News: Farm Act's Biogas Section Needs to Go
June 24, 2021
The N.C. House today passed S 605, the Farm Act of 2021, without a section that would have weakened protections for whistleblowing workers but retaining an environmentally harmful proposal to allow general permits for biogas systems at factory hog...
Legislative Update: Fuming over hog biogas, fracked gas
June 17, 2021
This week the House took up two of the bills we’ve been following, the Farm Act and a new House energy bill. Plus, the Senate moved forward an election bill that would narrow the window for voters to get in absentee ballots.
A resilient North Carolina means ditching fossil fuels
June 16, 2021
Colonial. It's not just the name of a vulnerable pipeline - it's the mindset of leaders who insist on clinging to fossil fuels rather than investing in clean energy.
News: Duke Energy-friendly bill would lock NC into fracked gas future
June 16, 2021
Three state representatives yesterday released language for an omnibus energy bill that would unnecessarily lock North Carolina into continued reliance on burning fracked gas at a time when the cost of renewables and energy storage are falling....
News: NC commission takes big step to address climate change
June 15, 2021
The Environmental Management Commission’s Air Quality Committee recommended today (June 15) that the full EMC begin the rulemaking process for North Carolina to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The full EMC is scheduled to take...
Legislative Update: Budget talks inch forward with spending cap agreement
June 11, 2021
This week at the NC General Assembly, the big news was that the House and Senate agreed on a state budget spending cap. That means budget negotiations between the chambers will begin in earnest. Reports indicate that the majority leadership did not...
News: Offshore wind goals confirm NC wants clean energy investment
June 9, 2021
Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order committing North Carolina to support offshore wind development goals of 2.8 gigawatts by 2030 and 8.0 gigawatts by 2040. The targets "are a clear message to clean energy investors that North Carolina will...
Legislative Update: Delli-Gatti rebuff overshadows legislative work
June 4, 2021
This week at the NC General Assembly there was major controversy in the Senate over Governor Cooper’s appointment to lead the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Dionne Delli-Gatti. The House moved forward a bold resilience bill that would...
News: Senate bows to partisanship in refusal to OK DEQ secretary
June 2, 2021
A North Carolina state Senate committee bowed to partisan politics in refusing to accept Secretary Dionne Delli-Gatti, Gov. Roy Cooper's highly qualified choice to lead the Department of Environmental Quality. "This action does a disservice to North...
Legislative Update: Budget battle behind the scenes
May 28, 2021
It was another outwardly quiet week at the NC General Assembly, although it’s reported that behind-the-scenes budget negotiations are ongoing and that the House may soon propose a state budget because agreement with the Senate - which is supposed to...