North Carolina has historically been a leader in the south on forward-thinking environmental policy but in the past few years, appears to be backtracking in this area. As you may know, the Legislature began its 2015 long session last week with a ceremonial day and will reconvene for business on Jan. 28.
The NC Senate is likely to continue in the same direction in 2015 under the leadership of Senate President Phil Berger. In the House there has been a change in leadership since former Speaker Thom Tillis was elected to the US Senate. His successor, Rep. Tim Moore, is a Republican from Kings Mountain, near Charlotte.
In 2015 we may see legislative action on renewable energy, coal ash, fracking, water quality and offshore drilling. In light of the NC Sierra Club’s conservation priorities, we’ll be particularly focused on supporting the EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan from legislative efforts to delay state action. We will also be supporting the expansion of solar energy in the state.
The NC Chapter sends out weekly updates during session to our Legislative Updates listserv – please email cassie.gavin@sierraclub.org if you’d like to receive these updates.
If you’d like to get more engaged in our efforts to advocate state legislators for environmental protection, please use the form below to sign up for our Volunteer Lobby Corps. Become a Volunteer Lobbyist to help make sure our elected officials have the information they need to make good decisions on matters related to the environment and clean energy.