By Cassie Gavin
Director of Government Relations
This week was a fast-paced one at the Legislature as the end of session seems to be nearing. Reports are that the state budget will be passed within a few weeks, and session rarely lasts long after that.
Billboard bill pulled from House calendar (again)
H 581 - the billboard bill that won't go away - was calendered to be voted on by the House on Wednesday, but then was pulled off and sent to the Rules Committee. The bill has previously been on the calendar and then removed. This could indicate some controversy between members on the bill, or it could be that the sponsor (also the chair of the rules committee) would like to make changes.
We expect that this bill will be up for consideration by the House next week. As a reminder, the bill would allow billboards to be converted to digital, would allow more cutting of trees around billboards, and take away some local controls over where billboards may be placed, as well as their height, size and type. To learn more about how billboards can negatively impact safety, tourism and property values check out Scenic America's website.
Opportunity for Action
Please contact your representative and ask them to protect North Carolina's scenic beauty by opposing H 581.
Budget negotiations continue out of public eye
Since both chambers have passed their own versions of the state budget - which differ in significant ways - a conference committee has been appointed that will negotiate behind closed doors on a final budget in the coming weeks. We hope to see a final budget without the wind moratorium, without the algaecides provision for Jordan and Falls lakes, and with adequate funding for the Department of Environmental Quality.
Opportunity for action
Please contact your legislators - especially if they are on the conference committee - and ask them to protect funding for DEQ in the state budget so that the agency has the staff to enforce the laws that protect our air and water.
Governor calls special session but Legislature refuses
Governor Cooper called a special session in response to the Supreme Court's ruling on Monday that 28 of North Carolina's state legislative districts were racially gerrymandered and have to be redrawn. On Thursday morning, a special session was calendared, but both the House and Senate refused, claiming that the call for the special session was unconstitutional. Ultimately a NC court will determine when new maps must be redrawn and whether there will need to be special state legislative elections this year. If not, there will be new maps drawn for 2018 and potential for a change in the balance of power between parties.
Energy bill unveiled
This week the House released and quickly passed an omnibus energy bill, House Bill 589, "Competitive Energy Solutions for NC," on a 108-11 vote. The bill will next be considered by the Senate. The Chapter took a neutral position on H 589 given the mix of positives and negatives for clean energy proposed in the legislation.
It was positive and hopeful to hear Rep. John Szoka (R-Fayetteville) introduce the legislation in the energy committee he co-chairs by saying that solar and renewables are essential to being competitive in the global economy. This is a big change from the heated debates on renewable energy that the House has engaged in over the past five years. In committee, Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Greensboro) highlighted some of the concerns that the Chapter and other groups have raised about particular provisions including a study of net metering that mentions fees.
Overall, the bill is a mixed bag - we lose some ground in terms of state policies that have benefited solar development, but we gain access to previously unavailable ways to expand solar access, such as third party leasing, a solar rebate and community solar.
Among the many proposals in the bill, H 589 would significantly change North Carolina's interpretation of a federal law called PURPA (Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act), which was enacted in 1978 to promote energy conservation and greater use of domestic energy and renewable energy. States have interpreted PURPA differently; NC has required standard 15-year contracts for renewable energy projects up to 5 MW. That would change, if this bill becomes law, to 10-year standard contracts for projects up to 1 MW.
Additionally, H 589 would legalize third-party leasing, as well as create a community solar program, a solar rebate program and a new green source rider program. These programs are all limited in the proposed legislation, in terms of capacity. We believe there is substantial public demand for these options and would like to see these programs authorized to grow over time. At the same time, it is a step forward that the bill would require these previously unavailable options to be made available to North Carolinians.