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TO: Kristi Jones
FROM: HB 56 Message Plan
SUBJECT:Event Brief and Run of Show
copy: Carol Young, Eric Wilson
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Name of Event:
HB 56 Message Plan
Location:
Capitol —Governor's office
Governor's Staff Attending:
Ford Porter
Will the Governor speak /
how long and at what time?
Yes, Governor will do two interviews
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9:30 — 940 AM Governor Cooper will do a 10-minute Phone Interview
with Paul Woolverton of the Fayetteville Observer
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9:45 -9: 55 AM: Governor Cooper will do a 10-minute Phone Interview
with Adam Wagner of the Wilmington Star News.
Ford will call: 412 715 7516
10:15 AM: Governor Cooper will do 10-minute Interview with WAY -
Hannah Patrick and Matt Bennett at the Capitol.
Veto statement:
DEQ-CFW-00084916

Clean water is critical for our health and our economy and this
legislation weakens protections from river pollution and landfills. It also
fails to appropriate any needed funds to the departments in state
government charged with setting standards and enforcing laws to
1!,revent illegal chemical discharges into rivers used for drinking water. —
In addition, it repeals a local plastic bag ban supported by local
governments and businesses that was passed to protect the
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This bill fails to solve the problem and doesn't fund the agencies th
can actually protect people's drinking water. I
• The Governor requested $2.6 million in emergency funding for
scientists, toxicologists and other experts to rebuild the state's
water quality team.
• But instead of putting a strong Water Quality Assurance team on
the ground —as the governor had asked —this bill diverts needed
resources to local entities that can't solve the problem.
This piecemeal approach provides nothing to address the
continued challenge of unregulated compounds in state
waterways.
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While GenX levels have declined in the Cape Fear River, new EPA
testing released in recent weeks shows previously unknown compounds
in the Cape Fear and groundwater testing showed elevated levels of
GenX in Fayetteville.
Due to limited knowledge and scientific studies, unregulated
compounds can be difficult to detect and address.
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Responding to these compounds requires a serious plan to test and
monitor water, share information statewide, and work with local and
After years of budget cuts, DEQ and DHHS require more resources to
protect drinking water
Years of cuts have left waterways unprotected and water permit
reviews backlogged.
Since 2013, DEQ has seen 70 positions eliminated from water
quality and water resources,reduction in water quality and
* These agencies are redirecting resources but need scientists and
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Cuts to clean water resources are particularly evident when comparing
North Carolina to other states.
• North Carolina has 60 more water discharge facilities than South
Carolina and yet SC has twice as many permit writers.
• South Carolina has 17 permit writer; 159 facilities with NPDES
permits.
• Kentucky has 15 permit writers; 73 facilities with NPDES permits
• NC has 9 permit writers; 220 facilities.
By starving funding statewide and only responding to local
emergencies, legislators are risking fames' drinking water and
wasting taxpayer dollars.
This is money that doesiYt fix the problem attached to a bill that's bad
for our environment
The Outer Banks' plastic bag ban is a local solution to a local
environmental challenge.
This ban protects the wildlife and natural resources vital to the Outer
Banks' coastal economies. Tying legislation harmful to the environment
to funding for clean drinking water is wrong and counterproductive.
I 90MRS"
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Rolling back protections from water pollution and landfdls is never a
good idea, especially when concern over drinking water safety is at its
highest. Recent groundwater tests in Fayetteville demonstrate that
GenX and emerging compounds are more than just a Wilmington
problem and will require both immediate action and ongoing testing to
ensure access to dean drinking water. This legislation doesn!t support
the agency that can actually support the problem and allows additional
harmful environmental policy. That's not in the best interest of North
This bill fails to solve the problem and doesn't fund the agencies that
can actually protect people's drinking water. I requested $2.6 million in
emergency funding for scientists, toxicologists and other experts to
rebuild the state's water quality team. But instead of putting a strong
Water Quality Assurance team on the ground —as the DHHS and DEQ
requested —this bill diverts needed resources to local entities that can't
solve the problem. This piecemeal approach provides nothing to address
the continued challenge of unregulated compounds in state waterways.
Did you consult with CFPUA or UNCW before rejecting this money for
them? Did you give them a chance to tell you how it could've been
helpful for you?
My administration has been in frequent contact with local officials. But
this is about what will fix the problem with emerging contaminants. I
carefully studied this bill. HB 56 was a bad environmental bill and
didn't contain anything that would've fixed the problem.
Did you talk to the New Hanover commissioners about this at all?
Several of the commissioners said they would've welcomed this:ftmding,
and are criticizing you for rejecting it.
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My administration has been in frequent contact with local officials. The
fact is that this bill does not fix the problem. It does not give the state
the resources it needs to deal with these emerging contaminants.
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This is about finding solutions that actually address the problem. As
recent groundwater tests in Fayetteville have shown, GenX and
emerging compounds are not just a concern in Wilmington. This is
something our entire state is dealing with and there aren't any short-
cuts or substitutes for a real solution. We need to provide the necessary
resources for the agencies that can actually take action and prevent
these compounds from being discharged. HB 56 didn't do that.
I vetoed this bill because it's a bad environmental bill that doesn't fix
the problem presented by GenX and emerging contaminants.
The fact that legislators tacked this legislation onto another bad piece of
environmental legislation proves that they aren't taking this issue
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The General Assembly should take serious action to address this issue.
In the meantime, my administration is using every resource available to
monitor and protect drinking water across the state. We have stopped
the discharge of GenX and other compunds and are going to hold the
Unfortunately, legislative budget cuts have forced DEQ and DHHS to
spend more resources responding to emergencies. This leaves our
resources spread thin. We need a Water Quality Assurance team of
experts who can continue to monitor water across the state to ensure
we're being proactive and not just responding to emergencies.
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Later on. D=1 you think this will make them not want to work with
Republican leaders in the General Assembly knew when they sent me
this bill that it didn't fix the problem. I have been very clear about what
we need to deal with this issue, and I think it was a reasonable funding
request. They say they're taking this issue seriously, so I look forward
to them working with me find a serious solution.
It feels like the safety of Wilmington!s water is being caught in the
political crosshairs. When is someone going to step up and put politics
aside so that vre can have safe --,rater?
First, DEQ has sued Chemours and the company is no longer releasing
GenX or other newly identified compounds. This bill did not fix the
problem, and it tacked on bad environmental legislation for no reason. I
have made a clear, reasonable funding request to get our state agencies
the resources they need to fix this problem and manage this emerging
contaminants issue. I hope the legislature will take it up as soon as
1�ossible. Until then, we will continue using the resources we have to
enforce our environmental laws and keep our people safe, like we have
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t-hat request still sufficient?
lVe are currently testing wells near the Fayetteville works and have
ordered Chemours to provide bottled water to families whose wells havt
shown elevated levels of GenX above the DHHS health goal. This issue
has underscored the importance of providing the resources to monitor
and protect drinking water statewide.
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to emergencies, but they need the resources to ensure more proactive
testing to ensure drinking water statewide is safe.
Chemours is a major employer here. Their attorney sent your
violating the company's rights. Is this company in the wrong or not?
State officials initiated legal action and issued a notice of violation
against Chemours. As a result, the company entered into a consent
decree and a judge ordered them to stop discharging GenX and the
compounds Nafion byproducts 1 and 2. DEQ will continue to hold
Chemours 9-ccountg,ble.
IVe are currently testing wells near the Fayetteville works and have
ordered Chemours to provide bottled water to families whose wells havt
shown elevated levels of GenX above the DHHS health goal.
We continue to provide all the information we can to families living
near the Fayetteville works and we will continue to test well -water in
the area.
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