Energy and Environment
July 29, 2013 -
A bill that would have allowed North Carolina to issue fracking permits before all of the regulations were in place failed to pass, but lawmakers approved a measure that requires the state to join with Virginia and South Carolina to promote offshore energy development.
July 25, 2013 -
A new report from environmental groups documents widespread disregard for the Clean Water Act by electric utilities -- and an effort by the White House Office of Management and Budget to dilute proposed EPA rules trying to curb the industry's water pollution problem.
July 23, 2013 -
Amid plans to increase shipments of tar sands oil through Mobile, Ala., residents rallied in front of city hall today to urge officials to get the unusually dirty and dangerous fossil fuel out of their community.
July 17, 2013 -
Democracy North Carolina criticizes the $99,000 fine that's part of the proposed settlement between the utility giant and state regulators over water contamination from its coal-fired power plants as "piddling" while raising concerns about the company's political influence and close ties to Gov. Pat McCrory.
July 15, 2013 -
A new poll finds that the majority of North Carolina residents oppose fracking, but their elected state representatives are aggressively pushing to fast-track the controversial gas drilling technique in the state. Could a backlash be brewing?
July 12, 2013 -
Hundreds of Eastern North Carolina residents plan to sue pork giant Smithfield Foods over the company's hog farm pollution, which they say has infringed on their property rights. Meanwhile, state lawmakers are finalizing an ALEC model bill designed to discourage such farm nuisance suits.
July 11, 2013 -
More legislators in North Carolina than in any other state have signed Americans for Prosperity's pledge that discourages action on climate change. Credit for the pledge's political success goes to the billionaire brothers of Koch Industries who founded AFP -- but also to North Carolina's own Art Pope, a conservative mega-donor and longtime AFP leader.