A crisis brings a pause to reflect, focus on community
As it does every year, spring brings beautiful new life to our environment. But this spring is like no other in the lives of most of us. And even as some make tentative, hopeful moves toward a return to pre-pandemic norms, we still have time to reflect on our health as a community, whether that community is global or as small as a neighborhood street.
Acting State Director Cynthia Satterfield shared her reflections on the clarity that has come with the near isolation forced by COVID-19. The pandemic "has laid bare our core values," she writes "We need nature to sustain us, and we depend on strong, healthy communities for our well-being. We are vulnerable to global forces but can act locally to protect ourselves and those more adversely affected than we are."
In a similar way, Cynthia notes, climate change taps these values - but it also allows us to address another core value: economic growth, through promoting clean energy development and protecting public lands that feed local economies.
Read more of her thoughts on our website, where you'll also find news from the General Assembly, reflections on a signal victory in the Chapter's 50-year history, and ways you can "explore, enjoy and protect" our environment from your home in the May 2020 edition of our e-newsletter, Footnotes.
Thanks for all you do!
Your N.C. Sierra Club staff
NC Sierra Club at 50: A Titan-ic threat rallies a community to long-term action
Residents of the Wilmington area were stunned in 2008 when the New Hanover County Commission voted - with no formal warning - to invite a multinational company to build a cement plant on the banks of the Cape Fear River.
Their dismay changed to anger - and activism. With support from the N.C. Sierra Club, the community rallied for what proved to be an eight-year-long fight to force Titan Cement to drop its plan to build the polluting facility in their area.
As the N.C. Chapter of Sierra Club marks its 50th anniversary this year, we're looking at important issues and signal victories in our work to "explore, enjoy and protect" North Carolina's environment and its people.
Kayne Darrell, a Sierra Club member and volunteer, was one of those community activists who led the fight to "Stop Titan." In this story, she explains why locals were so alarmed by news of the factory's approval (including the abrupt way it was approved by county leaders), how they leaned on each other and groups like the N.C. Sierra Club for strength and resources, and what this successful effort teaches us about how to stay the course - together - when our environmental health, and that of our children, is on the line.
Legislature's "short session" focuses on pandemic
The N.C. legislature is no exception as the COVID-19 pandemic rewrites what's "normal" in our lives.
The second half of the General Assembly's two-year term usually focuses on state budget adjustments. But no budget was passed last year in the "long session," and now the pandemic is demanding a response from state leadership.
Lawmakers convened in early May, focusing entirely on responding to the crisis and allocating federal relief funds. So far, the legislature has passed bipartisan COVID-19 relief bills allocating about half of the available federal funds.
To date, lawmakers haven't addressed changes requested by the State Board of Elections to ease voting during the pandemic, such as making election day a holiday, increasing poll worker pay, and making it easier to request absentee ballots. Sierra Club supports changes and funding to protect the health and safety of voters and poll workers, including expanded registration options, expanded early voting to prevent crowded polling places, and expanded vote-by-mail options.
As the session continues, lawmakers may look to allocate more federal funds and make more changes to state law to adapt to COVID-19. But other issues are gaining attention, though it's unclear if House and Senate leadership will make time for non-COVID measures.
Rep. Pricey Harrison (D - Greensboro) took the lead on filing three bills to address PFAS chemical contamination: H 1108, PFAS Contamination Mitigation Measures; H 1109, PFAS Manufacture/Use/Sale Ban; and H 1110, PFAS Studies. Representatives Deb Butler, Rachel Hunt, Christy Clark, John Autry, Marcia Morey, Ray Russell, Brandon Lofton and Robert Reives are also primary sponsors of one or more of these bills.
Federal court ruling stands to delay pipeline projects
Construction of two dirty fuel pipelines into North Carolina may be significantly delayed thanks to a federal judge's ruling on permits for one pipeline to cross bodies of water.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris of Montana ruled last month that the Army Corps violated federal law by issuing nationwide permits to cross bodies of water without adequately consulting other agencies on risks to endangered species and habitat.
According to this Reuters story, analysts at Height Capital Markets in Washington said they were “skeptical” that a higher court will stay Morris's order, and noted the court may not decide the case until 2021.
If that happens, it would further delay the in-service date for the Mountain Valley Pipeline to at least mid 2021. It could also also prevent Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline from entering service in early 2022 as planned, the analysts said.
Learn more about intersection between climate change, LGBTQ+ rights
History has shown that vulnerable communities are in the greatest danger of being further marginalized and most heavily burdened during a crisis. Climate change, arguably the single most dangerous threat faced by humanity, presents just such a threat to these groups of people.
Exacerbated resource scarcity and social unrest could undo all their developmental accomplishments, including achievements on LGBTQ+ rights, within barely a decade.
That's why the N.C. Sierra Club is partnering with Climate Action NC and Environment North Carolina to host the Out for the Earth series. The two events in June, Pride Month, feature online discussions on the intersectionality between the climate crisis and LGBTQ rights led by voices in the community and their allies here in the Triangle region. Panelists will include Lindi von Mutius with Out for Sustainability (and also the Sierra Club's chief of staff).
Register now for the panel discussions at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 11, and 6 p.m. Thursday, June 25. You can also get more information about the events on Facebook.
Make a difference for the environment from your home!
Looking for a way to help the environment while staying safely at home? We've got ideas! Take part in these action items and share them with your friends!
You have until May 27 - a week from today - to speak up against plans for a wood pellet plant in Lumberton. DEQ has scheduled an online hearing for the pellet plant on June 15.
And you have several weeks left to comment on the U.S. Forest Service's draft management plan for the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests. The draft plan is complex, so we've distilled some important points into a letter you can personalize and submit before the June 29 deadline.
You can urge state regulators to reject a mining permit for a quarry just outside Umstead State Park between Raleigh and Durham. The Department of Environmental Quality has agreed to hold a public hearing on the permit, though no date has yet been set. Follow our action page for further information when it's released.
Finally, don't forget to ask the N.C. Utilities Commission to reject Duke Energy's request for a rate hike. Let the commission know you think Duke Energy shouldn't be allowed to raise rates to pay for dirty energy and coal ash mismanagement.
Upcoming Outings and Events
Please note that most in-person outings and events have been cancelled for the immediate future. Other events are being switched to online. For current information, visit our online calendar.