Legislative Watch: Big Hog Wins Override Vote
Legislative Watch: Big Hog Wins Override Vote Last week, supermajorities in both the state House and Senate decided that protecting Big Hog’s profits is more important than safeguarding the property and health of its North Carolina neighbors. The Senate voted 37-9, and the House followed suit 74-45, to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of SB […]
Education & Resources: Key Report on Emerging Contaminants Released
Education & Resources: Key Report on Emerging Contaminants Released The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week released an overdue report on the human health dangers from the category of “emerging” water pollutants, which includes GenX. The draft report shows that these toxic substances can pose a danger in much lower concentrations than regulators had […]
Washington Watch: Trump Revokes Ocean Protection Policy
Washington Watch: Trump Revokes Ocean Protection Policy In a new executive order issued Wednesday, President Donald Trump revoked the federal ocean protection policy instituted by President Barack Obama after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster. The Obama executive order cited the damages created by that disaster, and detailed the first comprehensive national ocean policy. […]
Legislative Watch: Light Rail Planners Adjusting for Cut
Legislative Watch: Light Rail Planners Adjusting for Cut Planners for the Orange-Durham passenger light rail project are working to adjust for legislators’ latest restrictions. As reported last week, this year’s budget added further complications to the process of planning and funding this green transportation initiative. A “technical corrections” bill rescued the project from a killer […]
Executive Watch: Veto Watch
Executive Watch: Veto Watch Eyes are on Gov. Roy Cooper this week, as he considers how to respond to two bills that contain terrible policy for public health, clean water, and environmental justice. As of CIB press time, Gov. Cooper had not yet announced his decision to sign or veto several pieces of adopted legislation, […]
Conservation Action: Fight Voter Suppression
Conservation Action: Fight Voter Suppression Citizen conservation advocates have joined with other public interest organizations to fight against a new effort to suppress broad voter participation in North Carolina. The NC House is scheduled to vote this afternoon on a proposed state constitutional amendment to require voters to show approved state photo identification before voting […]
Hotlist 6/20/18: Farm Act Close to Becoming Law
Farm Act Close To Becoming Law This week, we are returning to update the discussion on Senate Bill 711: the NC Farm Act of 2018. After passing the Senate and the House, SB 711 awaits the decision of Governor Roy Cooper. As this bill prioritizes the interests of hog corporations over the health and well-being […]
Coast Watch: Atlantic Governors Condemn Drilling “Ransom”
Coast Watch: Atlantic Governors Condemn Drilling “Ransom” The governors of five Atlantic Coast states, including North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, are condemning as “ransom” a congressional proposal to hit states which block offshore drilling with hefty federal fines. The widely-condemned proposal would charge states which have blocked over half of their offshore area from drilling […]
Campaign Watch: LCV Endorses Manning for Congress
Campaign Watch: LCV Endorses Manning for Congress Last week, the national League of Conservation Voters (LCV) announced its endorsement of Kathy Manning in the race for North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District. The 13th is currently represented by Ted Budd, who is running for his second term. In the announcement, LCV Action Fund senior vice president […]
Legislative Watch: Taking Up the Trash
Legislative Watch: Taking Up the Trash As this legislative session nears its conclusion, its anti-environmental leadership is harvesting this year’s crop of attacks on clean water, conservation, and public health. It’s their time to take up the trash. Three bills stand out in this category. First, the legislature completed its expected override of Gov. Cooper’s […]
