NCLCV kicks off its 2014 legislative endorsements, plus other news, this week in CIB:

Campaign Watch: NCLCV Announces First 2014 Endorsements

NCLCV is announcing its first endorsements of the 2014 campaign cycle, seven incumbent state legislators who are receiving “fast tracked” support in their upcoming contested primaries. NCLCV Director of Governmental Affairs Dan Crawford said that all seven have previously been endorsed by NCLCV and have earned renewed backing this year through their “solid” records of support for environmental quality, common-sense pollution control, and the protection of public health.

These endorsees are the following:

• Senate District 5: Don Davis (D-Greene)
• Senate District 28: Gladys Robinson (D-Guilford)
• House District 5: Annie Mobley (D-Hertford)
• House District 24: Jean Farmer-Butterfield (D-Wilson)
• House District 27: Michael Wray (D-Northampton)
• House District 57: Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford)
• House District 117: Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson)

Separately, NCLCV is working on a nonpartisan basis to encourage voter participation in all the primary elections this year. For those new to voting in North Carolina, or uncertain regarding what changes are in effect this year, detailed information is available here.

Judicial Watch: Duke Appeals Cleanup Order, Fights Transparency

Duke Energy’s having a rough time in the courts this past month, but it’s not giving up without a fight the right to keep polluting and concealing from the public its correspondence with regulators.

Last Friday, State Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway denied Duke’s request for a protective order allowing it to keep away from environmental groups in a civil case the records subpoenaed recently by a federal grand jury in its criminal investigation. Both the civil and criminal matters cover some of the same issues and transactions, dealing with Duke’s handling of coal ash storage pits and the pollution from them. Ridgeway said he’d consider more limited protection from full public disclosure of records on a case by case basis only. More here.

The day before, Duke filed notice that it would appeal Ridgeway’s earlier order in the same case, directing Duke to “immediately” begin action to stop groundwater pollution from its coal ash pits. At the same time, the company asked the court to put enforcement of its order on hold during the appeal. Duke had earlier asked the court to delay the order while it considered appealing, a request which was denied. Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) has indicated that it will oppose any delays in the order during appeal. A ruling on the latest delay request from Duke is expected shortly.

In further developments last week, the state legislature’s Environmental Review Commission (ERC) announced that it would hold a special meeting on coal ash issues on April 22, prior to the reconvening of the budget “short session”. Draft legislation from the ERC is a possibility. The legislature’s Democratic caucus has already proposed legislation which would require Duke to close and relocate all its coal ash storage to lined landfills away from water bodies–and to pay the costs without passing them on to ratepayers. More here.

There’s no cooling off thus far with these ashes.

Climate Change Update: Administration Proposes Methane Control Plan

The Obama Administration has announced its strategy to reduce emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas more than 20 times the potency of carbon dioxide. The strategy targets methane emissions from coal mining, landfills, oil and gas production, and agriculture. A combination of standards is to be developed beginning immediately. The announced timetable would have a more detailed plan prepared by this fall, with regulations to be completed by the end of 2016. (The Climate Post, 4/3/14)

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) called the announced strategy “a big step in the right direction” and that “more needs to be done” to implement the plan. More here.

Education & Resources: Local Impacts of Climate Change

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) will hold a webinar on “framing local extreme weather events within the bigger global climate picture”–in other words, on how to explain the connection between current local extreme weather problems and the problem of continuing global climate change. The seminar is titled, “Making Climate Change Local and Personal”.

The seminar will be held Wednesday, April 12, from noon to 1 p.m. It will feature conversation with the director and producer of the award-winning documentary Shored Up, dealing with sea level rise, shoreline movement, and coastal development. There is no charge for participation. For more information and to register, go here.

Conservationists: NCLCV Hires Online Coordinator; Green Tie Adds Sponsors

NCLCV Hires Online Coordinator: NCLCV has hired a new staff member to develop and execute strategies for increasing the involvement of our online activists network in the work of NCLCV. Katie Paulson started work last week as NCLCV’s “Online Engagement Coordinator”. Katie comes to NCLCV from her previous work as a program manager with Donate Life North Carolina, a statewide nonprofit group which works to encourage North Carolinians to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. She has experience teaching high school students in the exceptional children’s program, and a Master of Public Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill. Welcome Katie!

Green Tie Adds Sponsors: NCLCV is adding more sponsors as it prepares for the annual Green Tie Awards Dinner this May 27. At the dinner, NCLCV will recognize outstanding North Carolina state legislators and other leaders of the year for their contributions to the quality of our state’s environment. U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan is this year’s keynote speaker. For more information on tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the event, see here.

That’s our report for this week.