FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 21, 2017
Contact: Dan Crawford; dan@nclcv.org; 919-539-1422
RALEIGH: In response to Governor Roy Cooper’s veto of House Bill 56, “Amend Environmental Laws,” which failed to adequately address the public health and environmental threats posed by the emerging contaminant GenX, Dan Crawford, director of governmental relations with NCLCV, issued the following statement:
“NCLCV commends the Governor for vetoing House Bill 56, legislation that failed to prioritize clean, safe drinking water. In fact, a provision tucked in H56 would have weakened protections for riparian buffers, nature’s first line of defense to filter out harmful pollutants and sedimentation from North Carolina waters. This is the fourth veto that Governor Cooper has issued against anti-conservation bills that put the health and well-being of our communities and natural resources in jeopardy.
The Governor recognizes that contaminants like GenX pose a potentially seriously risk to North Carolina families. That is why he and other environmental legislative allies are advocating for legislation to allocate additional financial resources to the Department of Environmental Quality during the October special session. DEQ hires water quality experts to monitor bodies of water like the Cape Fear River and alert the public if potentially harmful elements are discovered.
If legislators truly believe that clean drinking water is a fundamental right, they will return to Raleigh in October with a bill to provide the requested $2.6 million in emergency finding to DEQ so these experts can do their job. Legislators can thank Governor Cooper for this second chance to do what’s right.”
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NC League of Conservation Voters is a nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing North Carolina’s natural environment. NCLCV has been working to protect North Carolina’s environment and our citizen’s health for nearly 50 years, turning environmental values into North Carolina priorities. NCLCV’s vision for the future of North Carolina is that all citizens and our elected decision-makers will better understand and appreciate North Carolina’s unique natural environment, and the integral role it plays in North Carolina’s economy and quality of life. Visit nclcv.org for more information.
