Environment
North Carolinians deserve to know that we will continue to have clean air and clean water. Every prudent measure should be taken to insure that our natural resources are appropriately preserved. Extreme environmentalists with additional social agendas often use environmental issues to impede reasonable growth and development. In Union County we have seen the widening of Highway 601 deferred as a result of unreasonable challenges by environmental groups. This highway has contributed to the loss of many lives, yet it has been halted because of a heel splitter mussel issue that is not even related to the highway, but is being used as leverage by the extreme environmentalists. Twenty five thousand acres are held hostage as a habitat for the heel splitter mussel in Union County.
As a member of the Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change, I have heard countless presentations by the green community regarding proposals that would severely impact North Carolinas economy yet have zero impact on global climate change. While China is opening a new coal fire power plant every nine days and is not subject to any Kyoto protocol mandates, it is ludicrous to think that North Carolina can have any meaningful impact on averting any perceived climate condition believed to have been caused by humans.
The best environmental policies are through the free market, where research and technology have improved the efficiency of the automobile and other industry related machines and materials. Our air and water quality is better today than thirty years ago. While local, state and federal government must give prudent oversight to insure that we have reasonable and meaningful reforms, overburdening government regulation will discourage and impede research and development of new technologies.
- Co-sponsored SB 668, Energy Conservation in State Buildings. This bill would enact measures to save electricity and water in state-owned facilities.
- Co-sponsored SB 1465, Swine Farm Env. Performance Standards/Funds. The bill would help farmers voluntarily convert to innovative swine waste management facilities.
