A look into the environmental aspects of the budget and why Gov. Cooper will let it pass.

As the Biden-Harris and Cooper Administrations leaned into positive action on the climate crisis and clean energy development, North Carolina’s state legislature passed a budget bill loaded with provisions that will move us backward on both fronts.

Months late, the FY2023-24 budget bill was finally passed by the Republican supermajorities after an extended delay created by a dispute between the House and Senate over massive expansion of legal organized gambling. On the final budget votes, all Republicans present voted yes, and all present Senate Democrats and all but five House Democrats voted no.

Governor Cooper quickly announced that the bill was too massively larded with destructive provisions for him to sign. He cited the unconstitutional removal of executive branch authority over key boards and commissions, as well as the wholesale transfer of tax funding (up to $500 million/year) to subsidies for even the wealthiest families to send their children to exclusive private schools, instead of allocating better funding for the public schools open to all.

However, instead of a futile veto attempt, Cooper will allow the bill to become law without his signature in order to avoid further delays to Medicaid expansion and other badly needed budget items.

“Make no mistake, overall this is a bad budget that seriously shortchanges our schools, prioritizes power grabs, keeps shady backroom deals secret and blatantly violates the constitution, and many of its provisions will face legal action,” said Cooper. “However, we must recognize this irresponsible legislature’s decade of refusal to expand Medicaid, which has caused life and death situations for so many North Carolinians and threatened the very existence of numerous rural hospitals. I will not allow people who are crying for help to wait any longer.”

Among the more egregious budget provisions from an environmental standpoint are the following:

• Barring North Carolina from participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), an interstate trading program for emissions reductions credits that is helping other states reduce their carbon emissions.
• Barring North Carolina from adopting the more stringent vehicle fleet emissions standards, such as the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule, which are helping other states drive the transition to zero-emission electric vehicles.
• Eliminating vehicle emissions inspections in 19 North Carolina counties.
• Blocking state agencies from prioritizing electric cars, trucks, and buses.

It’s as though the legislative leaders controlling the current legislature have no understanding or willingness to address the urgency of the climate change crisis—because they clearly do not. Instead, they continue to do the bidding of their campaign contribution patrons in the fossil fuel and regulated utility industries.

We will continue to examine the implications of other budget provisions impacting pollution control, public health, and natural resources in future Conservation Insider Bulletin (CIB) articles. Sign up to receive the CIB.