Five Members of NCGA Receive Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2011

CONTACT: Debra Davis Rezeli, Director of Marketing & Development, debra@nclcv.org or 919-839-0978

Raleigh, NC, May 10, 2011 -- North Carolina League of Conservation Voters honored Representatives Rick Glazier, Phil Haire, Rosa Gill, Darren Jackson, and Diane Parfitt with environmental awards at their fifth annual Green Tie Awards held on May 4th in Raleigh. The event was attended by over 160 business, environmental, and political leaders from across the state.

Nina Szlosberg-Landis, president of NC League of Conservation Voters, set the stage for the awards: "Tonight as we mark the fifth annual NCLCV Green Tie Awards, our state and our country are facing serious challenges to the health of our environment and our communities. Many lawmakers are using the excuse of an ailing economy to strip away environmental protections essential to protecting human health and the natural life support system we depend upon. Here in North Carolina, we've been quite frankly shocked by the extent of the anti-regulatory rhetoric coming from the General Assembly under its new leadership. Many of the strong protections NCLCV and others have worked on for decades are being rolled back."

Szlosberg-Landis added, "we find ourselves seeing much of what we've built and protected, dismantled, so we need to renew our commitment to electing people who care... and unelecting those who have shown themselves to be reckless." The Green Tie Awards recognize legislators who understand that clean air and water and our parks and forests are a critical component to North Carolina's economy and quality of life.

Representatives Rosa Gill, Darren Jackson, and Diane Parfitt were recognized as Rising Stars in the General Assembly to acknowledge their commitment to prioritizing environmental issues early on in their legislative careers. These Representatives played key roles on legislation ranging from water and energy conservation and efficiency to protecting our water resources.

"This will likely be the first of many Green Tie awards for these folks," emphasized Dan Crawford, director of governmental relations for NC League of Conservation Voters.

Representative Phil Haire was recognized as the Representative of the Year. Szlosberg-Landis noted that Representative Haire scored a 100 on his NCLCV legislative scorecard during the 2010 session, supporting fair and reasonable environmental policies such as the need for river basin modeling, and renewable energy incentives to promote this growing industry within the state. This legislative session he is one of the primary sponsors of HB 671 which aims to beautify roads and clean up the countryside.

Representative Rick Glazier received the Defender of the Environment award for his remarkable and long-time commitment to advancing the cause of the environment in North Carolina. As a fifth term representative and minority whip, Representative Glazier fully understands the role that a healthy environment plays in creating a better North Carolina for all our citizens. His perfect NCLCV legislative score over the past two years speaks to this commitment. He continues to advocate for the right of future generations to experience a healthy environment this session by cosponsoring HB 840, which promotes Healthier and Greener Schools Act.

In his acceptance remarks, Representative Glazier stated that a "clean environment is a human right" and lamented the House passed budget that includes significant cuts to environmental protections. "Protecting our natural resources creates jobs."

The keynote speaker at the event was Gene Karpinski, president of the national League of Conservation Voters, highlighting the importance of North Carolina on the national political radar for 2012. Gene brought an informative insider's eye view of the critical fights going on in Washington and across the country for our environmental future.

Of particular interest this year was the absence of a Senator of the Year Green Tie Award. Environmental efforts have been hit hard at the General Assembly this Session, and much of the worst anti-environmental legislation seems to be coming from the Senate, such as SB 22 which prohibits the establishment of any new rules that could protect our quality of life if they create even moderate costs.

Crawford acknowledged, "We were tempted to inaugurate a 'Stained Tie Award' for some of the worst efforts to undermine the environmental protections we've supported for so long. However, NCLCV realized this attack on the very thing that makes North Carolina a great home for our families is not a laughing matter."

NC League of Conservation Voters is a statewide lobbying organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing North Carolina's natural environment. NCLCV has been working to protect North Carolina's environment and our citizen's health for over 40 years, turning environmental values into North Carolina priorities. NCLCV's vision for the future of North Carolina is that all citizens and our elected decision-makers will better understand and appreciate North Carolina's unique natural environment, and the integral role it plays in North Carolina's economy and quality of life.