part of President Obama's team,” she declares. “I want to be part of the team that looks out for working Americans.”

Keever sees opportunities to help spread successful local projects such as the small-business incubator at A-B Tech to other parts of the district. And like Bellamy, she notes that she wants to "get manufacturing back where we can."

The two candidates are largely in agreement when it comes to the 2010 Health Care Act, offering praise for provisions that allow kids to stay on their parents' insurance until the age of 26 and limit the ability of insurers to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions. Other areas, such as the "individual mandate," need to be tweaked, they agree.

"Let's fix what needs to be fixed. But you don't throw the whole piece of legislation out because there are issues," Bellamy says. In the long-term, Keever says she supports a single-payer insurance system in which one public or quasi-public agency organizes financing nationwide.

Rocky road ahead?

Regardless of which Democrat wins in May, the numbers indicate that the candidate will have a difficult path to victory in November.

Although registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 185,817 to 168,405 in the newly drawn district, the 118,126 unaffiliated voters likely hold the key to success. And historically, they've heavily favored McHenry, who's won four straight terms. What’s more, according to Cliff Moone, the state Democratic Party’s 10th District chair, the area also holds "a lot of DINOs — Democrats in name only."

One indication of which way the winds might blow: In 2008, voters in the district’s territory favored Sen. John McCain over Obama 190,074 votes to 140,050 (Obama won the state overall).

McHenry seems poised to easily win the May 8 primary against Republican challengers Ken Fortenberry and Don Peterson. And, as in years past, he's proving to be an adept fundraiser, pulling in a whopping $786,375 since his last victory in 2010.

Meanwhile, Bellamy raised $121,356, and Keever raised $114,258, over the first three months of 2012. And both argue they're well-positioned for victory in the fall.

McHenry, says Keever, might be more vulnerable than the numbers indicate.

"You just wouldn't believe how people dislike him, personally," she asserts. "They feel like he's not representing them, that his constituent service is not good."

Meanwhile, Bellamy reiterates that she's uniquely positioned to unite people and says she's determined to outwork all her opponents.

Regardless of party affiliation, she says, "We all have some of the same issues, and we all want good government, better government, stronger communities.”

Gill is running for the second time in District 33 (Southeast Raleigh). She was appointed to this seat in 2009, filling a vacancy. A retired teacher, she served on the Wake County Board of Education for 10 years.

Jackson, similarly, is running for the second time in District 39 (eastern Wake) after taking the seats by appointment in 2009. He's a practicing attorney.

The endorsements were announced by NCLCV Board President Nina Szlosberg-Landis. She said NCLCV "helps elect lawmakers that share our values of protecting this great state and then holds them accountable for their votes once elected."

The Indy endorsed Gill and Jackson last week.

Tags: Rosa Gill, Darren Jackson, N.C. League of Conservation Voters, Nina Szlosberg-Landis

Washington Watch: EPA Sets Fracking Air Quality Rules

The EPA last week issued new rules to control air pollution from gas wells drilled using fracking (hydraulic fracturing, the controversial method of drilling for natural gas using injection of pressurized water into subsurface rock layers to release trapped gas). The rules would control the pollutants released during the transition from drilling to production. That's the good news.

The bad news, in the view of environmental analysts, is that the effective date of the new rules was delayed until 2015. In the interim, drillers will be required instead to burn off gas released during the transition period. That reduces the pollutants released, but not by as much, since it creates additional nitrogen oxides in that process. As with most compromises in the current hyper-polarized Washington environment, it left both sides grumbling.

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) attorney Meleah Geertsma said, "These first-ever EPA limits on dangerous air pollution from natural gas fracking wells are a critical step toward protecting our kids, our communities, and our planet. But to fulfill President Obama's State of the Union pledge to develop these resources 'without putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk,' the EPA needs to do more to protect people living near oil and gas production facilities." Read NRDC's more extended comments here: http://www.nrdc.org/media/2012/120418.asp

For the true policy wonk, here's a link to the new rules themselves and EPA's explanatory materials: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/oilandgas/actions.html

Legislative Watch: Senate Committee Weighs in on Fracking Delay

Meanwhile last week, a North Carolina Senate committee endorsed proposed legislation which would allow the use of fracking in North Carolina as of July 1, 2014, following approval of state regulations on the practice.

Environmental observers criticized the Senate panel's approach, which they said unduly fast-tracked the approval of rules prior to the completion of needed study of the potential problems. Conservation groups prefer the approach recommended by N.C. House leaders last month, which would direct the studies first and not assume an accelerated process.

Conservationists also pointed out with disapproval that the Senate energy policy panel's proposal would pre-empt local ordinances, block disclosure of industry records, increase permitted groundwater contamination, and weaken state environmental agencies' regulatory powers.

We can expect the two legislative chambers and the various interested parties to slug it out over the different approaches when the General Assembly reconvenes for its election-year "short session" in May.

Campaign Watch: LCV Endorses Obama

The national League of Conservation Voters (LCV) last week announced its endorsement of President Barack Obama for re-election.

In announcing the endorsement, LCV noted Obama Administration actions thus far have included the following:

LCV president Gene Karpinski further commented, "Big Oil is supporting Romney in a big way. Oil and gas interests have given Romney more than $1million in campaign cash, while the Koch brothers are planning to spend $200 million in this year's election. In fact, groups backed by the Koch brothers have already spent nearly $10 million this year attacking President Obama's clean energy record."

LCV announced its endorsement jointly with the Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, and Environment America. Further information on the endorsement can be found here: http://www.lcv.org/media/blog/lcv-endorses-president-obama.html

Education & Resources: Early Voting Begins, and Online Info Available

Early voting in North Carolina's 2012 primary election began last week on April 19. NCLCV reminds its volunteers and supporters of the critical importance of participating in these primary elections. Don't forget the endorsements in legislative primaries announced last week, and still posted here.

Confused or unsure about new district lines and in which ones you'll actually be voting? There's a handy resource to help. For more information, use this website: www.NCElectionConnection.com.  Still confused? Then call this toll-free hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683), or 888-OUR-VOTE (888-687-8683).

Conservationists: Tom Quay

Finally this week, CIB takes the opportunity to recognize the contributions of long-time conservation leader Tom Quay, who passed away last week at the age of 97. NCLCV general counsel John Runkle called Quay, a professor of ornithology at N.C. State University, "one of the founding fathers of the science-based conservation movement." Runkle noted that Quay "brought his understanding and love of the natural world to many organizations" including the N.C. Coastal Federation and N.C. Wildlife Federation, and imbued the same appreciation in his many graduate students. Quay was previously inducted into the North Carolina Conservation Hall of Fame.

Campaign Watch: NCLCV Announces Legislative Primary Endorsements

NCLCV today announced the endorsement of 10 pro-conservation legislators facing opposition in the May 8 primary voting. Eight House members and two Senators are receiving a "green seal of approval" for their support of clean air and water, protection of public health, conservation of our land and wildlife, clean renewable energy, and general wise use of our natural resources.

Dan Crawford, NCLCV's Director of Governmental Relations, said, "These leaders are helping fight the anti-environmental tides in the current North Carolina General Assembly. They're showing the values our state needs to find our way out of tough economic times without sacrificing the standards and protections that make North Carolina one of the best places in our nation to live."

NCLCV makes endorsement decisions based on the environmental voting and leadership record of incumbent legislators, issue questionnaires sent to candidates, and other background information. The percentage numbers in the following paragraphs represent each legislator's positive voting percentage on the Conservation Legislative Scorecard in the legislative year noted. The 2011 full scorecard, including details on the votes scored, and how each legislator voted on each issue, can be viewed online here: http://nclcv.org/assets/pdfs/nclcv_scorecard_2011.pdf

The following pro-conservation Representatives have received NCLCV's endorsement for their May 8 N.C. House primaries:

Two Senators have also received NCLCV's endorsement for their May 8 N.C. Senate primaries:

NCLCV will make additional endorsements after the May 8 primary. In the meantime, NCLCV encourages its members and volunteers to support and assist these good environmental leaders, and to encourage family and friends to do likewise.

Education & Resources: Green Tie Coming June 20

NCLCV's 2012 Green Tie Dinner has been finalized for Wednesday, June 20, in Raleigh. The annual recognition event for environmental legislative heroes will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Raleigh Downtown Sheraton, 421 South Salisbury Street. Representatives of the year, "Rising Stars", and a "Defender of the Environment" will be honored. Make plans to spend the Summer Solstice evening this year with green friends and allies at NCLCV's fun bash. You can take a look at past honorees, and sponsorship opportunities for this year, here: http://nclcv.org/what/honoring/green_tie_2012/

Judicial Watch: AG Appeals Duke Increase

With the legal clock ticking down to its appeal deadline, the N.C. Attorney General's office last week filed a court challenge to Duke Energy's seven per cent electric rate hike. The N.C. Utilities Commission in late January had approved the rate hike after Duke and the Commission's Public Staff had settled on the 7% hike deal. Duke had asked for twice that; public intervenors and comments had urged no hike at all.

In its appeal, the Attorney General's office noted in particular the Commission's decision to allow Duke shareholders a 10.5 per cent return on investment as excessive, given the economic difficulties faced by the state's ratepayers and economy. It noted that none of the testimony presented in the case in favor of the increase considered the adverse effects on residential, business, and government consumers.

Several public intervenors in the case before the Utilities Commission are reported to be considering filing their own appeals in opposition to the rate hike. They have 20 days from the filing of the appeal by the Attorney General in which to do so. http://southernstudies.org/2012/03/nc-attorney-general-appeals-duke-energy-rate-hike.html

As reported in previous CIB articles analyzing the potential impacts of utility rate cases, the rates permitted to a utility such as Duke, including the rate of return on stockholders' investments, substantially affect a utility's ability to raise capital for new plant construction. Excessive rates of return on capital investment in new plants can artificially prop up ill-advised plant construction plans. Many environmentalists argue that Duke is pressing for new coal and nuclear plant construction that is economically unjustified and environmentally unwise.

Environomics: Biofuels Startups

As part of a concerted effort to develop a (literally) homegrown biofuels industry, the N.C. state legislature in 2006 authorized establishment of an entity called the Biofuels Center of North Carolina. The Center is based in Oxford NC.

Among its component projects is an effort called the "Biofuels Company Accelerator"--an example of what's called a "small business incubator". These are commercial buildings providing office and laboratory space for lease to startup companies. They're normally partially subsidized space to encourage leasing by entrepreneurial stage operations. In this instance, the space is open to biofuels-related startup companies. This facility in Oxford also includes shared equipment and business development support from the Biofuels Center and other agencies. The physical proximity is also intended to enhance cross-fertilization of efforts. The biofuels campus in Oxford includes facilities such as greenhouses, pilot- and demonstration-scale production facilities, and other projects.

The Biofuels Company Accelerator was recently featured in a March 2012 Energy Report article in the national business developers' publication, Site Selection magazine. The success of such efforts is produced when they graduate viable operations which move out and grow on their own.

The biofuels concept continues to generate discussion among environmental advocates, both pro and con. Supporters see it as an important tool in shifting to a renewable energy economy and away from petroleum. Skeptics worry about potential loss of food production and possible exploitation of environmentally marginal land. Some advocates see the development of algae-based and other alternative production means as a way to bridge the divide. Long-term discussion is certain to continue on the field.

Education & Resources: Water and Power; Black Carbon; First in Wind

There is a wealth of noteworthy energy and environment-related public workshops available over upcoming weeks. Here are some:

Water and Power: The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) continues its webinar series on April 19 with a presentation entitled, "Water Collisions: Freshwater Use by US Power Plants." This will be a discussion of the often-overlooked cost of centralized electricity production in the use and loss of limited freshwater supplies for plant cooling water. For larger plants--especially nuclear plants--these costs can be major ones, especially in use-competitive river basins. The seminar will run noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 19. For details on signing up for this webinar, see http://www.cleanenergy.org/index.php?/SACE-Webinars.html.

Black Carbon: The following week, SACE will offer a continuation of the Southeast Coastal Climate Network's seminars, this one on the role of "black carbon" in climate change. This webinar runs from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25. Details are also available at http://www.cleanenergy.org/index.php?/SACE-Webinars.html.

First in Wind: Raleigh area residents interested in a good old-fashioned in-person community forum are in luck next week, as Meredith College will host "First in Flight, First in Wind: A Community Forum on Offshore Wind in NC." The forum will be held on Wednesday, April 18, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on the Meredith College campus at 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh NC 27607. The event will take place in the Cate Center's Kresge Auditorium. The Sierra Club's Capitol Group has prepared "a panel of experts from the wind developer, manufacturing, and advocacy communities [to] discuss North Carolina's resource and what its development could mean for our energy, environmental, and economic future."

Conservationists: Newman and Local Energy Efficiency

Finally this week, CIB always notes with approval examples of meaningful environmental issues becoming a larger part of local political debates around our state. In this case, former Conservation Council of NC's Political Director Brownie Newman is featuring "energy independence" as his "#1 priority" in his campaign for Buncombe County Commissioner. Newman is pitching for the county government to commit to reducing its 'carbon footprint' by 80%. Newman served for eight years on the Asheville City Council, which he cited as having made that commitment already. Newman offers a fuller discussion of the issue in his 4/6/12 newsletter, in which he discusses examples such as LED streetlights, hybrid buses, and alternative fuel vehicles. (Disclaimer note: NCLCV does not make endorsements in local elections.)

Legislative Watch: Fracking Slowdown

Well, perhaps not all those legislators are ready to dive head-first into fracking without poking the waters for hazards after all. Key state legislators announced last week that they planned to pursue legislation this year that would direct the state Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to draft a regulatory framework which would allow fracking, and prepare rules by March 2013 for the legislature to consider. Under that scheme, the state's ban on fracking could be lifted by 2014 or 2015.

House Appropriations chair Rep. Mitch Gillespie (R-McDowell) explained the proposal at a news conference. He was flanked by Rep. Michael Stone (R-Harnett), who represents one of the key areas containing shale rock formations; and environmental champion Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford).

Gillespie and Sen. Bob Rucho (R-Mecklenburg) have both prepared draft legislation moving forward on fracking. Initial environmental reviewers suggest that the Gillespie bill would represent a more responsible and balanced approach to the process, including a recognition that geologic conditions in North Carolina are not identical to those in other states which have taken up fracking, and need to be carefully studied.

Environmental observers believe that some legislators who have been pumping hard for fast launch of fracking may have been startled by the degree of local opposition in their areas to fast-tracking the controversial process in North Carolina. The result thus far has not been a reversal of support for fracking, but a least there appears to be a new readiness by some to take a slower and more careful look at the issues.

Washington Watch: EPA Releases Proposed Carbon Standards for Power Plants

They've been a long time coming, but last week they were announced: EPA's proposed limits on carbon emissions from power plants, the first of its greenhouse gas emissions standards. The proposed standards require new plants to emit essentially the levels produced by an average natural gas-fired plant.

Power plants are the largest single category of carbon dioxide emitters in the U.S., producing about 40 per cent of the national total. As such, they were a logical choice for first targets of the rules to begin addressing climate change sources.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson defended the proposal as "a common-sense step to reduce pollution in our air, protect the planet for our children, and move us into a new era of American energy." More information on the standards and their background can be found at http://epa.gov/carbonpollutionstandard/

Naturally, the usual suspects chimed in with shrieks of 'job-killing rules' and threatened Congressional action. Conservationists, on the other hand, called EPA's move a good first step. Tim Profeta, director of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, called the new rule "an important first step in limiting greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector." He added, "Not only will this rule start tackling climate change, it may provide policy certainty to allow utilities to engage in long-term planning."

Environomics: Nimble Renewables

One of the major unsung advantages of renewable energy is how nimble these sources are in comparison to the plodding, Olde Soviet Union style demands of mega-plant construction.

A new nuclear plant requires billions in start-up capital, massive guarantees from the federal treasury, supportive blood-oaths from entire states-full of arm-twisted ratepayers, and legions of Wall Street financiers sporting Hero of the Nuclear Renaissance medals on their pin-striped chests. Several proposed new reactors are in the years-long process of churning their uncertain ways through this bleak landscape.

In contrast, nimble new ‘solar farms’ are springing up across NC now, going from concept to generating juice into the grid in a period of months. State news recently has been crowded with news of solar farms being announced or completed. Recent announcements include a 5-megawatt solar farm in Davie County; a big 17.2-megawatt solar farm in Davidson County; a 5-megawatt solar farm in Rockingham County; another 5-megawatt solar farm in Cleveland County; a 1.2-megawatt solar farm in Surry County; and even a 900-kilowatt solar farm up in Avery County.

These and other renewable projects will be feeding their juice into the public utilities' power grid, thanks to state law requiring those utilities to meet increasing percentages of their electric output from renewable sources. Plus, thanks to the market produced by increasing numbers of projects, and the research and efficiencies driven by that growing market, the cost of solar panels is dropping like a rock. The cost, including installation, of solar has fallen from about $9 a watt to about $3 a watt this year--and at least one company in business in North Carolina (Strata Solar) projects that it is en route to dropping to $1 a watt in just a few more years.

Rapid progress in practical renewable energy applications is leaving skeptics out in the cold.

Education & Resources: Energy Roadshow

Wrapping up an energy-themed CIB for this week, we note that the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) kicks off its "Energy Choices Now" roadshow this week. Each event will include an update on clean energy developments in that region, a review of relevant legislative activities in progress, and discussion of both topics along with related laws, rules, and opportunities.

The roadshow events begin April 3 in Raleigh and April 4 in Greensboro, and continue April 24 in Asheville, May 2 in Charlotte, and May 8 in Elizabeth City. Participation is free but space is limited and registration is required. For complete details, see www.energync.org.

CONTACT: Debra Davis Rezeli, Director of Engagement, debra@nclcv.org or 919-839-0978

NCLCV hosts our annual spring Green Tie Awards Dinner to honor legislators who have stepped up, spoken out, and carried water for environmental issues at the General Assembly. Whether it’s sponsoring pro-active legislation that will help clean up or protect our communities statewide, or being a consistent voice and vote for better environmental policies, we like to say “Thank You” to our friends and champions.

This is the event to be at every year—right at the intersection of the environment and politics!

Revisit the festivities of 2011 and see our Green Tie recipients and sponsors:

Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE.

Campaign Watch: Realities of Gas Pricing

This may come as a shock to our more trusting readers, but we have to give it you straight.  Most of the political plans, promises and posturing out there will have little or (more likely) no effect on the price of gas at your pump.

An analysis released last week by the Associated Press shows no connection between gas prices at the pump and how much oil is being produced by American wells. The analysis covered 36 years of month by month change in gasoline prices and domestic production levels.  Speaking of the study, Judith Dwarkin, chief energy economist at ITG investment research, said, "Drill, baby, drill has nothing to do with it."

The AP study showed that gas prices and US production levels did not even reliably move in the same patterns.  Sometimes the levels go in the same direction, and sometimes in opposite directions.

For example, since February 2009, the seasonally adjusted production of U.S. oil has increased by 15%, to its highest level in 19 years.  During that time, however, gas prices have risen, not fallen, from an average of $2.07 per gallon to $3.58 per gallon.

Any marginal effect from increasing domestic production has been overwhelmed by other factors, especially rising global demand for oil and market fears of supply disruptions in the Middle East.

Of course, even the potential impact of domestic production on global supply is small.  The United States has only about 2% of the world's oil reserves and is responsible for 20% of the world's oil demand.  United States' production has a tiny influence on the price of oil, which is a globally traded commodity.

It's worth noting in this context that the increasing efficiency of the American auto fleet is having a far greater impact on our dependence on oil (both foreign and domestic) than the increase in drilling is having, or that any possible drilling increases could have.  Dramatic increases in vehicle efficiency--both better mileage per vehicle, and a reduction in sales of gas-guzzling truck-based SUVs--is helping help domestic oil demand flat even as the economy recovers.

CIB encourages conservationists to learn these basics and help inform political discussions this campaign year, and energy policy debates on an ongoing basis.

Legislative Watch: Air Health at Risk

The continued ability of North Carolinians living near toxic air emissions sources to breath healthy air is in increasing jeopardy.  State legislators continue to debate the possibility of eliminating North Carolina's leading rule protecting communities against concentrations of toxic air pollutants.

North Carolina currently has a rule requiring the protection of public health from emissions sources which can get past the minimal federal controls that focus only on the technology used on a given smokestack.  The state's Air Toxic rule requires estimating the toxic pollution from all known sources around a plant site put together, to calculate the likely concentrations nearby.  Proposed new sources are required to stay below the pollution output that would result in total pollution levels which exceeded public health protection standards.

Last week, representatives of Gov. Bev Perdue told a state legislative committee that she conditionally approved eliminating that rule.  Robin Smith, Assistant Secretary of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), told the legislature's Environmental Review Commission that Perdue supports changes to the state's Air Toxics Program so long as public health is protected.

Of course, the position of those who support the state's Air Toxics rules as they stand now is that they are needed to protect public health, from hazards that the unenhanced federal smokestack-based controls don't address.  Federal technology standards for an industry might not yet address a potential toxic pollutant.  Alternatively, the toxins from an individual source might come out at a rate below the action-triggering standard for that source, yet still create a hazard when combined with the emissions from multiple sources.  This can mean there are times when a proposed plant may be a hazard in one location but not in others.

Industry groups understand this, but oppose the Air Toxic program because it requires them to study the potential hazards, which can involve additional cost.  They label it as "duplicative" and have found a responsive audience in the current anti-regulatory leadership of the General Assembly.

Conservationists are disappointed in the Perdue Administration's comments of last week.  While Perdue has always been a friend of industry in general terms, for the past year she has also played the role of a critical check on the more extreme positions of this current legislature.  We hope that she will reconsider the implications of the position she announced last week.  It compromises her check on irresponsible moves by this legislature to weaken needed protections for public health.

As NCLCV's Director of Governmental Relations Dan Crawford observed, "North Carolina's air toxics program has been working to protect our citizens.  Ditching it to save on corporate paperwork would be short-sighted or worse."

Education & Resources: Clean Water Updated

A special report released on the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act of 1972 finds that toxic water discharges still abound, and North Carolina places tenth on the list of states by volume of discharges.

The 48-page report, titled "Wasting our Waterways 2012", was issued by the PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center.  It is based on discharge information submitted to the EPA for its Toxic Release Inventory for 2010, the most recent data year available.

The report notes that 53 percent of assessed rivers and streams, and 69 percent of assessed lakes, remain unsafe for swimming or fishing or both.  Our nation continues to fall far short of the 1972 Clean Water Act's goal that all American waters should be "fishable and swimmable".

We've made progress in cleaning up some waters but we have a lot of work left to do.

Legislative Watch: Fracking Report Released, Hearings Planned

The long-anticipated state report on fracking was released late last week, and contains conclusions guaranteed to dissatisfy all perspectives. In sum, the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) draft report concludes that 'fracking'--hydraulic fracturing to release natural gas contained in rock layers--and the horizontal drilling to conduct it can be done safely. However, it also says that additional legal and regulatory safeguards are needed first.

The report's recommendations for safety steps proceeding the authorization of fracking include the following:

The report's recommendations are not likely to please either those whose position is 'no fracking, no way', nor those whose mantra is 'drill now, drill everywhere, for everything'.

DENR's press release with more information is available at http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/journal/view_article_content?groupId=21953&articleId=6157644, and the full draft report can be found at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/guest/denr-study.

The two meetings to accept public comments on the draft report are scheduled for March 20 at the Wicker Center in Sanford, and March 27 at the East Chapel Hill High School auditorium in Chapel Hill. Both public meetings are scheduled to run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

DENR is required to make its final report to the N.C. General Assembly no later than May 1. The legislature's special Energy Policy Committee is set to meet April 21, and is likely to take up the report for discussion whether the final is ready or not.

Environomics: Commuters Vote With Their Seats for Transit

Rising gas prices helped push public transit ridership well past the ten billion mark last year, a 2.31% increase over 2010 and the highest number since the big gas price peak of 2008. A report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) notes that the ongoing economic recovery also contributed to last year's ridership increases. Numbers previously had dropped from 2008 in part due to the loss of commuters taking transit to their jobs when those were cut.

APTA also noted that rider numbers were up across the country, in rural areas and smaller cities as well as major metro cities. Passenger numbers increased 5.4% in cities under 100,000, about double the rate of growth for the nation as a whole. Many cities are reporting even faster transit growth in 2012. Mid-sized Durham, for example, reported transit ridership growth of 15.6% so far this year (data analyzed on a month-to-month comparative basis).

Public transit is an environmentally preferable option to growth in single-passenger vehicles. That's in part because of the direct savings in energy use and air pollution per passenger-mile, and in part because transit-oriented development tends to be denser, which cuts total transit miles traveled and reduces loss of farm and forest land from urban sprawl.

For more information on public transportation and related issues, see www.apta.com.  Further details on transit ridership are discussed in http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2012/Pages/120312_2011Ridership.aspx.

Conservationists: Rev. Lynice Williams

North Carolina lost a dedicated advocate for environmental justice and human rights with the passing of the Rev. Lynice Williams on March 10. Williams co-founded the N.C. Environmental Justice Network and the Grassroots Energy Alliance. She was executive director of N.C. Fair Share and a board member of the N.C. Council of Churches. NCLCV general counsel John Runkle said of Williams, "She believed deeply and fought passionately for health care and environmental justice as she knew them to be human rights."

Education & Resources: Myths in the Wind

"Wind Energy Myths" will be the topic of a webinar offered by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) on Tuesday, March 27, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Issues to be discussed include wind energy variability, costs, and environmental impacts. For information and to register, see http://www.cleanenergy.org/index.php?/SACE-Webinars.html.

Campaign Watch: CPAC Will Query Candidates

NCLCV's Conservation PAC will once again pose issue questions to legislative candidates as part of the process of evaluating which would-be members of the General Assembly are committed to protection of public health, a clean environment, and wise use of our natural resources.

These issue questionnaires have historically been one important element in the candidate evaluation process. CPAC adjusts the focus of its surveys from year to year in order to understand how candidates would approach the major issues most likely to arise in the upcoming legislative sessions in which they would serve.

This year, the CPAC survey will examine topics such as fracking, offshore drilling, financing methods for power plant construction, wind energy, and means for promoting renewable energy development. It will also look at questions of adequate funding for environmental enforcement, as well as investments in land and water conservation. Candidates will be asked for their thoughts on climate change, and on the ability of North Carolina to exceed the often weak federal environmental laws when that is needed to protect our unique resources.

Other factors which can go into candidate endorsements include the voting record of incumbents, candidates' histories of work on environmental concerns, and the projected ability of candidates to effectively compete in the districts where they are running. CPAC will make some endorsements for the May 8 primary voting, and additional endorsements before the general election in November.

Administrative Watch: Utilities Commission Approves Wind Project

Addressing a classic case of tension between environmental values, the N.C. Utilities Commission gave its approval to a proposed wind farm in coastal Beaufort County. The proposed 49-turbine generating facility would produce clean energy from wind, but bring risk to bird populations from the nearby Pocosin Lakes Wildlife Refuge.

Concerns regarding bird and bat kills from commercial wind turbines' large and fast-moving blades is a recurring theme contributing to the challenges of siting these clean energy facilities. Opponents of the proposed Pantego Wind Energy Facility want more study of the risks of this location before a decision is made on the project.

The Utilities Commission's order in this case acknowledged the concerns as valid, but noted that the project would require environmental permits not yet awarded before it could move forward. More detail on the case can be found at http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/03/09/1916798/state-approves-wind-farm.html.

Conservationists: Holman Re-elected SWIC Chair

Bill Holman, state policy chair at Duke's Nicholas Institute, has been re-elected to his sixth term as chair of the State Water Infrastructure Commission (SWIC). Holman, a former N.C. Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, served for many years as North Carolina's leading citizen environmental lobbyist, including his work for NCLCV under its previous name, Conservation Council of NC.

Education & Resources: Focus on Fracking

The controversial practice of fracking--mining for natural gas reserves via injection of water and chemicals into subterranean shale deposits, more fully named 'hydraulic fracturing'--is the focus of multiple meetings this month. Among them are the following:

The N.C. Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will also hold two meetings this month to present its draft report on fracking and take public comments:

Campaign Watch: State Starts Spring Sprint

Now that the who's-in, who's-out suspense of the candidate filing period is over, North Carolina politics begins its sprint toward the May primary. Governor Bev Perdue's late withdrawal from her race for a second term left Democrats with an unusually compressed time frame to sort out their nominees for the state's two top executive posts.

When the dust cleared last Wednesday, three credible candidates had filed for the Democratic nomination for governor (and the right to face presumptive GOP nominee Pat McCrory in the fall): Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, former 2nd District Congressman Bob Etheridge, and State Rep. Bill Faison. Conventional political wisdom posits Etheridge and Dalton as co-favorites, with Faison given an outside chance of being in the mix.

Dalton is the best-funded at this stage, having previously anticipated conducting a contested statewide campaign as lieutenant governor and preparing for that. Etheridge has the strongest starting name recognition based on his multiple terms in Congress. While starting from a lower office, Faison has been planning his run for months and has the capacity to self-finance his campaign to a significant degree.

From an environmental standpoint, Etheridge, Dalton, and Faison all have moderate legislative voting records from their terms in Congress and the General Assembly, respectively. Each is building a campaign around themes of jobs and education. Environmental advocates and issues have an opportunity to help shape the issue debates, and potentially the choice of nominee.

The same may be said for the contest for lieutenant governor. Since incumbent Dalton cast his hat into the larger ring of the governor's contest, two credible Democratic hopefuls filed to take his spot: State Senator Eric Mansfield of Fayetteville, and State Personnel Director Linda Coleman of Wake County.

There will also be an active primary for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor, including two State Representatives, Dale Folwell of Winston-Salem and Grey Mills of Mooresville. Two Raleigh Republicans not presently in public office, Dan Forest and Tony Gurley, are also viewed as having a potentially significant base of support within their party.

Finally, there are sure to be many changes in the makeup of the General Assembly, as redistricting led to a wave of coerced retirements. One bright spot for environmental advocates developed late, as State Rep. Rick Glazier of Fayetteville reversed an earlier decision to bid for state superintendent of public instruction, and instead will seek re-election to his House seat. In the face of losing many environmental leaders to retirements, environmental advocates were among those asking Glazier to stay in the legislature and step up to a broader leadership position there. Glazier has a particularly strong environmental record.

Judicial Watch: Citizens Challenge the Chainsaws

A North Carolina citizen group filed suit last week to block new rules allowing expanded cutting of public trees in the service of private billboard companies. Scenic NC, which focuses on scenic character and resources, natural beauty, and community appearance, has a long-standing commitment to addressing problems created by the billboard industry.

The Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic filed the suit on behalf of Scenic NC, contending that the rules adopted late last year by the N.C. Department of Transportation violate the state Administrative Procedures Act. The lawsuit asks that the rules be set aside, and the process returned for further public review.

On March 1, new rules were to take effect to do the following:

In a news release, Scenic NC president Reyn Bowman said, "It is important that citizens have adequate opportunity to weigh in on these rules which will substantially and negatively impact the landscape and scenic beauty of this state."

Legislative Watch: Common Agenda Under Review

The "Common Agenda", a regular effort by citizen conservation groups in North Carolina to establish a shared set of legislative advocacy priorities, is in preparation for the main 2012 legislative session beginning in May.

NCLCV's Director of Governmental Relations, Dan Crawford, is coordinating the collection of priority suggestions. Those will be accepted from participating organizations through March 30, after which a steering committee from the citizen groups will sort out the most achievable and productive ideas. A joint announcement of the finalized Common Agenda is planned for May 13.

Dan Crawford can be reached at dan@nclcv.org.

Around the States: Coal, Nuke Plants Face Setbacks

In Georgia, the fate of two pricey new coal-fired power plants looks increasingly dim as the projects' main remaining funder--Cobb Electric Membership Corporation--voted in January to freeze further funding for their construction. The January 24 vote by its newly elected board of directors made Cobb EMC the latest investor to pull the plug on grounds of the plants' costs and customers' reduced power demand estimates. More information can be found here: http://www.cleanenergy.org/index.php?/Wired-In-Details.html?item_id=34#0411_Article1

Speaking of high costs, the Florida subsidiary of Progress Energy continues to face an enormous and growing potential liability for repair and replacement power costs at its Crystal River nuclear plant there. It's been shut down since 2009 and is expected to be back online no sooner than 2014--if ever. According to news reports, "The bill for repairs and replacement power could top $2.5 billion, and it's been unclear who--company shareholders or its Florida customers--will cover those costs since the utility's insurer stopped paying claims in mid-2011." For more details, see here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/03/01/3057311/nuclear-fiasco-vexes-progress.html

Education & Resources: Triangle Transit Plan

The Capital Area Friends of Transit group has put together a thorough explanation and discussion of the draft Triangle Regional Transit Plan, complete with updated history, maps, and details on upcoming public comment opportunities. We recommend their website for conservationists interested in learning more about transportation issues and how public transit can help to shape travel and development in environmentally-friendly ways. Plus, of course, it's an invaluable tool for Triangle region citizens interested in participating directly in shaping their region's development future. Check it out here: http://www.capitalareafriendsoftransit.org/pages/regional-transit-plan

Campaign Watch: Orange May Vote on Transit Tax

While we're waiting for the final shoes to drop on candidate filing for the May primaries, we pause to note a potential referendum of environmental significance for the fall. The Orange County Commissioners are considering adding a vote on the proposed half-cent sales tax for transit to the November ballot.

If approved by the voters, this transit tax would provide key local funding for creation of a commuter rail line for the Research Triangle urban region. Voters in Durham County approved the tax last year. Wake County has not yet taken up the issue. Leaders of the Triangle Transit Authority indicate that they are waiting for positive action from at least two of the three counties prior to moving forward with a final plan for what would become North Carolina's second regional passenger rail system. (The successful and expanding Charlotte/Mecklenburg system was the first.)

Today, officials with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) are actively encouraging about the Triangle's prospects for federal funding approval if the region submits its plans for consideration. That's a dramatic contrast to the rebuff the region suffered six years ago when an earlier iteration of a Triangle passenger rail plan was rejected by the FTA.

In addition to further careful planning and substantive plan revisions at the regional level, the key difference between then and now comes from who's running the FTA today. The Obama Administration, including its FTA appointees, are transit-friendly supporters of expanding passenger rail service. The previous Bush Administration was not. It's fair to assume that the prospects for passenger rail in the Triangle as well as elsewhere around the nation are dependent in part on who wins the presidential election this fall.

Further discussion of the ongoing deliberations on transit in the Triangle region can be found here: http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/wake-orange-mull-their-options-on-transit-tax-and-regional-light-rail/Content?oid=2816617

Legislative Watch: Air Toxics Limits on the Chopping Block

The Environmental Review Commission (ERC) of the state legislature took up the question of state law on toxic air pollution last week, and the news was not good. Opponents of the law have drafted legislation to gut it.

We've known for some time that polluter-friendly legislators have targeted North Carolina's progressive rules protecting human health from exposure to air toxics. Their interest-group backers call the state rule "duplicative" and burdensome because it goes beyond inadequate federal minimums. They want to be able to design and site new power plants and other polluting facilities without regard to what concentrations of toxic pollutants may do to the air of neighboring communities. If the emissions from a given smokestack don't demonstrably violate federal minimums, that should be all we look at, they say.

In furtherance of that end, legislators worked with industry lobbyists to draft a bill that was rolled out to the ERC last week. Public interest environmental experts and citizen groups were not consulted. ERC legislative leaders said that environmentalists and other members of the public can make their suggestions now, and have them considered--so long as industry lobbyists accept them. Otherwise, the train designed by the polluters is pulling out of the station on its own.

We're told that this remarkably cavalier attitude about public input has become the new normal at the General Assembly, and that things will stay that way until and unless voters let legislators know at the polls this year that such an approach is unacceptable. You don't have to take our word for it; read an Associated Press account of the ERC meeting here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/02/24/3039883/curbs-proposed-to-pollution-rules.html

Administrative Watch: Firing Up the Chainsaws

Among the many environmental hits slung by last year's state legislative session, roadside trees were slammed by the billboard lobby. Now the sour fruit from that particular legislative tree is about to start dropping on our highways.

On March 1, new rules will take effect to do the following:

Scenic advocates suggest that there are still a few techniques available to slow down these signs of environmental degradation:

(CIB thanks Henry Fansler of the Foothills Sierra group for passing along these suggestions.)

Around the State: Wake Board Pleases the Tinfoil Hat Crowd

The same folks who warn us that the United Nations black helicopters are buzzing around the mountains, and aliens may be here soon to carry us all away, have recently identified a new threat for us to fear.

Agenda 21, a set of environmental recommendations coming out of a United Nations conference on sustainability back in 1992, has been resurrected as a green boogeyman for Tea Partiers everywhere in recent days. Somehow, this obscure document has been morphed into a grave and widespread menace to property rights and individual liberties across our land.

Well, fear not: The Wake County Commissioners are on the job. In declining to fully endorse the report of its own sustainability task force, a party-line majority of the Wake board declared that Wake County would take no actions based on that dastardly Agenda 21.

This would be a lot funnier on the whole if the Wake board action wasn't symptomatic of similar moves being pushed on local governments around the country. It reminds us of nothing more than the "no death panels" cry with which the tea partiers and their corporate sponsors greeted the health care reform debate in 2009. Those same forces, and the same lack of contact with the reality of the plans they're opposing, are now being turned on environmental protection and planning efforts by local governments.

More flavor of the debate in Wake County this month can be found in the News & Observer story from last week: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/02/20/1871293/wake-board-rejects-adoption-of.html

Education & Resources: Impaired Waters List

The draft 2012 update of the list of North Carolina's pollution-impaired waters is now out for public review. This document is known as the 303(d) list, after the section of the federal Clean Water Act which requires its preparation. The impaired waters list includes maps of the stream, river, and lake sections impaired, information on the pollutants causing the impairment, and the sources of those pollutants.

The latest draft 303(d) list shows that progress on cleaning up our state's waters seems to have stalled. For details on these troubled waters, go to the N.C. Division of Water Quality (DWQ) website here: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ps/mtu/assessment

DWQ will take comments on the report through March 12.