[Durham INC] General Assembly attacks water as well as trees

[Pat Carstensen]

>From the Sierra Club weekly update:
We knew about the anti-trees bill but what is new is an attack on sedimentation control -- an idea that is in the wrong direction when there is research onto how land clearing can be done better to keep carbon tied up longer (I don't have a specific reference for this, but doing better on development practices is one of the recommendations about how NC wild and working lands can contribute to reducing climate change)

We probably don't need to tell the Durham delegation about this, but it you have friends in other parts of the state, please pass this on.

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Please reach out today and ask your House Rep. to protect water by opposing H 489 “Building Code & Development Reg Reform” and to protect trees by opposing H 496 “Property Owners’ Rights/Tree Ordinances”.



  *   H 489<https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2021/h489> “Building Code & Development Reg Reform” would be harmful to sediment control efforts that are all about protecting water quality. Land development comes with impacts that must be managed, including the potential for sediment to run offsite, destroying streams and polluting rivers. H 489 would undercut local sediment programs by capping permit fees, transferring liability to uninformed homeowners, and erasing core responsibilities of developers and builders. The bill is scheduled for a House vote Monday evening.


  *   H 496<https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2021/h496> “Property Owners’ Rights/Tree Ordinances” would prohibit communities from adopting tree protection ordinances that regulate the removal of trees from private property without the express authorization of the General Assembly. This would make it more difficult for local governments to protect large historic trees, tree buffers, and natural flood and erosion control on private property.


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