Thanks to everyone for all their great work over the last few weeks in helping us prevent the rollback of important environmental protections by contacting your NC Senators, Representatives, and the Governor. Despite our work, the 2011 session of the NC General Assembly has carried out a relentless assault on the environment. Additional assaults on our air, water and special places have been rushed through in the past week – bills that reverse North Carolina’s unique commitment to the environment that has made the state one of the best places in the country to live and do business.  With the legislative session having adjourned, we must act now and ask Governor Perdue to veto the Polluter's Wishlist of S781, S709, H119 and S110. The Governor has 10 days to deal with bills from the date they hit her desk – that means she has to either sign into law, not sign, or veto a number of really bad bills in the next few days. I hope you will take the time to act by completingConNet’s action alert, emailing Governor Perdue, or picking up the phone.Please feel free to email Alissa or Conservation Network's Nicole Stewart if you have any questions.
Please take 1 minute to call Governor Perdue's office and either leave a voicemail or a message with the Governor's staff asking her to veto the two bills that will soon be on her desk, S709 and S781:
Governor Bev Perdue
800-662-7952 or 919-733-2391 You can use the script below or say something in your own words but be sure to reference the bill numbers:
"My name is ___________ and I'm from ___________, NC. I'm calling today because I'd like to ask Governor Perdue to veto Senate Bill 709 and Senate Bill 781 and House Bill 119 when they reach her desk. North Carolina will not be a more attractive state to business and tourism with dirty air, dirty water, or spoiled natural areas. Please veto S709, S781, & H119 and keep North Carolina's environmental protections in place. Thank you."
Don't forget to let us know when you’ve called so we can work with our partners to see what actions still need to be taken in order to ensure the best outcome possible for the future of safe, clean water.
Here's why we need Governor Perdue's leadership in keeping North Carolina an exceptional place we are proud to call home:
- Clean water, healthy air. S781 isn’t the improvement to the state’s rule-making that North Carolinians want or need. It doesn’t make the state’s safeguards work better. Instead, like the short-sighted budget you vetoed, it handcuffs our state’s ability to protect its own air and water – and then even goes so far as to turn that role over to Washington, D.C. The General Assembly spent months getting public comments, and an independent analysis of these comments found that North Carolina citizens overwhelmingly support keeping or strengthening the state’s environmental safeguards, by over four to one.
- Our special environment at risk. S709 puts at risk the engine of North Carolina’s thriving coastal tourism economy, in search of elusive offshore drilling revenues. In addition, it will bring hydraulic fracking to North Carolina, exposingour special environment to dramatic new groundwater pollution. Worst of all, it sets exactly the wrong course for our energy future.
- Our best, cheapest fix for water pollution destroyed. Vegetated buffers are amazing tools for protecting streams and creeks without requiring the installation or maintenance costs of engineered solutions like stormwater ponds and filters. H119 exempts all private properties platted before the year 2000 from the Neuse and Tar-Pam buffer rules that have protected our sensitive creeks and streams during more than a decade of rapid growth in eastern North Carolina.
- Our coastal heritage. Your record of commitment to coastal protection speaks for itself. S110 ends the decades old ban on hardened structures on the coast – that has helped shape our thriving coastal economy. Vetoing this bill would clear the field for pragmatic solutions that help our communities retain their economic vitality.
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