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NC citizens urged to vote for clean air
Story Date: 10/26/2016
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Source: NC PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE 10/25/16
Talk of a cleaner environment has been noticeably absent from the presidential debates, with barely a mention amid the talk of emails and Tic Tacs. Bu! t groups, including Clean Air Carolina, are urging North Carolina voters to consider environmental policies when choosing who to vote for in this upcoming election.
Terry Lansdell, the program director for the organization said much is at stake.
"We just can't wish for clean air; we have to vote for clean air," he said. "The air-quality issue and environmental issue has to be part of our voting choice for how we review our candidates. Everyone heading to the voting booth in North Carolina should look at their representatives' stand on the environment."
In the past year, North Carolina lawmakers passed the Regulatory Reform Act, which overturned a regulation that would have restricted idling time for heavy diesel vehicles. Additionally, the number of air-quality monitors has shrunk drastically, as has the state's ability to document pollution in all 100 counties in the state.
Lansdell said after years of making progress beyond what was required at the federal level, the state now finds itself behind.
"Over the past year we've taken one step forward and two steps back," he added. "We've rolled back some serious environmental regulations here in North Carolina that were even more stringent than the federal regulations and were specific to North Carolina's pollution problem."
North Carolina lawmakers are currently challenging the Clean Power Plan in court and have eliminated tax credits to encourage the growth of solar and wind power.
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