By Cassie Gavin
Senior Director of Government Relations
This week at the NC General Assembly was filled with highs and lows for environmental protection. Three environmentally harmful bills were approved by Senate Committees: the Farm Act, the Regulatory Reform Act, and the Military Base Protection Act. On the bright side, we learned that the electronics waste recycling provision we've been working against is planned to be removed from the Regulatory Reform bill.
Military Base Protection Act - wind energy ban turned into a three-year moratorium
S 377, the Military Base Protection Act, reared its head again this week in Senate Finance Committee. The original bill, sponsored by Sen. Harry Brown (R - Jones, Onslow) would have essentially banned wind energy in much of eastern North Carolina. The amended bill would ban wind energy development in the same areas of North Carolina for three years. Note that an 18-month moratorium on wind energy just expired at the end of 2018. Sen. Brown says his goal is to protect military bases, but the Department of Defense already reviews wind projects to ensure they do not impact military operations and the state permitting process allows the state the discretion to deny a permit to any proposed wind project that might compromise military training space.
Sen. Jim Perry (R - Lenoir, Wayne), a co-sponsor, repeatedly expressed in committee that his end goal for S 377 is not to have a moratorium, but the bill is exactly that. Expectations are that this bill may be added to the Senate calendar to be voted on Monday night.
Opportunity for Action
Please contact your senator and ask them to oppose Senate Bill 377, the Military Base Protection Act, because we don’t need another moratorium on wind energy on top of the 18-month moratorium that just expired.
Farm Act still favors the hog industry over the environment
On Wednesday, S 315, the Farm Act, sponsored by Senators Brent Jackson (R - Duplin, Johnson, Sampson), Norm Sanderson (R - Carteret, Craven, Pamlico), and Todd Johnson (R - Union) passed the Senate Agriculture Committee - and it still contains ample handouts to the hog industry.
Please thank Sen. Harper Peterson (D - New Hanover) for proposing an amendment to the Farm Act to study the impacts of poultry waste and policies to address them. While the amendment wasn’t approved by the committee, his effort is appreciated.
Electronics recycling program defended
The Senate Rules Committee passed S 553, Regulatory Reform, on Wednesday, but not before discussing an amendment to remove the section that would eliminate the ban on dumping electronic waste in landfills. Elimination of the landfill ban would allow TVs and computers to be put in landfills and risk leaching toxic chemicals into our air and water. Sen. Wells, the bill sponsor, said that this harmful section will be removed by an amendment when the bill is considered by the full Senate on Monday.
Please thank Sen. Chuck Edwards (R -Transylvania, Buncombe, Henderson) for his work to remove this provision and defend the state’s electronics recycling program.