NC Legislature Allows 1 Minute Public Comment Before Gutting Environmental Law; Senate Vote Next

[hatrack]

It only took two weeks for the Republican-led House in North Carolina to introduce and pass a bill gutting the state’s environmental law. The House passed the SEPA Reform Act on Wednesday after allowing total of one minute of public comment. Two of the three bill sponsors have ties to the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council.

The bill will largely dismantle the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), opponents say. Under SEPA, a 1971 law to “encourage the wise, productive, and beneficial use of the natural resources of the State without damage to the environment,” any project that uses state funds or state land is subject to an environmental assessment progress. The SEPA Reform Act changes the trigger for review at $10 million of state funds.

But environmental advocates say a $10-million threshold still effectively wipes SEPA off the books, and state representatives know that.

EDIT

The bill was sponsored by three Republicans, Rep. John Torbett, Rep. Mike Hager, and Rep. Chris Millis. Both Torbett and Hager have attended ALEC’s Annual Meeting, and Hager was paid $1,000 to speak at an ALEC event. Nationwide, including in Congress, Republicans have introduced a number of bills recently that would repeal environmental protection laws or defund environmental agencies.

EDIT

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/04/30/3653236/nc-environmental-act-threatened/

[newfie11]

1. Another Koch win

[blm]

2. NC is so rigged for the fascist agenda we now have to work 10 times harder than most

any other state Dem party.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Is there any hope the citizens will awaken before it's too late? Horrible. n/t