The 2008 Legislative Session, In Short
The ten-week long legislative short session came to a close July 18th with the traditional hankie dropping ceremony to mark sine die. Environmental groups held their breath for last-minute, final day of session decisions on key issues, and we weren't disappointed.
Our thanks to those lawmakers who backed the green bills of the session including Rep. Lucy Allen for her effort to negotiate a drought relief bill, Sen. Janet Cowell for a stronger electronics recycling program, Rep. Pricey Harrison for innumerable efforts on behalf of a cleaner environment, particularly her work to ensure a clean vehicle study this year, and Sen. John Snow and Rep. Phil Haire for moving along the North Shore Road settlement. Rep. Becky Carney and Sen. Richard Stevens are to be thanked for their hard work to bring a public transportation bill forward. We thank Rep. Margaret Dickson for keeping the tree-cutting billboard bill at bay, and applaud Sen. Marc Basnight and other Senate leaders for making an Energy Star Tax Free Holiday a priority this year. Our great thanks, finally, is extended to Speaker Joe Hackney who presided over a civil, fair and workmanlike session, and kept environmental and public health issues paramount among the accomplishments and priorities of the House.
Thank you for your phone calls, emails and lobby visits this summer. Below you'll find a summary of Sierra Club's priority legislation and an impressive tally of actions taken by our members and volunteers. I hope you'll take a moment to send a note or call your legislator to thank them for what might be called the Environmental Biennium (or, at least, a very good two years for environmental policy in North Carolina)! Please click on the names above for contact information.
-- Christa Wagner, Chapter Lobbyist
Drought Relief Measures Pass
Citizen action alert responses: 417
The ongoing drought demonstrated the state’s critical need for better water conservation, efficiency and drought management policies. For some in the legislature and in the public the drought debate was misguided, centering not on the question of how to manage water as a common resource, but whether any new standards would violate private property rights. Though environmentalists had hoped for efficiency mandates, state and local governments will take more modest steps to ensure efficient drought response. Next year, the legislature will revisit water policy and we will need your voice in the debate.
Bad Beach Bill Doesn't Move
Citizen action alert responses: 441
The so-called Inlet Stabilization Pilot Project bill, mischaracterized as an experiment by proponents, would have had the practical effect of allowing currently prohibited terminal groins to be built anywhere on the coast. The most likely location for the first of such projects would have been along Figure 8, a private island north of Wrightsville Beach that is contending with serious beach erosion problems. The bill passed the Senate last year. Though it never came up in committee this year, it became the biggest behind-the-scenes fight of the session.
More than 40 prominent coastal geologists signed a letter opposing the bill, while hundreds of activists called and wrote House members urging their opposition. Fortunately, the bill never received a hearing in the House because legislative leaders, especially Speaker Joe Hackney, recognized that North Carolina must protect vibrant coastal communities and avoid making changes to state law that could potentially put all our shorelines at risk.
Electronics Recycling Includes TVs
TVs had so-far not been part of the state's evolving electronics recycling program. Now, under this significant agreement between environmental groups, industry, and the state agency, TV recycling services will be widely available to citizens across the state for free.
Public Transportation and Congestion Relief Stalls
An unusual and large alliance of industry and public advocacy groups expressed strong support for this bill to authorize counties to seek voter-approved sales tax increases to finance public transportation projects. Unfortunately, the bill did not move beyond a hearing in the House Transportation committee. Look for similar legislation next year, likely to be a part of a larger transportation reform effort.
Clean Cars To Be Studied
This bill directs the DAQ to study the costs and benefits of adoption of the California motor vehicle emissions standards in North Carolina. Study objectives include projected annual emissions of carbon dioxide, projected consumer cost impacts, and projected reduction in the quantity and cost of fuel for consumers.
No More North Shore Road
The Swain Settlement Funds legislation establishes a receiving fund for federal settlement dollars promised to Swain County in lieu of building North Shore Road. In late 2007, Congress for the first time made available funds for a monetary settlement between the National Park Service and Swain County. This was one of the final actions needed to seal the deal on end of the Road to Nowhere.
Misguided Hog Bill Halted
Citizen action alert responses: 44
Hastily crafted and inserted into a stripped bill with a different title, this legislation would have made a range of dangerous and unfortunate changes to the State's decade-old Swine Farm Siting Act, including allowing grandfathered structures to be replaced, modified and enlarged at will and eliminating adjacent property owner notification of farm expansions. The people most directly affected by the changes, the neighbors of these operations, had little input into the bill. After a testy hearing in the Senate Ag committee and a slew of negative press, the bill was successfully beat back.
Other environmental legislation of the session:
Tax Free Sales Holiday for Energy Star Appliances (Budget)
Creates a tax free weekend in November for certain Energy Star certified appliances.
Tax Credit for Renewable Energy Equipment (Budget)
This bill expands on legislation last year to allow a tax credit to a donor who donates funds for a renewable energy property, for use by churches and other non-taxed entities, to now allow state or local governments to acquire the renewable device, while the donor receives the tax benefit.
H2529 Extend Climate Change Commission 2008
Extends the Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change until October 2009. Support.
H1770 Future Conveyance/Special Assessments
Authorizes local governments to assess property, upon petition by affected citizens, to pay off revenue bonds for infrastructure, including water, sewer, and public transit. Support.
S1967 Improve Coastal Stormwater Management
A negotiated agreement, less restrictive than the original EMC rule, to control stormwater in coastal counties. Support.
Can't wait for our next issue? Check out the NC SIERRA CLUB BLOG for conservation links, volunteer ideas, videos, and media relevant to all our members and supporters.