http://www.wral.com/senate-oks-one-size-fits-all-environmental-reform/12400363/

The state Senate Wednesday tentatively approved Senate Bill 612, which would ban any local environmental rules more stringent than state or federal law.


Why is this important? It essentially is the groundwork to prevent any local town or county from restricting or banning fracking when that hammer drops following passage of SB 76 (the bill to allow fracking in 2 years). It will also allow the state full control so they can roll back other important local regulations.

5/2/2013 10:11:41 AM

we can't have local communities taking additional steps to improve the environment, that's just madness!

think of the children, won't you?

5/2/2013 10:13:49 AM

I'm not a fan of the intention of this bill, but speaking as someone in the Environmental field, if there was another layer of regulation some things would really be a pain. It's already enough of a headache when you get in jurisdiction fights between NCDENR and EPA Region 4, I would hate to also have to get approval from a city or county.

5/2/2013 10:33:45 AM

Quote :

"Wait, so the people always clamoring for "states rights" because their theory is locals know better and there are no one size fits all solutions now say locals know nothing and they have a cookie cutter solution for an entire state so don't bother yourself with your immediate surroundings??? "

From WRAL comments

5/2/2013 10:41:32 AM

^ That's atypically cogent for WRAL article comments.

5/2/2013 11:39:33 AM

the problem will take care of itself. for every county or municipality that enacts strict environmental policy, there will be several that don't. the ones with strict laws will miss out on the tax revenue.

5/2/2013 11:40:54 AM

^^ I know, I was surprised...

5/2/2013 12:04:08 PM

The fact is, its actually pretty rare to find local environmental rules that are more strict than the State. To enact an environmental rule you usually need to have some science supporting your position (at least if you don't want it constantly challenged) and most local governments just don't have the resources to do that (maybe bigger cities). The exception would be instances where there are just blatant safety issues at play and likely have a history of being a problem in the county (they mention the flooding problem in Camden County, some counties have more strict septic system requirements, etc).

What is much more worrisome is the repealing/rewriting of all state laws that are more strict than federal laws. We have some unique problems in NC that federal rules are lacking in. Specifically in the non-point pollution realm. This bill would really turn the clock back on all the advances our state has made (usually these rules are established by the state, not local communities).

I actually think this bill is targeted and was likely pushed by developers. They want to be able to move across the state and drop their cookie cutter developments with the exact same houses and exact same stormwater/erosion/septic system plans wherever they can find a deal on land. Recycling their master plans would save them a lot of money. I actually think developers are a major lobby for all the bills that the NCGA has considered that usurp local control, there have been quite a few. If you get a chance surf over to the ncleg.gov website and see how many representatives, especially from rural counties, are in real estate/development. Hint: its a lot.

What we also need to consider is the vacuum of rules and uncertainty that these types of sweeping bills create. For people that have been in business for a while this could actually end up being a headache. They are going to have to relearn some things, how is implementation different, where are the grey areas, what can I get away with, and how long until we realize how dumb this is and slowly start re-instituting the old rules? This may not be as business friendly as it first seems.

5/2/2013 12:32:52 PM

Quote :

"for every county or municipality that enacts strict environmental policy, there will be several that don't."

Knowing NC, there will also be a handful who will institute "Mandatory Tire-Burning Days"

5/2/2013 1:14:13 PM

The bill also does away with Riparian Buffer Rules in the entire Neuse and Tar-Pam basins. Developers and landowners will be able to clear-cut all the way down to the water, even on land that has been forested for decades.

(this General Assembly is truly insane)

[Edited on May 2, 2013 at 2:17 PM. Reason : ]

5/2/2013 2:16:53 PM

5/2/2013 2:17:56 PM

I don't even know where to begin...

5/2/2013 2:50:58 PM

I wish I had a fucking time machine so I could show all the dumbasses who voted for these douchebags what was going to happen.

Oh wait, it's called Louisiana.

5/2/2013 4:01:47 PM

^I've been hearing stuff like that a lot, that we're moving towards the environmental standards of Louisiana, the educational standards of Mississippi, and social attitudes of Alabama. Instead of investing in the future of our state, we're in a race to the bottom, because it's lining the pockets of our legislators.

5/2/2013 4:47:38 PM

Small government= pro corporation

5/2/2013 8:03:42 PM

Trees and wildlife can't help funnel money into the Art Pope empire, so fuck 'em. Didn't you know that humans are the most important animal on the planet and everything else should bow to us? It says right there in the Bible!!!1

5/2/2013 8:52:15 PM

Apparently FL is trying to pass something very similar, setting state standards and not allowing municipalities to exceed those
http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2013/0999/BillText/Filed/PDF

this could have detrimental impacts on wetlands and manatees and other wildlife in florida

fuck ALEC

5/4/2013 9:16:37 AM

wait, is this the "same" bill as H480?

5/7/2013 1:39:06 PM

Quote :

"Small government= pro corporation"

also large government = pro-corporation

5/7/2013 1:50:04 PM

Yet FL won't make any meaningful legislation against the introduction of invasive species. I'm looking at you, pythons!

5/7/2013 3:18:22 PM

http://hulkhogan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/bio-hulkhogan.png?

[Edited on May 7, 2013 at 3:43 PM. Reason : damn soap box]

5/7/2013 3:43:03 PM