By Cassie Gavin
Senior Director of Government Relations
This week at the N.C. General Assembly, we saw the Senate speedily move several environmentally harmful bills. The budget is now in conference - being negotiated behind closed doors - which seems to have opened up space for more committee work.
Senate passes another wind energy moratorium
On Wednesday, the Senate passed Senate Bill 377, “Military Base Protection Act,” which is essentially a three-year wind moratorium over much of the state. This arbitrary and unnecessary measure would cut off economic opportunities across North Carolina, especially in the east, where wind energy is a proven success. The Department of Defense’s Siting Clearinghouse exists precisely to provide the direct oversight necessary to protect any current or anticipated military activities in the United States. Also, unlike many other states, North Carolina has its own state permitting program put into law in 2013. It explicitly gives the state the authority to deny a permit for a wind farm if it in any way compromises military air or training space.
The bill passed 25-19, mostly along party lines; Sen. Bob Steinburg was the only “no” vote from the majority party. Please thank Senators Floyd McKissick (D - Durham), Wiley Nickel (D - Wake) and Bob Steinburg (R - Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Herford, Hyde, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, Washington) who spoke against the bill in the Senate debate. This bill was sent to the House where it was assigned to the Rules Committee.
Opportunity for Action:
Please contact your House member and ask them to support clean wind energy by opposing Senate Bill 377.
Senate committee approves new fees and regulations for solar and wind energy
S 568, “Recycling and Restoration/Renewable Energy," sponsored by Sen. Paul Newton (R - Cabarrus, Union), former N.C. President of Duke Energy, was approved by a Senate committee on Thursday. The bill would add new fees and requirements to wind and solar projects that, all together, would be unique to North Carolina. A representative of the solar industry spoke against the bill noting that it could cause solar panel prices to go up and discourage investment in clean energy in North Carolina. The solar industry is not opposing the creation of a solar panel recycling program after a study like the one proposed in House Bill 479. Former DEQ Secretary Donald van der Vaart, who now represents the conservative think tank John Locke Foundation, spoke in favor of the measure. Please thank Senators Mike Woodard (D -Durham, Granville, Person), Bob Steinburg, Wiley Nickel and Harper Peterson (R - New Hanover) for speaking against the bill in committee. S 568 has two more committee stops in the Senate.
Senate vote on factory farm giveaways expected Monday
Senate Bill 315, the Farm Act, was approved by two Senate committees this week so the bill is expected to calendared for a vote by the full Senate on Monday. S 315 contains a section that would make secret certain public records connected with soil and water conservation programs, including documents about factory hog farms that may expose environmental issues. The bill would also create a new exemption to odor rules for certain farms and allow hog farms that install biogas technology to avoid upgrading to environmentally superior technologies, as long as they don't increase the number of pigs on site.
Please ask your senator to oppose the Farm Act.