Campaign Watch: Candidate Filing Starts Today
Campaign Watch: Candidate Filing Starts Today An environmentally critical legislative election year moves into its next phase today (Monday, February 12), as the filing period for General Assembly and many other offices opens at noon. Uncertainty regarding the final legislative district maps for the year continued almost to the start of the filing period, as […]
Washington Watch: Clean Water Rule Delayed Again
Washington Watch: Clean Water Rule Delayed Again The Trump EPA has once again delayed the critical Clean Water Rule—to buy more time for its plan to kill it. The Trump EPA last week announced that it was delaying by another two years the Clean Water Rule, arguably the Obama Administration’s most important action to protect […]
Coast Watch: Rally to Raleigh Against Offshore Drilling
Coast Watch: Rally to Raleigh Against Offshore Drilling Clean coast advocates are organizing a major “Rally to Raleigh” against offshore drilling on February 26. Concerned residents can take chartered buses from Wilmington, Morehead City, or Nags Head. The Offshore Oil Coalition is heading to Raleigh on Monday, February 26, for a key public hearing by […]
Conservation Action: Stronger Steps to Clean Up Coal Ash
Conservation Action: Stronger Steps to Clean Up Coal Ash Conservationists are calling on the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to require faster, tougher action by Duke Energy to stop water pollution from its coal ash pits. In January, DEQ issued a draft order to Duke to address water pollution from coal ash pits at […]
Legislative Watch: For Dirty Energy, Money Shouts
Legislative Watch: For Dirty Energy, Money Shouts If the old cliché says that “money talks,” for dirty energy in the current North Carolina General Assembly, fast cash was shouting last year. Analysis by environmental reporter Lisa Sorg shows that Dominion Energy (a key backer of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline) poured generous contributions into the campaign […]
Washington Watch: Trump Attacks Solar Industry with Tariff
Washington Watch: Trump Attacks Solar Industry with Tariff Donald Trump last week attacked the solar industry with a 30% tariff on imported solar panels. It probably should not come as a surprise that Trump, the champion of oil and coal, chose solar energy as the target for implementing some of his anti-China campaign rhetoric. He […]
Coast Watch: Cooper Pledges Lawsuit if NC Stays in Drilling Plan
Coast Watch: Cooper Pledges Lawsuit if NC Stays in Drilling Plan Continuing his opposition to oil and gas drilling off the North Carolina coast, Gov. Roy Cooper last week pledged to sue if the NC coast stays in the US Interior Department’s new plans. Cooper issued the threat of litigation as part of his continuing […]
Administrative Watch: DEQ Approves Key Pipeline Permit
Administrative Watch: DEQ Approves Key Pipeline Permit Environmental advocates expressed disappointment with a key state regulatory approval for the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP). The NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) late last week issued the 401 water quality certification for the proposed ACP. This certification is the state approval needed for projects which impact […]
Judicial Watch: NC High Court Strikes Down Election Law
Judicial Watch: NC High Court Strikes Down Election Law Fair election advocates praised the NC Supreme Court’s decision to strike down legislative changes to North Carolina’s elections oversight apparatus. A narrowly divided N.C. Supreme Court late last week struck down the General Assembly’s attempt to change the membership of the State Board of Elections. The […]
Administrative Watch: Does Ash Pond Fix Do Enough?
Administrative Watch: Does Ash Pond Fix Do Enough? The NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has proposed an $84,000 fine against Duke Energy Carolinas, and accelerated cleanup requirements for coal ash pits at three of its facilities. Does the proposed order go far enough? The proposed order sets cleanup deadlines for the “seeps” from ash […]
