Cooper joins states' climate group in national leadership vacuum
September 20, 2017
Governor Cooper announced today that North Carolina will join the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of states that have committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement.The Climate Alliance...
GenX gets a little money, bag ban bagged in catch-all environmental bill
August 31, 2017
In yet another last-minute move, the Legislature tossed a collection of environmental provisions into one bill that heads to Governor Cooper's desk as lawmakers head out of Raleigh until October. Cassie Gavin explains the problems with a measure...
Senate passes Band-Aid for GenX water worries, leaves larger concerns pending
August 30, 2017
The catch-all bill would rolls back back water quality protections, repeal the OBX ban on single-use plastic bags, and give waste management control to private companies at local governments’ expense.
General Assembly returns for redistricting, vetoes - and who knows
August 25, 2017
The NC General Assembly returned to Raleigh this week to work on rewriting legislative districts at the behest of the US Supreme Court. Cassie Gavin writes that the Legislature also took up up two veto overrides and now has plans to consider another...
Speak up to protect Nantahala-Pisgah forests!
August 15, 2017
North Carolina’s national forests house some of the most beautiful landscapes in our state and nation, as well as critical habitat for a range of important animal species. That’s why it’s critical for those of us who love these forests and their...
Legislature's post-session session bypasses environmental bills
August 4, 2017
The Legislature returned to Raleigh on Thursday to address a handful of bills left unresolved at the end of June. Cassie Gavin writes that lawmakers didn't try to override any of the four outstanding gubernatorial vetoes, nor take up several...
What happened, and what's coming, in the 2017 session
July 24, 2017
The NC General Assembly came to a close on June 30, 2017, but legislators plan to return in August, September and maybe November. That means that some of the environmentally harmful bills that the Chapter worked against this year remain unresolved...
Sierra Club applauds Cooper's stance against offshore drilling
July 20, 2017
Citing threats to North Carolina’s fragile coastal environment and coastal economy, Gov. Roy Cooper has announced his firm opposition to the Trump administration’s plan to open the mid-Atlantic to offshore drilling. "I can sum it up in four words:...
It's over, except when it's not: Legislature leaves some enviro bills hanging
June 30, 2017
The NC General Assembly long session came to a close just before 2 am Friday, with plans to return in August, September and November. Since this is the first session of the two-year biennium, the Legislature did not adjourn sine die as it does at...
Wenoca Group creates a new generation of nature lovers by "Inspiring Connections Outdoors"
June 30, 2017
Our Western North Carolina (Wenoca) Group, based in Asheville, has been approved by the national Sierra Club to start up an "Inspiring Connections Outdoors" (ICO) program, affectionately called "Kids to the Country." Wenoca chair Judy Mattox...