2007 legislative agenda

2007 Legislative Agenda

Environmental Action Agenda 2007

This year, a group of seven North Carolina environmental groups came together to identify 3 key environmental action issues for the 2007 Session of the General Assembly. The Environmental Action Agenda 2007 includes the following items:

• Renewable Energy: Legislation that ensures that 20% of our electricity needs come from energy efficiency and renewable sources such as wind, solar, and animal waste. (HB 77)
• Land for Tomorrow: Legislation to "provide an additional $1 billion over five years for land and water conservation, historic preservation, and related economic development needs."
• Solid Waste reform: Legislation to prohibit landfills in or near environmentally sensitive areas and ensure that new and existing landfills do no harm to the state's environment.

Other 2007 priorities:

Enforcement: The Conservation Council's long held goal of seeking a significant increase in sedimentation inspector positions is the cornerstone of this campaign. Our legislation will likely include language to improve the state's database system for tracking violators, a more flexible approach to utilizing 'stop work' orders, and an increase in sedimentation fees.

Stormwater: The Conservation Council worked with coalition partners (Environment NC, NC Coastal Federation, and SELC) on this campaign to improve stormwater protections across the state.

Hog Moratorium: The moratorium on new hog lagoons was set to expire in 2007. The environmental community introduced legislation that seeks the implementation of new, environmentally friendly technologies to handle the animal waste. The industry and some legislation would like to simply extend the moratorium.

Global Warming: The Legislative Global Climate Change Commission continues to meet to develop initial recommendations to the General Assembly.

Electronics Recycling: Senator Cowell sponsored an electronics recycling bill.

Budget: Work with our coalition partners to ensure full funding at $100 million for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Lobby for a reliable steady funding stream for the Farmland Preservation Trust.  Work with the budget chairs to ensure adequate funding for transit projects throughout the state.  Lobby budget chairs to secure adequate staff for environmental programs, particular in the area of enforcement.