Trending...
- Salestrics Releases Version 2.0 to Unify CRM, Business Email, and Operations on a Single Customer Graph
- New ProEssentials v11: Native WinUI Charting Library, 100M Points in 15ms, Following Microsoft's Vision for True Native Swap-Chain Rendering
- $620 Million in Recent Government Contract Awards with More Than $1.2 Billion in Annualized Revenue: Circle8 Group (N A S D A Q: CIRC)
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On behalf of Clean Air Carolina and the North Carolina Coastal Federation, the Southern Environmental Law Center filed a petition for rulemaking with the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission for the state to take action against harmful climate change by joining other states in a cooperative effort to reduce heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.
"With climate change already harming North Carolina, and science telling us we are running out of time to reduce our heat-trapping gas emissions, now is the time to take action," said Gudrun Thompson, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. "Whether we act now or delay determines our future as well as the legacy we leave our children and grandchildren. This petition outlines a cost-effective solution that is proven to work and ready to go to protect North Carolina's economy, environment and people."
Action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is urgently needed as North Carolinians increasingly feel the impacts of climate change from flooding, slower storms that drop more rain, rising sea levels that are harming coastal areas, and warmer and more humid days and nights. Scientists warn of more dire consequences for North Carolina's economy, environment and people—including to people's health—if no action is taken or action is delayed.
More on ncarol.com
"A hotter climate causes more extreme weather and higher seas that drown our coast in major floods that occur all too routinely," said Todd Miller, executive director of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. "Recovery from these disasters cost taxpayers billions of dollars almost every year. The commission needs to act with urgency to exercise its responsibility to protect and restore our coast from climate turmoil."
The petition filed with the commission outlines a comprehensive approach to limit and reduce heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by participating in a regional emissions-trading program. The commission has 120 days to initiate rulemaking or deny the petition.
"Climate change is a health disaster for North Carolina, and one that will only get worse the longer we wait to act," said June Blotnick, executive director of Clean Air Carolina. "It's time we use proven, cost-effective strategies and coordinate with other states to efficiently reduce climate emissions across the eastern U.S., protecting the health of our communities and the environment."
Under the proposal filed with the commission, the state would establish a carbon dioxide emissions-trading program and participate in the existing Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) implemented by states from New England south through Virginia. In such a program, if a power plant emits carbon dioxide, it has to buy an allowance for each ton of carbon dioxide pollution it produces. Allowances can be bought and sold in a regional auction, which helps to keep costs down. The number of available allowances is reduced over time to reduce pollution.
More on ncarol.com
States already participating in RGGI saw carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector drop 47% over the last decade as well as fewer premature deaths, hospital visits, and lost work or school days, associated with asthma and other respiratory illnesses, strokes, and heart attacks. A similar approach was successfully used a few decades ago when acid rain plagued the United States, harming and killing fish, wildlife, and forests. That issue is now largely in the past thanks to a cap-and-trade program for nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, the primary causes of acid rain.
Participation in the regional program is a cost-effective and proven policy option to reduce carbon dioxide emissions consistent with Governor Cooper's Executive Order No. 80 and the Department of Environmental Quality's Clean Energy Plan, which sets a goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector by 70% by 2030, reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
For more than 30 years, the Southern Environmental Law Center has used the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. With over 80 attorneys and nine offices across the region, SELC is widely recognized as the Southeast's foremost environmental organization and regional leader. SELC works on a full range of environmental issues to protect our natural resources and the health and well-being of all the people in our region. www.SouthernEnvironment.org
SOURCE Southern Environmental Law Center
Related Links
www.southernenvironment.org
"With climate change already harming North Carolina, and science telling us we are running out of time to reduce our heat-trapping gas emissions, now is the time to take action," said Gudrun Thompson, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. "Whether we act now or delay determines our future as well as the legacy we leave our children and grandchildren. This petition outlines a cost-effective solution that is proven to work and ready to go to protect North Carolina's economy, environment and people."
Action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is urgently needed as North Carolinians increasingly feel the impacts of climate change from flooding, slower storms that drop more rain, rising sea levels that are harming coastal areas, and warmer and more humid days and nights. Scientists warn of more dire consequences for North Carolina's economy, environment and people—including to people's health—if no action is taken or action is delayed.
More on ncarol.com
- Socialhose Eyes Southeast Asia and Rejects the Copy-Paste Expansion Playbook
- $40 Billion Global Market Value by 2030 Projected in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or Other Drone Technology Sector, Growing at 9.2% Compound Annual Growth
- Charlotte-based Steady Tax & Bookkeeping launches to support small businesses nationwide
- Recreation Ponds: The Next Big Backyard Pond Trend?
- $620 Million in Recent Government Contract Awards with More Than $1.2 Billion in Annualized Revenue: Circle8 Group (N A S D A Q: CIRC)
"A hotter climate causes more extreme weather and higher seas that drown our coast in major floods that occur all too routinely," said Todd Miller, executive director of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. "Recovery from these disasters cost taxpayers billions of dollars almost every year. The commission needs to act with urgency to exercise its responsibility to protect and restore our coast from climate turmoil."
The petition filed with the commission outlines a comprehensive approach to limit and reduce heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by participating in a regional emissions-trading program. The commission has 120 days to initiate rulemaking or deny the petition.
"Climate change is a health disaster for North Carolina, and one that will only get worse the longer we wait to act," said June Blotnick, executive director of Clean Air Carolina. "It's time we use proven, cost-effective strategies and coordinate with other states to efficiently reduce climate emissions across the eastern U.S., protecting the health of our communities and the environment."
Under the proposal filed with the commission, the state would establish a carbon dioxide emissions-trading program and participate in the existing Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) implemented by states from New England south through Virginia. In such a program, if a power plant emits carbon dioxide, it has to buy an allowance for each ton of carbon dioxide pollution it produces. Allowances can be bought and sold in a regional auction, which helps to keep costs down. The number of available allowances is reduced over time to reduce pollution.
More on ncarol.com
- Lewis County Hydrogen Alliance Launches Phase 1 Work to Turn Forest Residuals into Fuel-Grade Hydrogen and Dispatchable Clean Power
- Next Gen Fibre Selects netElastic vBNG and CGNAT to Fuel Rapid Nationwide Expansion and Eliminate Network Bottlenecks
- Boston Industrial Solutions, Inc. Introduces SAP-G70 Primer for bonding silicone to silicone and other materials
- 'Reflections: Enlightening Insights Into the Divine Mystery' — The Latest Book by Philosopher Steven Colborne
- Scott G. Hoy of Hoy Law Earns 11th Consecutive Super Lawyers Selection
States already participating in RGGI saw carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector drop 47% over the last decade as well as fewer premature deaths, hospital visits, and lost work or school days, associated with asthma and other respiratory illnesses, strokes, and heart attacks. A similar approach was successfully used a few decades ago when acid rain plagued the United States, harming and killing fish, wildlife, and forests. That issue is now largely in the past thanks to a cap-and-trade program for nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, the primary causes of acid rain.
Participation in the regional program is a cost-effective and proven policy option to reduce carbon dioxide emissions consistent with Governor Cooper's Executive Order No. 80 and the Department of Environmental Quality's Clean Energy Plan, which sets a goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector by 70% by 2030, reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
For more than 30 years, the Southern Environmental Law Center has used the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. With over 80 attorneys and nine offices across the region, SELC is widely recognized as the Southeast's foremost environmental organization and regional leader. SELC works on a full range of environmental issues to protect our natural resources and the health and well-being of all the people in our region. www.SouthernEnvironment.org
SOURCE Southern Environmental Law Center
Related Links
www.southernenvironment.org
Filed Under: Business
0 Comments
Latest on ncarol.com
- Gospel Artist and Media Executive Trevone Perry Heads to the 41st Stellar Gospel Music Awards
- KOLBUS America Welcomes New Sales Manager, Reid Crawley
- CRG Awarded NASA SEWP VI Contracts in Categories B and C
- Heidi G. Villari of The Villari Firm, PLLC Named to Super Lawyers for the Tenth Consecutive Year
- Elevate Your Sneakers With Crep Protect Trek Laces
- Meet Privateer: Tucson's High-Tech Security Force Built With Paramilitary Precision
- Humanbein Launches to Inspire Compassion Through Service, Opportunity, and Community
- Dynamic Dachshund Dog Goes Global: Remember Point Launches a New Bilingual Children's Book
- DARPA Selects NRx Pharmaceuticals Defense Subsidiary for Contract Negotiations on FDA-Authorized SPARC-TMS Clinical Trial Advancing Mental Health Care
- From the Racetrack to the Boardroom: Aston Martin and Aramco Formula One Partnership Accelerates Circle8 Group: (N A S D A Q: CIRC)
- NVM Pet Announces Leadership Transition, Promotes Next Generation of Executive Leadership
- U.N. Committee Reiterates Forced Psychiatric Detention a Human Rights Violation; CCHR Calls on the U.S. to Implement Protections
- Valgar LLC Launches The Briefing Room: Education Leaders
- New from Regal House Publishing, St. Ulphia's Dead, a dark comedy in the magical realist tradition
- New Novel WINCE Takes Unflinching Aim at American Gun Culture and Masculinity
- New Research Puts the Cost of Enterprise Decision Delay at $630 Billion a Year Across the Global 2000
- Cover Story about Matthew Cossolotto – Author of Harness Your PromisePower -- Published in July 2026 Enterprise World Magazine
- Lineus Medical Signs Partnership Agreement with DIMA MedTech to Support Expansion into Italy
- New Research: Deterministic Decompilation of Hermes Bytecode Back to Readable JavaScript
- Lionheart Holdings and KEO Energy Sign Letter of Intent for Proposed Business Combination