While solar industry changes and a wind project moratorium passed, bills with coastal stormwater changes, the creation of a new fund to pay for beach re-nourishment, new dredging plans and repeal of the plastic bag ban on the Outer Banks remain on the table.
Butler Raises GenX Issue During Budget Talks
New Hanover County’s Rep. Deb Butler pointed to concern about the GenX compound in the Wilmington area’s drinking water supply and DEQ permitting backlogs in a plea to spare the agency from cuts in the budget passed Thursday.
House, Senate Plans Differ on DEQ Cuts
The House and Senate must reconcile policy choices and a $15 million difference in funding for the Department of Environmental Quality as work on a final budget deal begins.
Bag Ban Repeal, Topsail Dune Rule Advance
The Senate has amended a bill that would now, among other things, repeal a longstanding ban on single-use plastic bags on the Outer Banks and address Topsail Beach’s dune-protection efforts.
Senate Plan Targets DEQ Jobs, Wind Projects
The Senate’s 2017-19 spending plan approved Thursday would eliminate 45 Department of Environmental Quality positions and impose a three-year moratorium on wind-energy projects.
Oysters, Aquaculture, Gear Cleanup Funded
RALEIGH — The Senate budget approved Thursday includes several provisions related to recent efforts to expand the state’s oyster and aquaculture programs. The spending plan adds $1 million each year for oyster sanctuaries, bringing the total annual spending to $1.4 million. The state’s cultch planting program to rehabilitate shellfish beds also gets a boost in… [Read More]
Wind Energy, Regulatory Bills Find Support
Amid a hectic rush this week to advance dozens of bills by a critical deadline, state lawmakers solidified support for a wind energy bill and regulatory changes.
Bag Ban Repeal Among Bills on Fast Track
The move is on in the North Carolina General Assembly to advance bills ahead of an important deadline later this week, including measures to repeal the Outer Banks’ ban on plastic bags.
Troubled Rivers: Can Farm Buyouts Help?
With the listing of North Carolina’s Neuse and Cape Fear among America’s most endangered rivers, there’s support for another buyout of hog farms in the 100-year floodplain.
Cape Fear Pollution Fix: Call It a ‘Swamp?’
A plan to address water quality problems in the lower Cape Fear River includes reclassifying the part of the river that flows by Wilmington and the state port as “swamp water.”
Bills to Cut Streams, Shoals Regulations
The Senate and House are finalizing a set of regulatory bills that include provisions to loosen coastal environmental regulations.
Budget Boosts Clean Water, Park Trust Funds
After years of continually shrinking budgets, Gov. Roy Cooper’s spending plan breathes new life into key programs for water quality and parks.
Solar: Big Changes in Energy Bill Taking Shape
A proposed energy bill in the works in the N.C. General Assembly could bring surprising changes on renewable energy, including third-party energy sales and streamlined permitting for solar projects.
Legislators Eye Beach Sand Funding, Rules
State lawmakers are considering ideas for ways to pay for beach re-nourishment and proposing relaxed standards for offshore sources of sand and the placement of sandbag walls.
Court Halts Cooper’s Cabinet Confirmations
A three-judge panel on Wednesday issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Legislature’s confirmation process for Gov. Roy Cooper’s cabinet appointees.
UNC Collaboratory Set to Begin Research
Studies on oyster farming and hurricane resiliency are among first batch of research projects the new North Carolina Public Policy Collaboratory at UNC-Chapel Hill is set to begin.
