By Cassie Gavin
Senior Director of Government Relations
This week at the N.C. General Assembly, the state budget stalemate continued with no end in sight. Duke Energy’s priority bill to authorize multi-year ratemaking, which the N.C. Sierra Club opposes, also seemed to stall out and was sent back to the House Rules Committee. A spirited debate on the Farm Act continued, primarily due to its industrial hemp provisions.
House committee amends Farm Act
On Wednesday, the House Finance Committee approved the Farm Act (S 315) with amendments. The bill will next go to the House Judiciary Committee (perhaps on Wednesday). Rep. Deb Butler (D - Brunswick, New Hanover) amended the confidentiality provision that would make secret certain agricultural public documents. N.C. Sierra Club opposes that provision because we support government transparency. Butler’s amendment ensures that a public complaint filed with a soil and water conservation district that results in a violation would remain a public record. The confidentiality provision remains problematic, but the amendment is helpful.
In committee, Rep. Butler also expressed opposition to the hog farm provision that would allow farms to make changes to waste treatment systems and avoid currently required upgrades as long as they don’t add more hogs. This would allow factory hog farms to double down on the outdated lagoon and sprayfield method of waste management that the N.C. General Assembly voted years ago to phase out because of its environmental and health problems.
Opportunity for Action
Please thank Rep. Butler for her work to address the harmful provisions in the Farm Act and ask your House representative to oppose the bill.
Billboard bill still on the Senate calendar …
The Senate did not take up the billboard bill (H 645) this week although it was added to and removed from the Senate calendar every day. N.C. Sierra Club opposes this bill because it limits local government authority over billboards and would allow more cutting of trees along our highways.
Opportunity for Action
H 645 is on Monday’s Senate calendar (again) so please continue to let your senator know that you support scenic highways over billboards.