Despite the House’s unanimous support of a bill with money to address GenX in drinking water supplies in the southeastern part of the state, Senate leaders say they need more time to consider options.
GenX Bill Orders Studies, Provides No Money
The House Select Committee on North Carolina River Quality approved legislation Thursday that mandates three GenX-related studies and a review of the science for health advisories but includes no additional funding for the studies or state response.
State’s Changes, Challenges to Continue
This year saw changes in the state and federal government that will likely shape environmental policy in the coming year.
GenX Bills Expected During January Session
The North Carolina General Assembly is ramping up to its return to Raleigh Jan. 10, 2018, with plans to address immediate needs related to GenX and other emerging contaminants.
Limited GenX Data, Public Messaging At Issue
The science panel that advises state environmental and health secretaries is grappling with a lack of studies on health effects of GenX and how to communicate what’s known to decision-makers and the public.
Wilmington, Port Seek State Help On Rail Fix
A pricey proposal to improve rail access at the Wilmington port and accommodate expected urban growth would relocate the existing rail line from its route through the city to the other side of the Cape Fear River.
Analysis: Securing Safety of Drinking Water
Amid concerns over GenX and other compounds in drinking water supplies, state and local officials have yet to reach consensus on how to identify unknown contaminants, how to regulate them and how to keep the public informed.
New State Fund to Go Toward Sand Projects
The legislature, in its recent override of Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of House Bill 56, created a new state fund to help local governments pay for beach re-nourishment projects, but where that money will come from remains uncertain.
GenX Battle Expected As Legislature Returns
State lawmakers head back to Raleigh this week with a showdown likely over Gov. Roy Cooper’s recent veto of an environmental bill that included limited funding to address GenX in the Cape Fear River.
Scientists Push Ahead With GenX Research
Published in partnership with North Carolina Health News Water filtration effectiveness, effects on human health, persistence in river sediments, and bioaccumulation in eastern oyster beds are among a new set of studies driven by public concern over GenX and the dearth of science surrounding it. Scientists and regulators are mapping out how to monitor and… [Read More]
GOP Blasts Cooper’s Veto of House Bill 56
Republican legislators called “troubling” Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto Thursday of the wide-ranging environmental bill that included, among other controversial provisions, only local funding to address GenX in Wilmington’s drinking water.
Analysis: Environmental Bills Shaped In Secret
Closed-door negotiations have increasingly become the norm in the North Carolina General Assembly, especially with contentious environmental measures such as the recently passed House Bill 56.
Funds to Address GenX OK’d After Bitter Fight
Funding to address the GenX contamination in the Cape Fear region’s drinking water was approved Thursday as part of a controversial measure that’s been on hold since April.
Legislative Commission Enters GenX Fray
The legislature’s Environmental Review Commission met in Wilmington Wednesday, where they heard for the first time from local officials and the public about the GenX contamination of the region’s water supply.
Cooper Rolls Out State Response to GenX
Gov. Roy Cooper went to Wilmington Monday to outline a state action plan to deal with the GenX contamination, promising to deny the company’s discharge permit and investigate potential criminal violations.
New Faces Join State Environmental Boards
Several new appointees began work recently on key environmental policy boards including the Environmental Management Commission, Coastal Resources Commission and Clean Water Management Trust Fund.
