DEQ-CFW_00084923

From: Governor Cooper's Press Office [[e-mail]]
Sent: 9/21/20171:11:15PN1
To: Kritzer, Jamie [/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=ExchangeAdministrative Group
(FYD|BOHFI]3PDLT)/cn=Kecipients/cn=cee93c49dO1445a]b54Ibb]I7dcdc84O-jbkhtzed
Subject: Gov. Cooper Vetoes House Bill 56
Contact: Ford Porter
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
0ALEIGH:Today, Gov. Cooper will veto House ]Bill 56,AnAct 0oAmend Various
Environmental Laws. GovCooper shared the following veto message:
"Clean water is critical for our health and our economy and this legislation fails to appropriate
any needed funds to the departments in state government charged with setting standards
and enforcing |awstopreventi|lega|chomica|dischangesin0orivensusedhxdrinkingwater.
In addition, it weakens protections from river pollution and landfills and repeals local plastic
bag ban supported by local governments and businesses that was passed to protect the
environment."
Gov. Cooper shared additional thoughts onHouse Bill 56inaMedium J2Os :
"Clean drinking water is vital to every person and community in North Carolina and stopping

threats toour water safety isatop priority for state government.
The discovery of the chemical GenX in the Cape Fear River has emphasized that the threat
posed by emerging, unregulated compounds will require resources to protect water across the
When it comes todrinking water, there isnoroom for political posturing mhollow solutions.
We must keep our eye nn the ball to monitor our waterways and ensure that all North
Carolinians can have full confidence in the water they drink.
The legislation passed bythe General Assembly, House Bill 56, provides no resources 0nthe
state agencies charged with protecting drinking water and preventing illegal chemicals from
being discharged into our rivers. It gives the impression of action while allowing the long-term
problem to fester. And it unnecessarily rolls back other environmental protections for landfills,
river basins, and our beaches.
This cynical legislation fails Uoaddress the concerns cf families inthe Cape Fear region and
does nothing to protect drinking water statewide going forward.
That is why I am vetoing it.
In recent years, state regulators have suffered repeated budget cuts that have left resources
stretched thin — nearly 70 positions have been cut from the water quality department of the
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) alone since 2013. These cuts are particularly
glaring when comparing North Carolina Unother states.
North Cann|hm has nine permit writers for J2Owater discharge facilities. Meanwhile, South
Carolina has almost twice as many officials overseeing far fewer facilities, as does Kentucky.
These cuts have forced North Carolina to do more with less, straining state officials' workload.
Still, following reports of GenX in the Cape Fear River, state officials moved swiftly.
DEQsuccossfu|ly took action tostop Chomounsfrom discharging GenXand two additional
compounds that were going into the river. DHHS health experts worked with the EPA and
DEQ to monitor GenXlevels inthe Cape Fear and ensure that families could continue todrink
their water.
As part of the response on GenX, DEQ and DHHS requested $2.6 million to put more experts
on thegnound—hihng engineers, monitors, permit writers and scientists. Unfortunately, HB
56 offers no support for these agencies. Instead this legislation diverts needed resources Ao
the local utility and UNC-Wilmington and eliminates local plastic bag ban supported by local
governments and businesses that was passed to protect the environment in the Outer Banks.
The urgent need hoprotect our state'sdrinking water isnot anissue that will soon goaway.
There are no short cuts, and the presence of GenX in groundwater in Fayetteville makes clear
that the solution cannot be limited to Wilmington.
This legislation doesn't fix the problem, and that iswhy I'm vetoing it. Iurge the legislature to
take meaningful action to ensure the long-term safety of drinking water in North Carolina."
Click here to read the post on Governor Cooper's Medium page.
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This rnessage sent to Jam ie.Kritzer@nc den r,gov N,orn govpre�[e-mail]
Governor Cooper's Press, Office
Governor CoopeCs P,ess Office
116 Well Jones St.
RaleighNC 27603
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