NCLCV Honors Environmental Champions with Keynote Speaker Josh Stein

Last night, the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters (NCLCV) held their 18th Annual Green Tie Awards to honor state legislators who seek to protect our air, water, energy future, and democracy. North Carolinians from across the state gathered to hear from keynote speaker Attorney General Josh Stein and celebrate environmental leadership. 

Attorney General Josh Stein’s Remarks

In his remarks, Attorney General Stein noted several landmark cases his administration won on behalf of North Carolinians. In 2020, his case successfully required Chemours to pay $12 million for their intentional pollution of the Cape Fear River. In 2021, he secured $1.1 billion in ratepayer savings from Duke Energy when they were forced to clean up their coal ash spills.

Having grown up in North Carolina, Stein said he does this work because he loves his state. He and his wife have raised their kids in NC, and they want to protect the environment so all families, regardless of race, income status, or other circumstance will be able to raise their kids here safely. In an analogy, he likened North Carolina to a garden, and everyone has their part in caring for it. Stein emphasized part of caring for families is acting on the climate crisis to prepare for hotter temperatures and more frequent flooding and hurricanes.

NCLCV Honors Environmental Champ: Pricey Harrison

Also during the program, NCLCV awarded legislators for their leadership on environmental issues. Representative Pricey Harrison earned NCLCV’s most distinguished legislative award: the Defender of the Environment. Representative Harrison was first elected in 2004, and over the last 20 years, NCLCV has recognized her and her advocacy on five separate occasions. 

In honor of Harrison’s unwavering commitment to the environment throughout her career, NCLCV executive director Carrie Clark announced they are renaming the award as the Pricey Harrison Defender of the Environment Award. 

Honoring Senator and Representative of the Year

NCLCV recognized Senator Graig Meyer as the Senator of the Year. Senator Meyer has a lifetime score of 95% on environmental issues and received a score of 100% for the 2023 Legislative Scorecard. He works tirelessly to lead the fight against climate change by engaging the electorate and connecting environmental groups to the Senate. From regulating EV charging stations to ensuring accessible clean drinking water, Meyer aligns himself with NCLCV’s values to safeguard our environment and protect North Carolinians. NCLCV previously recognized him as a Rising Star during his service in the House.

As another former rising star, Representative John Autry boasts a 100% lifetime score and has built a legacy as a dependable and outspoken advocate. As such, NCLCV recognized him with the Representative of the Year award. Representative Autry has cemented himself as a leader in environmental justice, renewable energy tax credits, and increased solar capacity by continuously sponsoring these legislative efforts. Although this is his last session before retiring, Representative Autry has left a lasting mark on the legislature as an environmental champion. 

Honoring our Rising Stars

Finally, each year NCLCV honors up-and-coming legislators who have already demonstrated their commitment to protecting the environment and North Carolinian communities. This year, NCLCV honored the following Representatives and Senator:

Rising Stars

Representative Eric Ager, Representative Gloristine Brown, Representative Kanika Brown, Representative Allen Buansi, Representative Laura Budd, Representative Maria Cervania, Representative Frances Jackson, PhD, Representative Ya Liu, Representative Tim Longest, Representative Lindsey Prather, Representative Renée A. Price, Representative Caleb Rudow Representative Charles Smith, Representative Diamond Staton-Williams, and Senator Lisa Grafstein

“The Green Tie awards recognize legislators who are committed to protecting our communities and our environment,” said Dan Crawford, NCLCV’s director of governmental relations. “We ask voters to hold legislators accountable for their votes on the environment at the ballot box this November.”

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