N.C. House Majority Overrides Governor Cooper’s Budget Veto

RALEIGH, N.C.  – After explicitly proclaiming there would be no votes this week – and with only half of the General Assembly present – the North Carolina House majority voted to override Governor Roy Cooper’s budget veto today. Under the majority-backed budget, approved in June, minimal new requirements for industrial hog farms meant to protect water quality and provide the public with information about whether hog waste lagoons are leaking would be delayed an entire year. Instead of taking effect this fall as intended, the safeguards would be delayed until October 1, 2020.

A statement follows from Valerie Baron, Staff Attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC):

“The majority’s underhanded move is a direct attack on North Carolinians’ health, environment, and economy. The level of deceit is a painful reminder that the majority will stop at nothing to please industry and sell out communities.”

For more background, read: Something in the NC Farm Act Stinks, What's Poo Got to Do With It? and New Swine Waste Permit Fails to Protect Communities & Water

###

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.​