On the morning of Wed. May 2, Great Outdoor Provision Co. was at the at the NC History Museum Auditorium with the North Carolina Conservation Network and over 150 clean water advocates for Clean Water Lobby Day at the NC State Legislature. Individuals and groups from all over the state made the trip to Raleigh to show that clean water is a priority in North Carolina. The agenda for the day focused on urging legislators to endorse three bills currently on the political chopping block. The bills address issues relating to sedimentation and erosion control, swine farm regulations, and interbasin transfer practices. After a brief welcome from the NC Conservation Network, the group of blue-shirt clad lobbyists “streamed” across Bicentennial Plaza on their way to the legislative building. On the way, they listened to encouraging words from Senator Joe Sam Queen and Representative Pricey Harrison (Primary Sponsor for the sedimentation bill). Citizens divided into teams of their respective districts and set out to find their representatives. The groups talked with legislators in their offices, in the halls, and in-between meetings and emphasized their community’s concerns with the water issues on the table. Working around the busy legislators’ schedules, many Clean Water Day attendees were on their feet from 10 am to 2 pm! Even the representatives with which they could not personally speak were left information regarding the bills as well as a signed card from the folks passionate enough to make the trip to the capital. Every NC legislator got a visit, the information packet, or both! After four hectic hours of effort, the group reconvened in the museum auditorium to hear a closing speech from Representative Carolyn Justice (Primary Sponsor for the hog farm bill). The event ended as the tired but optimistic participants wrote thank you cards to legislators for considering citizens’ concerns.
For more information on the North Carolina Conservation Network:
http://www.ncconservationnetwork.org/
For more information on Clean Water Legislation:
Erosion/Sedimentaion Control Fee/Positions (H1868)
http://ftp.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2007&BillID=H1868
Swine Farm Environmental Performance Standard/Funds (H1115)
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2007&BillID=h1115
Amend Interbasin Transfer Law (H960 & S1360)
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2007&BillID=H960