Amid the impasse between the governor and legislative leaders, a number of Department of Environmental Quality initiatives and long-sought environmental priorities remain on hold.
Legislature
Trust Funds Shortchanged in Budget Impasse
The deadlock over the state budget between the Democratic governor and Republicans in the General Assembly leaves $15 million out of reach for parks and recreation, clean water trust funds.
Review Highlights DEQ Funding Shortfall
A legislative report released this week finds that DEQ’s funding and organizational structure are hurdles to accomplishing mandates from the General Assembly.
Disaster Recovery Bill Clears Legislature
The $180 million in the disaster recovery bill approved Thursday will help local governments with Dorian recovery and includes funds for Ocracoke School repairs.
Senate, House Disaster Bills: An Analysis
With the House and Senate deadlocked on competing bills for hurricane relief funding until legislators return Nov. 13, we break down the differences.
Bird Advocates Hail NC Native Plants Law
Wildlife advocates are praising a state law passed earlier this year that requires the N.C. Department of Transportation to give priority to native, bird-friendly species in its plantings.
Session Yields Spending Bills Amid Impasse
As the stalemate over a final budget continues, leaders in the N.C. General Assembly are pressing forward with smaller-scale spending plans that include numerous coastal provisions.
House Set to Vote on Disaster Recovery Bill
Money for storm recovery, water quality monitoring, a resiliency study and other coastal needs is included in a disaster funding bill making its way through the General Assembly this week.
Impasse Snags PFAS, Clean Water Funding
Research on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and millions of dollars in funding for clean water and parks and recreation trust funds are caught up in the ongoing state budget deadlock.
Brown Says Wind Energy Bill Dead For Now
Sen. Harry Brown said last week during his testimony in a partisan redistricting trial that his measure to limit sites for wind energy projects won’t be taken up again this session.
Cooper Signs Shellfish Aquaculture Bill
The governor has signed recently passed bill to dramatically overhaul North Carolina’s shellfish leasing program creates new shellfish enterprise areas and establishes three large-scale leases in Pamlico Sound.
Reworked Bill to Limit Wind Energy Advances
A version of a bill to restrict where wind energy development may happen in North Carolina that had stalled earlier this session passed the Senate this week but may undergo another revision.
Retooled Shellfish Leasing Bill Advances
Legislation authorizing expanded shellfish leasing in state waters advanced this week in the N.C. General Assembly, giving hope for success after a similar bill failed last year.
Senate Lowers Bottom Line on PFAS Funding
A big difference in the Senate’s version of the state budget and the House’s and governor’s proposals is how it addresses emerging contaminants such as polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Senate Budget Puts Tighter Hold on DEQ
The Senate released Tuesday its $24 billion, two-year spending plan, with big differences from the House and Cooper budgets that include environmental programs and DEQ funding.
Brown to Revive Bill Limiting Wind Energy
Sen. Harry Brown says he plans to bring back legislation that stalled earlier this session that would make nearly the entire N.C. coast off limits to wind energy development.
