ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK FOR CLEAN ENERGY?

Representatives , , and introduced House Bill 589, “Competitive Energy Solutions for ” during the 2017 session. This bill took small steps towards increasing the role solar plays in the state’s energy mix by creating a competitive bidding process and by expanding rooftop solar. Senator Harry Brown added a moratorium on wind energy projects, claiming NC’s military operations would be under threat by wind turbines. Senator Brown used the once bipartisan supported clean energy bill as an attempt to pit solar against wind. Governor Cooper refused to allow Brown to claim victory: after signing H589 into law, Cooper immediately issued an executive order to the Dept. of Environmental Quality asking for the expedition of wind project permits. No 18-month ban will stop this clean energy source from moving forward.

WATER, AIR, AND HEALTH

Legislators continued to put the water, air, and health of North Carolinians at risk throughout the 2017 legislative long session. State lawmakers approved a bill that would allow companies to spray “garbage juice” into our air; passed a policy that limits the amount of financial compensation a resident or property owner can receive for detrimental health and livelihood impacts in hog pollution or other nuisance cases; and thumbed their noses at local control over environmental safeguards by prohibiting state regulators from making stricter water quality rules than the federal standards (assuming those even exist). Overall, leaders of the General Assembly showed a lack of empathy for their constituents and clear preference for polluters with deep pockets in 2017.

Since 1999, the NC League of Conservation Voters issues an annual Legislative Scorecard showing how state legislators voted on critical environmental bills during the session. Because the NC General Assembly operates on a biennial (two-year) calendar, with a long session in the first year and a short session in 2017 the second, NCLCV is refocusing our accountability tools to reflect the ongoing nature of legislative work. PROGRESS Following each long legislative session, NCLCV will release a progress report to highlight the issues (i.e. water, clean energy, environmental justice) legislators REPORT championed based on their votes and bill sponsorships. During the even, short-session years, NCLCV will issue its traditional full Legislative Scorecard detailing the complete work of the General Assembly over the two-year cycle. We feel this will provide a more accurate reflection of how our environmental values fared on Jones Street.

PO Box 12671, Raleigh, NC 27605 • 919-839-0006 • nclcv.org 1 REPRESENTATIVES

LIFETIME REPRESENTATIVE PARTY DISTRICT COUNTY CHAMPION ISSUES SCORE %

JAY ADAMS R 96 Catawba 9

GALE ADCOCK D 41 Wake 82

JOHN AGER D 115 Buncombe 100

KELLY ALEXANDER, JR. D 107 Mecklenburg 78

DEAN ARP R 69 Union 3

JOHN AUTRY D 100 Mecklenburg N/A

CYNTHIA BALL D 49 Wake N/A

CHAZ BEASLEY D 92 Mecklenburg N/A

MARY BELK D 88 Mecklenburg N/A

JOHN BELL, IV R 10 Craven, Greene, 0 Lenoir, Wayne

LARRY BELL D 21 Duplin, Sampson, 72 Wayne

MARYANN BLACK D 29 Durham N/A

HUGH BLACKWELL R 86 Burke 20

JOHN BLUST R 62 Guilford 34

JAMES BOLES, JR. R 52 Moore 11

BEVERLY R 6 Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, N/A BOSWELL Washington JOHN BRADFORD, III R 98 Mecklenburg 9 WILLIAM BRAWLEY R 103 Mecklenburg 9

WILLIAM R 22 Bladen, Johnston, 37 BRISSON Sampson D 60 Guilford 82

MARK BRODY R 55 Anson, Union 3

DANA BUMGARDNER R 109 Gaston 0

JUSTIN BURR R 67 Montgomery, Stanly 14

DEB BUTLER D 18 Brunswick, New N/A Hanover

BECKY CARNEY D 102 Mecklenburg 79

MIKE CLAMPITT R 119 Haywood, Jackson, N/A Swain GEORGE CLEVELAND R 14 Onslow 28

WATER AIR HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING

JUSTICE GOOD GOVERNMENT TREE PROTECTIONS RENEWABLE ENERGY

2 Note: lifetime scores listed are through 2016. Lifetime scores will be updated for all elected officials after the 2018 legislative session. REPRESENTATIVES

LIFETIME REPRESENTATIVE PARTY DISTRICT COUNTY CHAMPION ISSUES SCORE %

JEFF COLLINS R 25 Franklin, Nash 4

DEBRA CONRAD R 74 Forsyth 3

KEVIN CORBIN R 120 Cherokee, Clay, N/A Graham, Macon D 106 Mecklenburg 83

TED DAVIS, JR. R 19 New Hanover 5

JIMMY DIXON R 4 Duplin, Wayne 5

JOSH DOBSON R 85 Avery, McDowell, 13 Mitchell

NELSON DOLLAR R 36 Wake 37

ANDY DULIN R 104 Mecklenburg N/A

BEVERLY EARLE D 101 Mecklenburg 76

JEFFREY ELMORE R 94 Alleghany, Wilkes 0

JOHN FAIRCLOTH R 61 Guilford 5

JEAN FARMER- BUTTERFIELD D 24 Pitt, Wilson 86

SUSAN FISHER D 114 Buncombe 95

ELMER FLOYD D 43 Cumberland 74

CARL FORD R 76 Cabarrus, Rowan 3

JOHN FRALEY R 95 Iredell 9

TERRY GARRISON D 32 Granville, Vance, N/A Warren

ROSA GILL D 33 Wake 94

Hoke, Montgomery, D 66 Richmond, Robeson, 51 Scotland CHARLES GRAHAM D 47 Robeson 81

GEORGE D 12 Craven, Greene, 81 GRAHAM Lenoir

HOLLY GRANGE R 20 New Hanover N/A

DESTIN HALL R 87 Caldwell N/A

DUANE HALL D 11 Wake 97

KYLE HALL R 91 Rockingham, Stokes N/A

EDWARD HANES, JR. D 72 Forsyth 79

WATER AIR HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING

JUSTICE GOOD GOVERNMENT TREE PROTECTIONS RENEWABLE ENERGY

PO Box 12671, Raleigh, NC 27605 • 919-839-0006 • nclcv.org 3 REPRESENTATIVES LIFETIME REPRESENTATIVE PARTY DISTRICT COUNTY CHAMPION ISSUES SCORE %

JON HARDISTER R 59 Guilford 3

PRICEY HARRISON D 57 Guilford 100

KELLY HASTINGS R 110 Cleveland, Gaston 4

CODY HENSON R 113 Henderson, Polk, N/A Transylvania D 38 Wake 87

CRAIG HORN R 68 Union 11

JULIA HOWARD R 79 Davie, Forsyth 41

HOWARD D 5 Bertie, Gates, 60 HUNTER, III Hertford, Pasquotank

PAT HURLEY R 70 Randolph 27

FRANK ILER R 17 Brunswick 13

VERLA INSKO D 56 Orange 98

DARREN JACKSON D 39 Wake 81

JOE JOHN D 40 Wake N/A

LINDA JOHNSON R 83 Cabarrus 38

BERT JONES R 65 Caswell, Rockingham 6

BRENDEN JONES R 46 Bladen, Columbus, N/A Robeson R 93 Ashe, Watauga 13

DONNY LAMBETH R 75 Forsyth 0

DAVID LEWIS R 53 Harnett 32

MARVIN LUCAS D 42 Cumberland 75

CHRIS MALONE R 35 Wake 13

GRIER MARTIN D 34 Wake 97

SUSAN MARTIN R 8 Pitt, Wilson 3

PAT MCELRAFT R 13 Carteret, Jones 20

CHUCK MCGRADY R 117 Henderson 60

ALLEN MCNEILL R 78 Moore, Randolph 3

GRAIG MEYER D 50 Durham, Orange 91

WATER AIR HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING

JUSTICE GOOD GOVERNMENT TREE PROTECTIONS RENEWABLE ENERGY

4 Note: lifetime scores listed are through 2016. Lifetime scores will be updated for all elected officials after the 2018 legislative session. REPRESENTATIVES LIFETIME REPRESENTATIVE PARTY DISTRICT COUNTY CHAMPION ISSUES SCORE % MICKEY MICHAUX, JR. D 31 Durham 81

CHRIS MILLIS R 16 Onslow, Pender 0

RODNEY MOORE D 99 Mecklenburg 57

TIM MOORE R 111 Cleveland 27

MARCIA MOREY D 30 Durham N/A

GREGORY MURPHY R 9 Pitt N/A

GARLAND PIERCE D 48 Hoke, Richmond, 80 Robeson, Scotland

LARRY PITTMAN R 82 Cabarrus 9

LARRY POTTS R 81 Davidson N/A

MICHELE R 118 Haywood, Madison, 0 PRESNELL Yancey

AMOS QUICK, III D 58 Guilford N/A

ROBERT REIVES, II D 54 Chatham, Lee 87 BOBBIE RICHARDSON D 7 Franklin, Nash 93 WILLIAM RICHARDSON D 44 Cumberland N/A

DENNIS RIDDELL R 64 Alamance 0

DAVID ROGERS R 112 Burke, Rutherford N/A

STEPHEN ROSS R 63 Alamance 4

JASON SAINE R 97 Lincoln 5

JOHN SAULS R 51 Harnett, Lee N/A

MITCHELL SETZER R 89 Catawba 35

PHIL SHEPARD R 15 Onslow 6

MICHAEL R 3 Beaufort, Craven, 13 SPECIALE Pamlico

Camden, Chowan, R 1 Currituck, Pasquotank, 10 Perquimans, Tyrrell

SARAH STEVENS R 90 Surry, Wilkes 17

SCOTT STONE R 105 Mecklenburg N/A

LARRY STRICKLAND R 28 Johnston N/A

JOHN SZOKA R 45 Cumberland 6

WATER AIR HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING

JUSTICE GOOD GOVERNMENT TREE PROTECTIONS RENEWABLE ENERGY

PO Box 12671, Raleigh, NC 27605 • 919-839-0006 • nclcv.org 5 REPRESENTATIVES LIFETIME REPRESENTATIVE PARTY DISTRICT COUNTY CHAMPION ISSUES SCORE %

EVELYN TERRY D 71 Forsyth 97

JOHN TORBETT R 108 Gaston 7

BRIAN TURNER D 116 Buncombe 100

RENA TURNER R 84 Iredell 3

HARRY WARREN R 77 Rowan 4

SAM WATFORD R 80 Davidson 9

DONNA MCDOWELL WHITE R 26 Johnston N/A R 37 Wake N/A D 23 Edgecombe, Martin 94

MICHAEL WRAY D 27 Halifax, Northampton 70

LARRY YARBOROUGH R 2 Granville, Person 9

LEE ZACHARY R 73 Alexander, Wilkes, 10 Yadkin

WATER AIR HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING

JUSTICE GOOD GOVERNMENT TREE PROTECTIONS RENEWABLE ENERGY

6 Note: lifetime scores listed are through 2016. Lifetime scores will be updated for all elected officials after the 2018 legislative session. SENATORS LIFETIME SENATOR PARTY DISTRICT COUNTY CHAMPION ISSUES SCORE % JOHN ALEXANDER, JR. R 15 Wake 20

DEANNA R 45 Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, 0 BALLARD Caldwell, Watauga

CHAD BAREFOOT R 18 Franklin, Wake 5

TAMARA BARRINGER R 17 Wake 18

PHIL BERGER R 26 Guilford, Rockingham 29

DAN BISHOP R 39 Mecklenburg N/A

DAN BLUE D 14 Wake 85

DANNY BRITT, JR. R 13 Columbus, Robeson N/A

ANDREW BROCK R 34 Davie, Iredell, Rowan 25

HARRY BROWN R 6 Jones, Onslow 22

ANGELA BRYANT D 4 Halifax, Nash, Vance, 88 Warren, Wilson

JAY CHAUDHURI D 16 Wake 100

BEN CLARK D 21 Cumberland, Hoke 54

Beaufort, Camden, Currituck, Dare, Gates, BILL COOK R 1 Hyde, Pasquotank, 5 Perquimans

DAVID CURTIS R 44 Gaston, Iredell, 0 Lincoln

WARREN DANIEL R 46 Burke, Cleveland 5

DON DAVIS D 5 Greene, Lenoir, Pitt, 80 Wayne

Cherokee, Clay, Graham, JIM DAVIS R 50 Haywood, Jackson, 6 Macon, Swain

CATHY DUNN R 33 Davidson, N/A Montgomery

CHUCK Buncombe, Henderson, N/A EDWARDS R 48 Transylvania

JOEL FORD D 38 Mecklenburg 62

VALERIE FOUSHEE D 23 Chatham, Orange 94

RICK GUNN R 24 Alamance, Randolph 2

KATHY HARRINGTON R 43 Gaston 3

Madison, McDowell, R 47 Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, 3 Yancey

RICK HORNER R 11 Johnston, Nash, N/A Wilson

WATER AIR HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING

JUSTICE GOOD GOVERNMENT RENEWABLE ENERGY

PO Box 12671, Raleigh, NC 27605 • 919-839-0006 • nclcv.org 7 SENATORS

LIFETIME SENATOR PARTY DISTRICT COUNTY CHAMPION ISSUES SCORE %

BRENT JACKSON R 10 Duplin, Johnston, 5 Sampson

JEFF JACKSON D 37 Mecklenburg 88

JOYCE KRAWIEC R 31 Forsyth, Yadkin 0

MICHAEL LEE R 9 New Hanover 0

PAUL LOWE, JR. D 32 Forsyth 73

Anson, Richmond, TOM MCINNIS R 25 Rowan, Scotland, Stanly 0 FLOYD MCKISSICK, JR. D 20 Durham, Granville 78 R 19 Cumberland 17

PAUL NEWTON R 36 Cabarrus, Union N/A

LOUIS PATE R 7 Lenoir, Pitt, Wayne 27

RONALD RABIN R 12 Harnett, Johnston, 3 Lee

BILL RABON R 8 Bladen, Brunswick, 2 New Hanover, Pender SHIRLEY RANDLEMAN R 30 Stokes, Surry, Wilkes 15 GLADYS ROBINSON D 28 Guilford 74

NORMAN R 2 Carteret, Craven, 3 SANDERSON Pamlico

Bertie, Chowan, ERICA SMITH- Edgecombe, Hertford, INGRAM D 3 Martin, Northampton, 73 Tyrell, Washington

JEFF TARTE R 41 Mecklenburg 0

JERRY TILLMAN R 29 Moore, Randolph 30

TOMMY TUCKER R 35 Union 4

TERRY VAN DUYN D 49 Buncombe 93

JOYCE WADDELL D 40 Mecklenburg 81

TRUDY WADE R 27 Guilford 0

ANDY WELLS R 42 Alexander, Catawba 3

MIKE WOODARD D 22 Caswell, Durham, 88 Person

NCLCV’s Progress Report highlights the environmental issues members’ championed through their votes and sponsorships during the 2017 legislative session. While it is not a comprehensive list of all session votes, the Progress Report provides an overview of some of the most significant environmental issues championed. Additionally, NCLCV’s Progress Reports and Scorecards are two tools to evaluate our legislators, but neither can represent the full complexity of what it takes to be an environmental champion. Note: due to the multiple special session convened this year, information in this Progress Report reflects legislation proposed and/or passed through September 2017. Past scorecards can be found at nclcv.org.

WATER AIR HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING

JUSTICE GOOD GOVERNMENT RENEWABLE ENERGY

8 Note: lifetime scores listed are through 2016. Lifetime scores will be updated for all elected officials after the 2018 legislative session. GOVERNOR COOPER’S PROGRESS REPORT

In spite of the fact that Governor Cooper faces roadblocks from an anti-environmental super- majority at the General Assembly, he has leveraged the power of his office to protect North Carolina’s communities and natural resources. During his first nine months in office, he exercised his veto authority over bills that threatened our air and water quality and stood in solidarity with NC’s coastal community by opposing offshore drilling and seismic blasting.

“NOT OFF ACCOMPLISHMENTS OUR COAST” Gov. Cooper made it clear to the Trump Administration that NC’s the number of vetoes Governor Cooper coastal communities, economies, and exercised during the 2017 legislative session ecosystems would not be put at risk by 4 on egregious anti-environmental bills offshore drilling and seismic blasting PRIORITIZING SCIENCE HOLDING POLLUTERS Cooper appointed leaders to the NC ACCOUNTABLE Department of Environmental Quality, Dept. of Cultural and Natural Resources, and Cooper’s administration acted quickly Environmental Management Commission who to stop Chemours from discharging are experts in their fields in order to make GenX, a known-contaminant policies based on scientific knowledge discovered in the Cape Fear River OPPORTUNITIES EXPEDITE TRANSITION OFF FOSSIL FUEL

Developing a state energy plan that commits to no new fossil fuel projects and powering the state with 100% clean, renewable energy by 2050.

NCLCV works to protect your values at the General Assembly and in our communities. We want to make sure you stay informed and engaged on NOW WHAT? policies that will impact your quality of life. Here are five ways you can In this progress report, you can see whether your elevate environmental issues in our state: elected officials have been champions for clean air, 1. Contact your legislator by phone, email, or best yet, in person! Find all of their contact information at ncleg.net water, and energy...or not. With this knowledge, you 2. Sign-up for our Conservation Insider Bulletin, a weekly e-blast that can speak out to hold your legislators accountable provides top stories where environmental policy intersects with for their votes on key environmental issues. In order politics: nclcv.org to ensure all North Carolinians have access to the 3. Follow NCLCV on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest, breaking news best quality of life possible, we need to make our  facebook.com/NCLCV movement bigger and our voices louder!  twitter.com/NCLCV  instagram.com/NCLCV 4. Make sure your voter registration form is correct. If you aren’t yet registered or need to make changes to your contact information, visit the NC State Board of Elections website: ncsbe.gov 5. Support NCLCV’s ongoing environmental advocacy and legislative accountability work with a gift today: nclcv.org/give

PO Box 12671, Raleigh, NC 27605 • 919-839-0006 • nclcv.org 9 ALLIES & ADVERSARIES

ALLIES

CLEAN ENERGY DEFENDERS IN NC SENATE

After a state Senator added a multi-year moratorium for wind energy projects into House Bill 589 (the bipartisan policy designed to grow NC’s solar energy), pro-conservation Senators fought back. Many cited job creation and necessary financial investment in rural counties as reasons to support and expand wind projects, not shut them down. Other members refuted the concerns that wind farms interfere with military activities. As Senator Paul Lowe, whose wife retired from the U.S. Air Force, noted, “I don’t need anybody to tell me how important the military is in North Carolina, but I’m hearing that wind and the military can coexist just fine.” Eleven Senators opposed the ban on wind farms during H589’s second vote, and we commend them for voting in favor of a robust clean energy future for North Carolina.

NEW LEGISLATIVE CLASS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPIONS

It’s easy to make campaign promises. It can be much harder to keep those promises once elected. But staying true to their environmental values was not difficult for the ten new Representatives in 2017. Each of these elected officials put their promises of prioritizing the environment into action, whether by advocating for 100% clean, renewable energy by 2050 or defending the ability for citizens to seek justice against polluters. NCLCV wants to thank Reps. John Autry; ; ; Mary Belk; Mary Ann Black; ; ; ; ; and for demonstrating their commitment to protecting the quality of life for North Carolina’s from day one on the job.

10 ALLIES & ADVERSARIES

ADVERSARIES

THE SANDERSON-COOK COMBO

As co-chairs of the Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Senators Bill Cook and Norman Sanderson influence the fate of bills that pass through their committee. During the 2017 legislative session, the Cook-Sanderson combo pushed through numerous pieces of legislation that put North Carolina’s environment and people in jeopardy. The two co- sponsored Senate Bill 131 (“Regulatory Reform Act of 2016- 2017”) and Senate Bill 434 (“Amend Environmental Laws 2”), which contained language repealing the Outer Banks plastic bag ban, providing exemptions for riparian buffers, and eliminating safeguards to keep pollution out of our air and water. It is shameful that the Senate leaders on environmental, agricultural, and natural resource issues refuse to defend the very resources they have been appointed to protect.

REPRESENTATIVE

During the 2017 session, Rep. Jimmy Dixon made it clear that he is not concerned with our state’s air quality. In fact, Rep. Dixon sponsored some of the worst and most unjust legislation of the session. House Bill 467 (more aptly called the “Hog Pollution Protection Act”) limited the amount of money a person could receive from a nuisance lawsuit, regardless of the judge or jury’s decision, for harms caused by hog waste or other agricultural nuisances on their health, livelihoods, and properties. H467 was written to protect one of the largest hog farming companies (and one of the largest polluters) in the world. Rep. Dixon also sponsored the awful House Bill 567 (the “Garbage Juice Bill”). H567 would allow companies to use a process called aerosolization to turn leachate (the liquid run-off from garbage) into a spray as a way to control landfill waste. However, neither Rep. Dixon nor the inventor could provide any peer-reviewed scientific evidence proving this technology is safe. The aerosolization process could release dangerous toxins into the air and into surrounding communities. Despite his title of “representative,” Rep. Dixon’s actions during the 2017 session seemed to be representing only what’s best for polluters, not people.

PO Box 12671, Raleigh, NC 27605 • 919-839-0006 • nclcv.org 11 NC League of Conservation Voters PO Box 12671, Raleigh, NC 27605 919-839-0006 • [email protected] nclcv.org