Campaign Watch: Candidate Filing Underway

Candidate filing is underway for the North Carolina primaries. With a little more than half the filing period still to go, we note these highlights:

The field of major candidates for governor is closer to being set. On the Republican side, former Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory is without notable challengers for the GOP nomination. Having never served in legislative office, McCrory has no detailed scorecard of environmental votes upon which to judge his stances. From his tenure as mayor, we do know that he favored public transit, including passenger rail--a plus. From his professional work for Duke Energy, we also know that he can be expected to defer to power industry positions on energy--a minus.

On the Democratic side, there are three credible contenders: Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton; former U.S. Congressman Bob Etheridge; and N.C. House Rep. Bill Faison (D-Orange). All three have legislative histories for examination. Dalton was a multi-term N.C. State Senator before his election as Lieutenant Governor, and his most recent scores by NCLCV (under its previous name CCNC) were 65% for the 2007-2008 session, and 77% for the 2005-2006 session. Faison's latest scores from NCLCV were 60% in 2011, and 74% 2009-2010. Before his loss in 2010, Etheridge received a career average score from the national League of Conservation Voters (LCV) of 79% for his several terms in Congress.

The latest development of significance in the race for governor came last Thursday, when retiring U.S. Congressman Brad Miller (D-NC13) announced that he would not run for governor. Miller had received strong encouragement to run from many progressive Democratic sources. Miller has a 95% career average score from LCV for his several terms in Congress.  Two other well-known Democrats are reportedly still considering the race:  former State Treasurer Richard Moore, and former N.C. House Speaker Dan Blue.

In the race for Lieutenant Governor, both Republican and Democratic fields have multiple choices. Among the Democrats, two credible candidates have announced. There is N.C. State Senator Eric Mansfield (D-Cumberland), a first-term legislator and physician from Fayetteville. Mansfield has a 50% NCLCV for his only year in office, 2011. (It should be noted that nearly all the N.C. Senate scores were terrible last year, as some very bad environmental legislation was approved by unanimous votes.)

The other announced Democratic contender is Linda Coleman, currently director of the Office of State Personnel. Coleman previously served in the N.C. House from Wake County, receiving NCLCV scores of 82% in 2007-2008, and 83% in 2005-2006.

On the Republican side, N.C. House Rep. Dale Folwell (R-Forsyth), currently the House Speaker Pro Tem, is running. Folwell has an NCLCV score of 17% for 2011, down from 42% for 2009-2010. The other GOP candidates have no legislative record: Tony Gurley, a lawyer and Wake County Commissioner; and Dan Forest, a Raleigh architect.

We also note that incumbent State Treasurer Janet Cowell, the CCNC Senator of the Year in 2007 when she represented a Wake County district in the N.C. General Assembly, has filed for re-election as state treasurer.

In noting the legislative scorecard records of the various candidates, CIB cautions that those scores should not be taken in a vacuum. Candidates also bring other factors to bear on their prospects for office, including leadership (or lack thereof) on especially important environmental issues, their platforms on prospective issues under the jurisdiction of the higher office they're seeking now, and their depth of understanding of these issues and how they can be affected by the office they're seeking.

Legislative Watch: Another 'Special' Session

The N.C. General Assembly returned last Thursday and Saturday for another in the seemingly endless series of "special sessions", but adjourned with no votes taken. This latest session was pre-scheduled by previous adjournment resolution with the stated purpose of availability to adjust new district maps, if needed. As there have been no court orders entered regarding the maps, there was nothing to adjust.

However, since a post-midnight "special session" was called on short notice during January at a time when a number of opponents could not attend, and used to override a veto on teacher association dues, many minority party legislators have stopped taking legislative leaders' assurances regarding what may or may be considered in a session.About two-thirds of legislators--as well as a number of protestors--showed up as a precaution for the start of last week's "ghost session".

Climate Change Update: Working on Soot; Anatomy of a Scam

There are two stories we'd like to note briefly this week in the area of climate change policy and politics.

Working on Soot: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced last week that the United States would work with several other nations on a voluntary program to address soot (black carbon), methane, and several other pollutants which contribute to global climate change. Soot also contributes to serious health problems and premature deaths, especially in poorer nations. While comprehensive international treaty progress remains stalled or agonizingly slow, these voluntary efforts will focus on raising funding for developing nations to reduce short-acting pollutants, as well as for other mitigation projects. For further notes on this effort, see http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/science/earth/us-pushes-to-cut-emissions-that-speed-climate-change.html?_r=2&hpw.

Anatomy of a Scam: We're well aware of the efforts by biased "think tanks" and interest groups to sow doubt and confusion on the issue of climate change science. Those efforts continue despite the strong consensus among legitimate climate scientists on the reality and threat of climate change and its human causations. Even so, our attention was caught by a breaking story last week involving one especially obnoxious outfit called the Heartland Institute. Leaked documents from an anonymous source with access to the group's internal materials offer an unusually candid look at the politically motivated thinking behind its anti-science campaigns. Some analysts of the leaked materials suggest that they raise questions about whether the group has undertaken partisan political activities with funds barred from such purposes, in violation of federal tax law governing nonprofit groups. For further discussion, see http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/science/earth/in-heartland-institute-leak-a-plan-to-discredit-climate-teaching.html?hpw.  Heartland makes widespread national distribution to public officials and others of biased policy advocacy materials designed to look like objective scientific research and educational works. For notes on North Carolina funding connections to Heartland, see http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/02/16/heartland-institute-exposed/.

Education & Resources: Wind Energy Conference

Studies have concluded that North Carolina has the largest potential offshore wind renewable energy resource on the East Coast. The N.C. Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) and other wind energy supporters are sponsoring the 2012 Southeastern Coastal Wind Conference to give interested parties an opportunity to discuss the costs, benefits, and policy options for wind energy development in our region. The conference will be held March 8 and 9 in Charlotte. More information is available at www.secoastalwind.org.  Interested in the topic but can't make that event? Related info links can be found at www.energync.org.

• Campaign Watch: Divided Delegation Scores a Study in Contrasts
• Legislative Watch: Fracking Questions Need Answers
• Coast Watch: Wind Power Is Golden
• Around the State: Triangle Transit Wins Key Local Endorsement

Campaign Watch: Divided Delegation Scores a Study in Contrasts

North Carolina's Congressional delegation stretched all the way from a horrid 3% (Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-NC5) to a perfect 100% (Sen. Kay Hagan, D-NC) on the 2011 National Environmental Scorecard released last week by the national League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and NCLCV.

Other North Carolinians mired in single digits on the scorecard included Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC10)at 6%, and Representatives Renee Elmers (R-NC2) and Sue Myrick (R-NC) as well as Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) all at 9%. Representatives scoring in the 90s were Mel Watt (D-NC12) and Brad Miller (D-NC13) at 97%, and Representatives G.K. Butterfield (D-NC1) and David Price (D-NC4) at 94%. The highest scoring Republican in the state's delegation was Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC3) at 34%, and the lowest scoring Democrat was Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC7) at 54%.

Nationally, LCV expressed deep concern over the overall record of this Congress. LCV president Gene Karpinski said, "In 2011, the House Republican leadership unleashed a truly breathtaking and unprecedented assault on the environment and public health, the breadth and depth of which have made the current U.S. House of Representatives the most anti-environmental in our nation's history." Karpinski credited the Senate and the Obama Administration with stopping most of those attacks, including the ones which would have overturned new rules to reduce power plant pollution and strip the EPA of the ability to issue lifesaving public health protections. As a result, Karpinski observed that "not only did the nation's bedrock environmental protections emerge largely unscathed in 2011, the Obama administration also made major progress through administrative actions to protect our air and water."

Dan Crawford, NCLCV's Director of Governmental Affairs, said "We applaud those members of the North Carolina delegation who opposed the countless attacks on vital public health and environmental protections in 2011, such as Representatives Watt and Miller, and Senator Hagan. However, it's deeply disappointing that Representatives Foxx and McHenry and Senator Burr chose to put corporate polluters and other special interests ahead of the health and well-being of North Carolinians."

The 2011 National Environmental Scorecard rated members of Congress on 35 key votes in the House and 11 in the Senate. The full scorecard, including details on the key votes graded and how each member of Congress voted on each issue, is available at www.lcv.org/scorecard.

Legislative Watch: Fracking Questions Need Answers

Don't rush to judgment on North Carolina's energy and water futures before the critical facts are in. That's the message for legislators as they kick off consideration of new legislation on the fracking issue.

A special committee of the N.C. Senate--the Energy Policy Issues subcommittee--has begun review of the questions around regulating the practice of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") as a means of extracting natural gas from deposits in underground shale rock. Unfortunately, that committee appears to be oriented toward recommending precipitous legislative action on fracking during the 2012 short session.

NCLCV is calling for reserved judgment on the fracking issue until key studies have been completed on the potential environmental and health risks involved. National studies suggest that fracking can produce serious problems of groundwater contamination and financial liability for producers, when adequate safeguards are not put in place before exploration is allowed to begin. State-specific studies are underway to shed light on questions about the severity of those risks, how problems can occur, and how they might be avoided. It would be irresponsible to expose communities and business to unnecessary risks through hasty legislation before those answers come back.

We are acutely aware of the environmental, health, and financial liability problems created when our state was stampeded into widespread factory-style hog farming in the 1980s. Failure to anticipate and head off problems created by immature technologies left many farmers in deep financial distress created by enormously expensive cleanup demands.

Rural and small-town community groups in particular have reacted with fury over the prospect of another round of poorly managed resource development. Many are convinced that fracking is a dangerous practice which should stay prohibited altogether in our state. A rush to legislative action would do nothing but inflame those legitimate community concerns.

Fracking is expected to become a hotly debated issue in districts across much of North Carolina this election year. Most prudent legislators will not wish to be seen as falling into a trap of premature judgment on a difficult issue before all the key facts are in. This is truly a situation in which the old country wisdom of "measure twice, cut once" fits well.

Coast Watch: Wind Power Is Golden

The study released last week by Gov. Bev Perdue's 15-member Scientific Advisory Panel on Offshore Energy concludes that North Carolina has the largest offshore wind resource on the east coast, and our state should work with industry to develop it.

The report projected that suitable areas for wind farms off the NC coast could produce an annual average of 20,000 megawatts of power. It said that while the cost per kilowatt of electricity from wind is currently higher than some other alternatives, developing this pollution-free source of power would work to the long-term advantage of our state.

The full report can be read here: http://www.nccommerce.com/Portals/14/Documents/OffshoreEnergy/12-13-2011%20Offshore%20Energy%20REPORT%20FINAL.pdf

Around the State: Triangle Transit Wins Key Local Endorsement

The process for developing regional light rail for the Research Triangle region stayed on track last week as the Durham-Orange Transportation Advisory Committee gave the green light to a full environmental impact study on potential routes for the Durham-Chapel Hill connector line.

Local government leaders from both counties rejected shifting from the NC 54 corridor to studying an alternative along highway US 15-501, which would have likely caused a significant delay and knocked the project back on the process of applying for federal funding support. They did agree to prefer an alternative route within the NC 54 corridor that would avoid crossing a natural habitat area, without absolutely ruling out the alternative that would cross that area.

The Triangle area transit progress is coming at the same time that anti-transit forces within the U.S. House of Representatives are attempting to cut off new funding for transit nationwide. As a result, competition for existing funds is intensifying and a new premium is being placed on keeping proposals moving forward promptly.

The league rates members of Congress based on their votes on issues ranging from public health protections to clean energy to land and wildlife conservation. The 2011 scorecard includes 11 Senate votes and a record 35 House votes.

North Carolina’s Congressional delegation ratings include:

Hagan was the only delegation member with a 100 percent score. None were rated at 0 percent, though Foxx came close. The average House score for North Carolina in 2011 was 50 percent, and the average Senate score was 55 percent.

The league says this year’s scorecard “reflects the most anti-environmental session of the U.S. House of Representatives in history, featuring unparalleled assaults on our nation’s bedrock environmental and public health safeguards.”

The group put him second from the bottom among the state’s congressional delegation.

Fortenberry, a Lincoln County newspaper publisher, responded with his own environmental statement.

In it, he says he has a “deep love” for the outdoors and often visits state and national parks, forests and wildlife refuges.

He’s interested in conserving the environment and took exception to Obama’s comments last year that Republicans want dirtier air and dirtier water.

“In fact, the word ‘conservative’ itself speaks volumes about our responsibility as God’s stewards and our responsibility to ‘conserve’ and safeguard our natural resources for generations to come,” he said in his statement. “I believe that ‘true’ conservatives work for economic prosperity at the same time they work to ensure that our water and air are clean and safe.”

McHenry’s office declined to comment this week on the rating from the conservation group.

What is this misguided vision? It is an extension of the corporate view that all environmental regulations are barriers to business and should be eliminated. The uniform 8-percent score reflects the hatchet job that is being done to the body of environmental protections cautiously built over years by many people of both parties in North Carolina.

What is a realistic vision? Business benefits from being in a state that protects its natural resources, because reliable natural resources are necessary for a good business climate. Forbes Magazine had already placed North Carolina as the #1 state for business before this last year's anti-environmental crusade. I suspect that, ironically, a loss of the business climate rating will result from the weakening of our protections of clean air, drinkable water and fertile soil.

Please look up the website for the NC League of Conservation Voters for the details. North Carolina has a history of relative moderation and progress in many areas. It is important that we maintain that sensible position through the ballot box.

Bill Crawford
Franklin

The scorecard, compiled by the National League of Conservation Voters, differs widely in its assessment of the environmental voting records of the state’s two U.S. senators and 13 House members.

A news release shows the national league rated U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., at the 100-percent level, indicating Hagan’s votes coincided with the league’s environmental positions 100 percent of the time.

The league rated U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., at the 9-percent level.

On the House side, the two congressmen representing Beaufort County — Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., and Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C. — scored 94 percent and 34 percent, respectively.

“The 2011 Scorecard includes 11 Senate and a record 35 House votes on issues ranging from public health protections to clean energy to land and wildlife conservation,” reads a news release from the league. “The House votes included in the 2011 Scorecard are simply many of the most significant votes taken in a year that saw the House voting more than 200 times on the environment and public health.”

For a full list of the league’s rankings, see the following link: http://www.lcv.org/scorecard.

“The scorecard is a public-education product. It is not electoral,” Kate Geller, director of media relations for the league, said in a phone interview from her Washington, D.C., office.

The league has published the scorecard annually for more than 40 years, Geller said.

“It’s just a means of scoring each member of Congress voting each year on the most important environmental votes that take place each year,” she commented.

A league committee decides which votes to track in consultation with national environmental organizations based in the nation’s capital, Geller related.

Asked whether the rankings have had political ramifications in past elections, she replied, “I think the proof is in how members of Congress perceive them. It really is sort of the measuring tool in regards to environment and public health.”

Though they’re far apart on the scorecard, Burr and Hagan did agree on at least one issue, the league’s website shows.

The two senators voted “yes” on an amendment to the Economic Development Revitalization Act of 2011. Approved by a vote of 73-27, the amendment repealed incentives for the ethanol industry, “including a tax subsidy for oil companies that blend ethanol into conventional gasoline and an ethanol import tariff,” the website reads.

The Washington Daily News placed calls and emails seeking comment on the scorecard from spokesmen for Burr and Hagan.

“I am committed to ensuring that policies enacted by Congress do not negatively impact the health of North Carolina’s citizens or our economy,” Hagan said in an emailed statement. “Several of the bills included in this report would have put the health of North Carolinians at risk and cut off important infrastructure funding needed to revitalize our communities and support construction jobs across the state. I will continue to fight for legislation that protects the health and safety of North Carolinians and safeguards our economic competitiveness.”

A statement from Burr’s office hadn’t been received as of press time.

The national League of Conservation Voters describes itself as a nonpartisan entity.

According to the Federal Election Commission’s website, as of Dec. 31, 2011, the group had listed $591,502 in individual contributions during the 2011-2012 election cycle.

The league had contributed $17,100 to Democratic House campaign committees and $24,250 to Democratic Senate campaign committees during the current cycle, reads a post on OpenSecrets.org, a project of the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C.

Among the congressmen who’d received contributions from the league was U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., of Haywood County. The league gave Shuler $500.

As of Jan. 2, the league hadn’t contributed to Republican candidates in the 2012 election cycle, OpenSecrets reported.

The Republican lawmaker got a 6 percent rating – second from the bottom among other N.C. representatives.

Environmental issues are important to voters in Asheville.

His campaign could not be reached immediatly.

The group said its scorecard “reflects the most anti-environmental session of the U.S. House of Representatives in history, featuring unparalleled assaults on our nation’s bedrock environmental and public health safeguards.”

“We applaud those members of the North Carolina delegation who opposed the countless attacks on vital public health and environmental protections in 2011, such as Representatives Watt and Miller, and Senator Hagan,” said NCLCV’s director of governmental affairs, Dan Crawford. “However, it’s deeply disappointing that Congressmen Foxx, McHenry, and Burr chose to put corporate polluters and other special interests ahead of the health and well-being of North Carolinians. This is very similar to what we saw on the state level in our recently released scorecard.”

The 2011 Scorecard includes 11 Senate and a record 35 House votes on issues ranging from public health protections to clean energy to land and wildlife conservation, the group said.

The league — which focuses on protecting, preserving and improving the state’s natural environment — assisted the national League of Conservation Voters to create the scorecard.

The grades are based on the voting records of the North Carolina delegation in the first session of the 112th Congress on environmental issues. That includes includes 11 Senate and a record 35 House votes on issues ranging from public health protections to clean energy to land and wildlife conservation.

At the top of the class is Sen. Kay Hagen, who scored 100 percent by for her voting record. The lowest grade went to Rep. Virginia Foxx, who earned a score of 3 percent from the league.

The rest of the delegations grades are as follows, from best to worst:

The league deemed 2011 as the “the most anti-environmental session of the U.S. House of Representatives in history.”“We applaud those members of the North Carolina delegation who opposed the countless attacks on vital public health and environmental protections in 2011, such as Representatives Watt and Miller and Senator Hagan,” said Dan Crawford, the local league's director of governmental affairs. “However, it's deeply disappointing that Congressmen Foxx, McHenry and Burr chose to put corporate polluters and other special interests ahead of the health and well-being of North Carolinians. This is very similar to what we saw on the state level in our recently released scorecard.”

The N.C. League of Conservation Voters has tracked the environmental voting records of state legislators since 1999. The group contends that last year’s session of the North Carolina General Assembly was the worst on record when it comes to environmental legislation.

North Carolina Rep. Patrick McHenry received a low score for his environmental votes by the League of Conservation Voters. The Republican represents the 10th District, which was redrawn last year to encompass most of the city of Asheville.

McHenry earned a score of 6 percent, giving him the second-worst score in the state delegation. Democrat Rep. Heath Shuler, who represents the 11th District — which includes the western tip of Asheville — received a score of 71 percent. The contrast between North Carolina's senators was even more stark: Republican Richard Burr received a score of 9 percent and Democrat Kay Hagan was one of the only senators in the country to earn a perfect score of 100 percent.

The scores are calculated by the League of Conservation Voters using an analysis of representatives' votes on a variety of pertinent issues, ranging from public health protections and clean energy to land and wildlife conservation. Overall, the organization reported that the 2011 analysis "reflects the most anti-environmental session of the U.S. House of Representatives in history, featuring unparalleled assaults on our nation’s bedrock environmental and public health safeguards," according to a press release.

“We applaud those members of the North Carolina delegation who opposed the countless attacks on vital public health and environmental protections in 2011, such as Reps. Watt and Miller, and Sen. Hagan,” said the North Carolina League Conservation Voter’s director of governmental affairs, Dan Crawford. “However, it's deeply disappointing that Congressmen Foxx, McHenry, and Burr chose to put corporate polluters and other special interests ahead of the health and well-being of North Carolinians."

Last month, the N.C. League released its scorecard of Statehouse representatives, giving Buncombe Democrat Reps.Patsy Keever and Susan Fisher high marks, while giving Republican Rep. Tim Moffitt a low score.

Keever is currently running for Congress in the 10th District, vying with other Democrats in the primary who are hoping to take on McHenry in the fall.

Raleigh, NC – Today, NC League of Conservation Voters joined the national League of Conservation Voters in releasing the 2011 National Environmental Scorecard, revealing scores for the North Carolina delegation in the first session of the 112th Congress. The 2011 Scorecard reflects the most anti-environmental session of the U.S. House of Representatives in history, featuring unparalleled assaults on our nation’s bedrock environmental and public health safeguards. The good news is that while the House voted against the environment a shocking number of times, both the U.S. Senate and the Obama administration stood fast against the vast majority of these attacks. Indeed, not only did our cornerstone environmental protections emerge from 2011 largely unscathed, the Obama administration also made major progress through administrative actions to protect our air and water.

“We applaud those members of the North Carolina delegation who opposed the countless attacks on vital public health and environmental protections in 2011, such as Representatives Watt and Miller, and Senator Hagan,” said NCLCV’s director of governmental affairs, Dan Crawford. “However, it's deeply disappointing that Congressmen Foxx, McHenry, and Burr chose to put corporate polluters and other special interests ahead of the health and well-being of North Carolinians. This is very similar to what we saw on the state level in our recently released scorecard.”

The 2011 Scorecard includes 11 Senate and a record 35 House votes on issues ranging from public health protections to clean energy to land and wildlife conservation. The House votes included in the 2011 Scorecard are simply many of the most significant votes taken in a year that saw the House voting more than 200 times on the environment and public health. In North Carolina, the only delegation member to earn a 100% was Senator Kay Hagan. It should also be noted that no delegation member in North Carolina earned a 0. The average House score in 2011 for North Carolina was 50% percent and the average Senate score was 55% percent.

“In 2011, the House Republican leadership unleashed a truly breathtaking and unprecedented assault on the environment and public health, the breadth and depth of which have made the current U.S. House of Representatives the most anti-environmental in our nation’s history,” said LCV President Gene Karpinski. “LCV is grateful to those members of the North Carolina delegation and to the Obama administration for helping to ensure that the House Republican leadership did not succeed in gutting our nation’s cornerstone environmental and public health protections in 2011. We look forward to working together in 2012 and beyond to protect the planet for future generations.”

North Carolina’s Congressional Delegation 2011:

For over 40 years, the National Environmental Scorecard issued by LCV has been the nationally accepted yardstick used to rate members of Congress on environmental, public health and energy issues.

The full 2011 National Environmental Scorecard can be found at www.lcv.org/scorecard.

Campaign Watch: Who Will Take Up the Environmental Torch?

That's the question in the minds of many observers of environmental policy-making this week, as a wave of the greenest legislators in North Carolina decline to stand for re-election in the face of radically re-engineered district lines.

The latest worrisome retirement announcement came last week from former House Speaker Joe Hackney, long considered the leading environmental champion in the N.C. General Assembly. Redistricting had gerrymandered Hackney into a "double-bunking" of incumbents with fellow legislator Rep. Verla Insko (D-Orange).

The newly reconfigured House District 54, Hackney's old district, is likely to see a Democratic primary this May. Likely candidates include Jeff Starkweather of Pittsboro, a longtime citizen activist in Chatham County; and Deb McManus of Siler City, a member of the Chatham County Board of Education. Also rumored to be considering the contest is Sen. Bob Atwater (D-Chatham), another victim of redistricting in his state senate district.

Late and uncertain retirement announcements sparked in part by the redistricting, combined with the decision of other legislators to bid for higher office, are opening an unusual number of spots to new faces. The time for potential candidates to make up their minds is closing fast, however. The filing period for state offices opens at noon Monday, February 13, and will close at noon Wednesday, February 29.

On the Congressional level, U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC11) has announced that he will not seek re-election. Shuler's mountain district had been made more Republican through redistricting, but he was still considered by many observers to be a strong candidate for re-election. Although considered a relatively conservative Democrat, Shuler enjoyed a 75 percent positive rating by the national League of Conservation Voters for the most recently scored term. Shuler was well known in his first term in Congress for helping to close the door on the long-lived "Road to Nowhere" project proposal, which would have cut a swath of severe damage through the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He also stood against substantial pressure to vote for the House bill to adopt a climate change action plan in 2009.

In statewide races, the field for governor continued to develop. In addition to previously announced candidates, incumbent Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and N.C. Rep. Bill Faison (D-Orange), former U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge has declared his candidacy for governor. U.S. Representatives Brad Miller (D-NC13) and Mike McIntyre (D-NC7) have said they are still considering the race, as is former State Treasurer Richard Moore. One big name ruled out a candidacy, former Clinton White House budget advisor and UNC system president Erskine Bowles.

Legislative Watch: Voting Process Funding Stuck in Deepfreeze

Democracy NC and other voting rights groups are calling attention to a bottleneck in funding for elections in North Carolina this year. Up to $4 million in federal funding for the mechanics of elections (early voting sites, for example) is waiting unclaimed because the legislature hasn't authorized its use yet, despite a request from the State Board of Elections for release of the money.

The funding is made available under the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 and is intended to help states finance the implementation of federal requirements to help make voting easier and more accessible. Provisional voting procedures, expedited voter registration, and early voting options are among provisions addressed. HAVA was originally passed in an effort to prevent further election fiascoes in the style of the Florida mess of 2000.

Voting rights advocates are concerned that if the funding is rejected, counties will have a more difficult time finding the money to implement these processes, and many voters will be discouraged from taking part as a result. Critics of the N.C. General Assembly's proposed new voter identification requirements argue that making voting more difficult appears to be the objective of legislative leaders who they say are "sitting on" the funds.

Democracy NC, which is sponsoring a rally in Raleigh on this issue on February 16, has prepared a more detailed summary of the issue here: http://www.democracy-nc.org/downloads/HAVAFundsMemo.pdf

Administrative Watch: Commission Awards Duke Rate Hike

The N.C. Utilities Commission has awarded Duke Energy a 7.2 percent rate increase on its North Carolina customers. The percentage increase approved is the one agreed to in a deal recommended by the Commission's Public Staff office and Duke. Duke originally asked for an increase of about 15 percent.

Most of the increased revenues will cover capital expenses associated with new construction and the addition of new equipment on existing plants, as well as bolstering the healthy profit margin guaranteed to Duke stockholders. The rate increase has been vigorously opposed by citizen and business groups and by the N.C. Attorney General.

The Commission's decision can be appealed to the N.C. Court of Appeals. Attorney General Roy Cooper indicated that his office would consider an appeal. In the meantime, the rate hike is set to go into effect this month.Duke has already indicated that it plans to seek another rate hike later this year, when new power plants are scheduled to come into service.

Education & Resources: National Environmental Scorecard Coming Soon

The national League of Conservation Voters' scorecard on the environmental voting record of members of Congress for 2011 is set for release tomorrow (Tuesday, February 7) at 10 a.m. NCLCV will be taking part in release of the lowdown on the record of members of Congress from North Carolina. Those on the CIB email list should receive the early word about the national scorecard. It will also be linked up on the NCLCV website and announced via NCLCV's twitter feed on Tuesday.

Campaign Watch: Perdue's Departure Shifts State Landscape

Shocking most observers and surprising her own staff and fellow statewide elected Democrats, Gov. Bev Perdue announced last week that she was pulling out of her race for re-election. Perdue's announcement was followed by days of scrambling as potential candidates for her post declared themselves in or out of that race--or as undecided and thinking about it--and as others contemplated bids for posts that could be vacated. With the May primary just 14 weeks away on May 8, a shaking-out process which normally takes place over years is being compressed to blurring speed.

Attorney General Roy Cooper, a long-time ballot leader for state-level Democrats, immediately issued a press statement that he was still running for re-election and would not seek the governor's office. Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton took the opposite tack, and announced that he would run for governor in Perdue's place. Other potential Democratic candidates explicitly ruling themselves out included State Treasurer Janet Cowell. State Representative Bill Faison issued a statement suggesting that he would run. Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx and Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines said that they would consider the race.

Others being touted as potential candidates include former UNC system president Erskine Bowles, former State Treasurer Richard Moore, former House Speaker Dan Blue, former Congressman Bob Etheridge, and current Congressmen Brad Miller, Heath Shuler, and Mike McIntyre. Former State Senator Cal Cunningham, a 2008 U.S. Senate candidate, has indicated interest in running for lieutenant governor.

The implications to environmental policy from this re-shuffling of state posts are enormous. Environmentalists have not always agreed with Bev Perdue. However, after the takeover of the N.C. General Assembly by legislators less attuned to environmental issues, Perdue has served as the final line of defense against extreme anti-environmental legislation. Her veto of the Dirty Energy Bill (SB 709), still pending in the legislature, is just one example.

Some state political analysts suggest that Perdue's withdrawal improves the chances for Democrats to retain control of the governor's office and its appointive and veto powers. Most recent polling showed Perdue trailing the likely Republican nominee, former Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory, by a double-digit margin. Substitute candidates could start out with perhaps less baggage of presumed responsibility for the state's sluggish economy and high unemployment rate.

There are no prominent challengers to McCrory for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. At least three candidates, including State House Speaker Pro Tem Dale Folwell, are bidding for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor.

Editor's note: Incumbent elected executives, whether president or governor, are rarely personally responsible for the good or bad state of the economy in general. Regardless, they tend to receive the benefit or the blame for its condition in the next election. In a strong economy, incumbents pitch for a 'stay the course' approach. In a weak economy, challengers declare that 'it's time for a change'.

Beyond the major state political implications of Perdue's withdrawal, it's worth noting that the shakeup has real implications for the presidential contest as well. North Carolina is a swing state in the national contest, and President Barack Obama has made clear that he is pursuing its electoral votes aggressively--as have his challengers. The leaders of the state-level ticket may have a profound effect on the fate of the presidential balloting here.

It's quite possible that in 2012, the overall national outcomes will track the results from North Carolina. Stay with us as we track the shakedown over the next months from the surprising Perdue withdrawal.

Around the State: Dark Mountain Skies

Have you ever considered that the "light pollution" which makes it increasingly difficult to see the stars at night in cities--and even regions--is also the visible sign of massive amounts of wasted energy? Perhaps concern for reduction of avoidable carbon emissions will shed new light (feel free to groan here) on an issue which receives relatively scant attention among environmental advocates.

Noting that additional benefit to the reduction of unintended night-time light scatter, the Buncombe County Commissioners recently passed a new ordinance to address the issue of light pollution in the county's unincorporated areas. The ordinance calls for measures such as extra shielding on large lights to reduce upward glare.

The Buncombe County ordinance joins ordinances already in force in the municipalities of Asheville and Woodfin. For further details on the county's action, see http://www.mountainx.com/article/39738/Buncombe-Commissioners-Day-for-night

Education & Resources: NC Ranks Low in Walking, Biking

The Alliance for Biking & Walking has just released a new report on the status of those activities in all 50 states, as well as the 51 largest U.S. cities. The report, "Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report", includes data on walking and biking levels and demographics, bicycle and pedestrian safety, public health indicators, funding for bike/ped projects, and more information. The report was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with additional support from AARP and Planet Bike.

North Carolina doesn't rank particularly well. For example, NC ranked 44th among the states in bicycle safety; and Charlotte ranked last--51st--among the large cities rated on that front. Raleigh did a little better: 41st.

For specifics, as well as ideas on what can be improved, see the report here: http://peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/images/uploads/2012%20Benchmarking%20Report%20%20-%20Final%20Draft%20-%20WEB.pdf

Additional information is available through the organization's website, www.peoplepoweredmovement.org

Washington Watch: Obama Nixes Tar Sands Pipeline

Resisting pressure from Congressional Republicans and some allies, President Obama last week rejected the proposed Keystone XL pipeline to transport tar-sands petroleum from Canada to the Gulf Coast. Faced with an arbitrary legislative deadline for ruling on the pipeline, the Obama Administration rejected the project, declaring that the short deadline left inadequate time for needed environmental reviews.

Rejection of this permit request from the TransCanada corporation for the pipeline's construction does not permanently dispose of the issue. TransCanada has already said that it will resubmit a permit request and seek expedited review. Congressional supporters of the project are also expected to try again to incorporate pipeline approval language into unrelated key bills, as occurred with the payroll tax break extension bill in December.

National and international environmental groups view the Keystone XL pipeline dispute as a key case in both climate change and habitat protection. Scientists estimate that production of oil from tar sands deposits generates three times the greenhouse gas emissions produced by conventional oil production, on a barrel by barrel basis. In addition, the Canadian boreal forest environment in which the tar sands deposits are found is strip-mined and effectively destroyed as natural habitat by the production process. That forest is both a major carbon sink and key habitat for migratory species.

While denial of the cross-U.S. pipeline project would not halt tar sands mining altogether, it would constrain transportation outlets and thereby impede development of the production fields. The pipeline itself also raises serious domestic environmental issues in the areas it would cross, from construction itself and from the potential for oil spill damage from breaks. The pipeline's proposed route is controversial for a number of reasons, including its potential threat to major water supply aquifers and American wildlife areas.

Politically, however, the pipeline project has many powerful supporters. The oil industry, of course, invariably favors lucrative new development opportunities. Because the pipeline would boost Canadian oil production significantly, it is a priority for Canada's current Conservative Party government. Since construction of the pipeline would create several thousand temporary construction jobs in the states it would cross to reach Gulf Coast refineries, it is supported by union interests which are among the Obama Administration's usual allies. Finally, in this presidential election year, Congressional Republicans, GOP presidential candidates, and their supportive interest groups view the pipeline project as an ideal opportunity to promote their "drill everywhere" and "oil creates jobs" messages and attack Obama.

Look for the Keystone XL pipeline debate to be replayed endlessly in the 2012 Congressional and national campaign debates. For more information on the tar sands pipeline issue, sources include these:

Nuclear Update: Duke Presses for Lee Plant

Duke Energy's proposed new Lee nuclear plant was alternately enthusiastically supported and vigorously attacked at a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) public hearing in Gaffney, South Carolina, last week. The plant would be built near the town, about 50 miles southwest of Charlotte.

The Lee plant is a reincarnation of Duke's proposed Cherokee nuclear plant of a generation ago. The Cherokee plant proposal died a lingering death in the 1980's due to skyrocketing construction costs and the collapse of inflated projections for growth in demand for electricity. Armed today with massive new government loan guarantees and forced ratepayer subsidies, Duke is back again pushing its dream/nightmare of a new round of nuclear power construction.

As usual, the plant proposal drew strong support from local business sources which would benefit from the infusion of temporary construction work, and local political figures who crave the added tax base and jobs for a region with continued high unemployment. Opponents hit hard on the long-term potential for accidents and radioactivity releases. They also decried the fact that the plant in routine operation would suck in for cooling water nearly half the base flow volume of the nearby Broad River. Nuclear reactors are extraordinary consumers of water resources.

Historically, the NRC has often been a rubber stamp for new nuclear construction proposals, and the NRC staff has already recommended approval of Duke's application for construction of the proposed two nuclear reactors at this location. The last generation of nuclear overconstruction in the 1970's and '80's was cut off only when affordable financing dried up for the power companies' building spree.

However, licensing debates before the NRC and state-level regulatory commissions have been used as effective public education opportunities on nuclear risks and the preferability of investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy alternatives. The NRC record on Duke's Lee plant proposal will remain open for written public comments until March 6. Information on the comment process and background on the proposed plant are available through the Clean Water for NC website: http://www.cwfnc.org/water-and-energy/duke-nuke-hearing-2012/

Education & Resources: Clean Energy Connections

The N.C. Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) has announced a statewide series of educational events on clean energy alternatives in 2012, called Clean Energy Connections. The events are designed to inform the public on topics such as financing alternatives for clean energy projects, and to promote networking among supporters of renewable energy.

Events will kick off on January 24 at the Solar Center in Raleigh, and continue on February 21 at UNC-Chapel Hill. More information is available at http://energync.org/calendar/ncsea-events/2012/01/24/clean-energy-connections-clean-energy-financing-101/

On a scorecard just released by the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, the average pro-conservation score in the state House was 43 percent, down from 67 percent last year. The Senate’s average score was 27, down from 69 last year. They are the lowest scores since the group’s first scorecard in 1999.

Dan Crawford, the organization’s director of governmental relations, attributes the lower scores to the legislative leadership changes at the beginning of the last session, and says it’s bad for North Carolina business.

“One of the things that brings business to North Carolina is this great quality of life that we have here,” said Crawford. “People want to bring businesses to states that have a good environment.”

He said among the contributors to the failing grades is a proposal to do away with regulations on drilling for oil or natural gas along the coast. That bill was vetoed by the governor, but supporters say they are one vote away from overriding the veto.

The scores were based on each lawmaker’s voting record in 2011 on environmental issues. They were given 100 points for voting in favor of conservation-minded policies, and zeroes for voting against them. Now that it’s an election year, Crawford hopes people will pay special attention to those votes.

“Voters need to take a look at their members. They need to see how their members voted on environmental issues, and if they don’t like what they see, they need to be prepared to work for change in 2012.”

From our district, Rep. Ken Goodman’s Lifetime Score according to the league is 67, and his 2011 Long Session score is 67.

“I did not know we had been rated, but 67 seems fairly middle-of-the-road,” said Goodman, a Democrat from Rockingham. “I voted conservative, and I’m pretty happy with that. We need to be good stewards of the environment.”

Goodman said that on some bills, although it may seem like he voted against the environment, he said he is keeping the big picture in mind.

“We still have to live and do business here,” he said.

Although Goodman voted mostly in favor of the environment, H3 was controversial.

The league described H3 SB 110-Permit Terminal Groins as “permitting and construction of four terminal groins on our inlets under a pilot program. Terminal groins and hardened structure are damaging to our valuable beaches and our economy, protecting some properties at the expense of often public beach down-drift. They will also increase the cost of managing our beaches, and tax payers will be forced to cover the escalating costs of moving sand for the long term.”

“I discussed it with Tim Spears, he’s from there, and if people in coastal areas are in favor of the bill, then it’s good. I can’t be an expert on everything,” said Goodman, who voted for the pilot project that would construct sea-walls. “I sit two seats from our strongest pro-environment representative, Pricey Harrison, who got 100 percent (score) and I talked a lot with her. I try to make decisions that are best for the state, but I get her opinion on all environmental issues.

“I do try to research all these issues as best I can,” Goodman continued. “We are stewards of the environment and we are obligated to pass it on to our children and grandchildren in healthy condition. It’s very important. I think our environmental standards in North Carolina are an incentive for people to come live in North Carolina, so we certainly don’t want to destroy it. We have to look at the overall scheme.”

Goodman is not against being scored or rated by organizations like the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters.

“That’s fine with me,” he said. “I want to do everything in bright sunlight.”

Sen. Bill Purcell, D-Laurinburg, was not aware that the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters had created a Legislative Scorecard. His score has been decreasing over the past few years. His Lifetime Score is 81, and his 2009-2010 average was 76. On the 2011 scorecard, Purcell scored 67.

“I haven’t seen the report,” he said. “I try to support environmental issues in any way I can. I’ve been in the Senate for 15 years and I really believe in protecting the environment.”

According to the scorecard, Purcell voted against the environment seven times. He voted for the Energy Jobs Act that “is an excessive push for fossil fuel exploration and increased consumption, benefiting the oil and gas industry, most likely at the expense of North Carolina’s tourism industry,” according to the scorecard.

Purcell said he does not mind organizations rating his performance as an elected official.

“I don’t have any problem with that,” he said. “I’m proud of my record and I have nothing to hide.”

To view the Legislative Scorecard of 2011 and all previous scorecards, visit nclcv.org.

— Staff Writer Dawn M. Kurry can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 15, or by email at dkurry@heartlandpublications.com.

Legislative Watch: Third-Party Sales Could Boost Clean Energy

A legislative study committee considering a way to boost development of renewable energy begins meeting January 25. The House Third Party Sale of Electricity Committee will consider whether to allow consumers and businesses to purchase electricity directly from independent clean energy generators. If permitted, that would encourage companies to initiate solar or wind projects by allowing them to contract directly with another company as end-user, instead of having to pass through the general utility grid via sales to the monopoly power companies.

The N.C. Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) is among the advocates for this tool. NCSEA's comments and analysis on the topic can be found at http://energync.org/blog/ncsea-news/2012/01/10/legislative-alert-show-your-support-for-clean-energy-on-jan-25/

The legislative study committee will meet January 25 at 2 p.m. in Raleigh (Legislative Office Building, Room 421). It may report recommendations for consideration by the 2012 legislative short session. Details on the committee and its charge can be found at http://energync.org/assets/files/LRCHouseThirdPartySalesCmte.pdf

Washington Watch: EPA's Toxic Release Inventory Shows Trends to Watch

The annual Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), published this month by the EPA, shows a substantial increase during 2010 in the amount of toxic chemicals disposed of or otherwise released into the water, air, and land. Releases increased by 16 percent nationally, and by almost 4 percent in North Carolina, compared to 2009.

The EPA reports that the national increase was principally due to changes in the metal mining sector, including changes in the chemical composition of the ore being mined. Releases nationally represented an increase in 2010 (the last year for which data was available in this report) over 2009, but the 2010 releases are still lower than the totals in 2007. The increase in North Carolina was also led by changes in the metal mining and chemical manufacturing sectors. Nationally, land releases jumped sharply in 2010, and water releases increased modestly, but air releases continued a downward trend.

North Carolina ranked 19th among the states in 2010 toxic releases. Among North Carolina counties, New Hanover, Person, Columbus, Beaufort, Catawba, Gaston, Bladen, Haywood, Bertie, and Wayne had the top ten highest reported release totals. (Noteworthy sources include mining operations and power plants.)

The TRI is an annual compilation of data from reporting required by federal law. It is designed to give the public access to current, detailed information on the sources of toxic chemicals in their local environment. Online research tools are available to make citizen research easier. For more information on the TRI, including easy research tools, go to http://www.epa.gov/tri

There's even a mobile phone research app available at http://www.epa.gov/tri/myrtk/

Education & Resources: Pollution in Your Backyard

Ozone levels in backyards of several Piedmont counties have been found to be comparable to levels reached around interstates and businesses, according to a study conducted by researchers at Davidson College and Catawba College's Center for the Environment.  The study looked at locations in Rowan, Cabarrus, Iredell, Davidson, Mecklenburg and Gaston counties in North Carolina, and York County in South Carolina.

A presentation and panel discussion featuring that study's results and entitled "Air Pollution in Our Backyards" will be held this Thursday, January 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Center for the Environment facility on the Catawba College campus in Salisbury.  This provocative topic drives home the direct relevance of regional air pollution problems to our daily lives.

More information on the program, including registration, can be found at http://www.centerfortheenvironment.org/events.html

Twenty-eight years ago, release of methyl isocyanate gas killed thousands in that Indian city. The Bhopal disaster led to new environmental laws in the U.S., one of which annually informs Americans on the toxic chemicals being released into the air near their homes.

The latest news from the Toxics Release Inventory maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency is not good. After four consecutive years in which the release of toxic chemicals fell in the U.S., the nation saw a 16 percent increase in 2010. North Carolina saw an almost 4 percent jump.

The 600 chemicals on the list are seriously dangerous, many are known carcinogens, and over the years their emissions have been reduced steadily. EPA authorities are ascribing the increase nationally to an increase in metals mining and chemical manufacturing.

But in North Carolina, emissions from electric utilities dropped by 12 percent, even in an otherwise bad year. This is a direct result, we're certain, of efforts made by both the utilities and state government in the past decade to reduce smokestack emissions.

In North Carolina, the legislature and utilities agreed to require that growing percentages of state electricity be generated through clean, alternative production. Last year, when legislators proposed weakening that law, the utilities opposed the effort.

Environmental protection is about saving lives, reducing illness and protecting our beautiful state, concepts lost on a legislature that, in 2011, earned historically low scores from the N.C. League of Conservation Voters.

They need to get back on track and find ways to protect us from these toxic emissions.

The average score in the House for the 2011 session was 43 percent, down from 67 percent for the 2009-2010 session. The Senate average was 27 percent compared to 69 percent in the 2009-2010 session.

“Legislators in the 2011 long session made poor choices when it comes to protecting our natural resources and quality of life,” said Dan Crawford, director of government relations for the council. “With North Carolina consistently ranking at the top of lists for best places to live and do business in the country, the legislators failed to realize the impact their decisions will have on our quality of life for the long-term.”

Dan Crawford, the League's director of governmental relations, attributes the lower scores to the legislative leadership changes at the beginning of the last session, and says it's bad for North Carolina business.

"One of the things that brings business to North Carolina is this great quality of life that we have here. People want to bring businesses to states that have a good environment."

He says among the contributors to the failing grades is a proposal to do away with regulations on drilling for oil or natural gas along the coast. That bill was vetoed by the governor, but supporters say they are one vote away from overriding the veto.

The scores were based on each lawmaker's voting record in 2011 on environmental issues. They were given 100 points for voting in favor of conservation-minded policies, and zeroes for voting against them. Now that it's an election year, Crawford hopes people will pay special attention to those votes.

"Voters need to take a look at their members. They need to see how their members voted on environmental issues, and if they don't like what they see, they need to be prepared to work for change in 2012."

He says another law for which the State Assembly got a failing grade is one that expands the "cut zones" around billboards, eliminating more trees to increase the visibility of the advertising.

Scorecards for this year (and past years) are online at nclcv.org.

Stephanie Carroll Carson, Public News Service - NC

The N.C. League of Conservation Voters has been scoring North Carolina legislators on environmental issues since 1999, and this year’s scores are the lowest they have ever been.

The conservation scorecard gives each state legislator a score of 0 to 100 based on his or her votes on key environmental bills in the recent session of the General Assembly.

Sen. Andrew Brock had a score of 8 percent for the last session, compared to his lifetime score of 40 percent.

Rep. Fred Steen’s score this year was 17 percent, and his lifetime score is 46 percent.

Rep. Harry Warren’s score also was 17 percent, which the League compared in the press release to predecessor Lorene Coates’ lifetime score of 74 percent.

Warren said Monday he thinks comparing a one-year record to a 10-year record is unfair, especially during a session focused on reducing spending while providing for health and human services.

“You have to consider that during Lorene’s tenure, the state was on a wild-eyed spending spree,” Warren said. “They could back and pass any legislation they wanted, which has us in the situation we’re in now. So this assembly has had to make some serious cuts, many of them that they didn’t want to.”

But the long-term environmental impact should be considered with any piece of legislation, he said.

Warren said he has concerns about the Energy Jobs Act that would potentially allow a new method of mining natural gas, nicknamed “fracking,” in North Carolina. It also would come closer to allowing offshore oil and gas exploration.

The General Assembly’s Republican majority is trying to override Gov. Bev Perdue’s veto of the bill.

“As much as we need jobs, and as much as they say that could generate, I have been researching that intensely,” Warren said, “because I am very concerned about the environmental impact that hydraulic fracturing might leave.”

Steen said he isn’t sure why his conservation score this year is so much lower than his lifetime average.

The state needs to have some environmental safeguards in place, he said, and Republicans have slowed down to make sure those safeguards are in the Energy Jobs Act. But too many restrictions can overburden businesses and hurt the economy, Steen said.

“I think that what we were trying to do this year was find out ways that we could create jobs in North Carolina,” he said. “I think a lot of regulatory type of legislation does not create jobs - it stops jobs.”

The average score in the House for the 2011 session was 43 percent, down from 67 percent for the 2009-2010 average; the Senate average was 27 percent, compared to 69 percent in 2009-2010.

“This year’s scores indicate just how aggressive the new leadership has been in rolling back the environmental protections that make North Carolina a great place to live and do business,” the League wrote in a press release. “With the first bills proposed early on to limit or do away with regulations to the final days of the debate over drilling for oil off North Carolina’s pristine coast and for natural gas in our beautiful piedmont areas, it was clear this new Legislature had environmental protections in their cross hairs.”

For more information and to see the complete scorecard, go to www.nclcv.org/ what/scoring

Contact reporter Karissa Minn at 704-797-4222.

Twitter: twitter.com/postcopolitics

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