Out of state money is taking aim at our state Attorney General contest. This week in CIB:

Campaign Watch: PAC Punches Up the Attorney General Race

“Independent” Political Action Committees (PACs), not formally affiliated with any candidate’s campaign, are gearing up to flood North Carolina with ads and other voter mobilization efforts over the next two months. Just as in recent past campaign cycles, the expenditures by these unaffiliated groups may exceed direct candidate spending in some key contests.

One such group is the so-called “Carolinians for Freedom,” which has reserved at least $2.4 million in television ad time before the election. Never heard of them? You’re not alone. The group was newly created in mid-June as a state-level “front group for the Republican Attorneys General Association [RAGA], which is backing state Senator Buck Newton.”

Newton’s own candidate campaign committee had raised only about $705,000 as of June 30, and had less than $230,000 cash on hand. This is clearly one of those cases in which the money being put in by the outside group could dwarf spending by the candidate himself.

RAGA is a nationwide group which takes contributions from “corporations and mega-donors” to funnel into “independent” expenditures on behalf of Republican nominees for state Attorneys General like Newton. A website financed by this RAGA front group is already attacking Democratic Attorney General nominee Josh Stein for (among other things) supporting a ban on disposable plastic grocery bags in three Outer Banks counties.

For his record of leadership in the NC State Senate on environmental issues, Josh Stein has been endorsed for Attorney General by NCLCV. In May, Stein was recognized as winner of the 2016 “Defender of the Environment” award at NCLCV’s Green Tie Awards. Stein had a 2015 score of 100% on the NCLCV Legislative Environmental Scorecard for key environmental votes in the General Assembly last year and has a career positive environmental legislative score of 86%. By contrast, Newton had a 2015 score of 0%, and a career score of 4%.

The state Attorney General’s office is important to environmental protection in the state, in that it is responsible for advising state agencies (including the Department of Environmental Quality) on legal matters. It also helps to interpret and defend the state’s environmental laws and pollution control permits, and pursues environmental enforcement cases in court. An Attorney General who is strong on environmental policy can be a real boon to strong environmental protection, while one who is indifferent or hostile can act as a major hindrance.

Around the Globe: U.S., China Sign Climate Action Deal

At the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, last week, the United States and China formally signed the Paris Agreement to address climate change. The Paris Agreement is set to officially take effect once it is signed by at least 55 countries, representing at least 55% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. As of last week, 26 countries had signed. Since the U.S. and China together represent an estimated 39% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, the fact that both have signed is regarded as improving the chances that the Paris Agreement will go into effect this year.

Collectively, the 20 major industrial nations represented in the G20 release an estimated 80% of total global greenhouse gas emissions.

Around the States: Solar Ballot Battles in the Sunshine State

The state of Florida saw one major victory for solar energy at the ballot box during its state primary election last month. The ballot initiative (Amendment 4) will exempt solar and other renewable energy devices on business and industrial property from property taxes for 20 years. (Residential solar equipment already gets the exemption.) The initiative was approved by 72% of the votes cast on August 30. (Florida, without a state income tax, relies heavily on property taxes to fund its state budget.) The property tax break on solar energy equipment is expected to further improve the economics of solar energy generation, and promote the installation of an increasing amount of solar energy capacity. Since the solar tax breaks will go into the state constitution, they are insulated from state legislative repeal or limitation as well.

For solar advocates in the Sunshine State, the passage of this positive Amendment 4 in the primary makes this year’s solar ballot score one down, and one to go. A more controversial proposal, which would restrict solar electricity sales, awaits Florida voters on the November ballot. The solar electric sales restriction proposal, Amendment 1, would bar the direct sale of solar-produced electricity from non-utility producers to customers. (A similar prohibition already exists in North Carolina and has hindered some avenues of solar energy development.) Environmental groups are fighting this proposal, while major utilities like Florida Power & Light and Duke Energy are its biggest backers. It’s a key direct policy vote this November 8, and energy advocates nationwide will be watching.

That’s our report for this week.