Gov. Easley Announces Green Business Grant Program For Small Businesses

$1 Million Fund Will Help Companies Develop Cutting-Edge Green Technologies

Gov. Mike Easley announced that small business owners and entrepreneurs can apply today for the new North Carolina Green Business Fund grants. These competitive grants will help small businesses develop promising green and alternative energy technologies to bring cutting-edge, environmentally-friendly products and services to the marketplace.

“The Green Business Fund helps encourage the growth of North Carolina’s clean energy economy,” Easley said. “These grants will tap our state’s entrepreneurial talent and help North Carolina’s small businesses develop innovative technologies that are critical to our future growth.”

The General Assembly approved creation of the Green Business Fund last year and directed $1 million for the first round of grants. North Carolina-based small businesses with 100 or fewer employees can apply for grants to pursue original, pioneering ideas that are both good for the environment and good for the economy. A company can receive a maximum of $100,000 per grant. Deadline for grant applications is April 30, 2008.

The N.C. Board of Science and Technology, a division of the state Department of Commerce, administers the Green Business Fund. Detailed information on applying for grants, requests for grant proposals, eligibility criteria and other guidelines are available at the Board of Science and Technology’s website: http://www.ncscienceandtechnology.com.

Conservation PAC Endorses Besse for Lieutenant Governor

February 6, 2007

Conservation PAC Endorses Besse for Lieutenant Governor

Besse receives the first environmental endorsement of the 2008 election cycle in NC

The Conservation PAC today issued its first endorsement of the 2008 election cycle, endorsing Winston-Salem City Council Member Dan Besse for Lieutenant Governor. The group said its endorsement is based on "Dan Besse's life-long commitment and leadership to conserve North Carolina's natural resources and environmental health."

The Conservation PAC cited Besse's long history of effective statewide leadership for the protection of North Carolina's environment and public health, including his work to protect coastal resources, promote clean water and air statewide, and address climate change.

"I'm deeply honored to receive Conservation PAC's first endorsement of 2008," responded Besse. "Our water, air, and land are under increasing stress from both new development and climate change. Smart planning and environmental conservation are absolutely necessary to protect our people's health and our economic future."

In releasing the endorsement, Brownie Newman, Political Director of the Conservation PAC, said "Dan Besse brings an unmatched depth of understanding and demonstrated commitment to protection of North Carolina's communities and environment."

Nina Szlosberg, Chair of the Conservation PAC, added "Dan Besse has provided great leadership on issues that mean so much to North Carolinians. He has been a champion for environmental protection and public health for many years. We need his kind of leadership in the state to remain competitive in the 21st century."

Earlier this week, Besse released his "Water Resources Plan for North Carolina in the 21st Century" in response to the state's growing crisis in drought management and competing water demands.

Besse earlier received the endorsement of the statewide Progressive Democrats of North Carolina.

The Conservation PAC is a key non-partisan political arm of North Carolina's conservation community. Its members are active environmental leaders from across the state. The Conservation PAC has endorsed legislative and statewide candidates in North Carolina since 2000, and provided over $100,000 in assistance to endorsed candidates during the past two years alone.

NCDP Congratulates Vice President Al Gore on Winning the Nobel Peace Prize

NCDP Chair Jerry Meek released today the following statement on Vice President Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize:

“The North Carolina Democratic Party congratulates Vice President Al Gore and the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) today on winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Their work has single-handedly increased worldwide awareness of the connection between human activities and global warming.

We agree with Vice President Gore when he states that global warming is not a political issue, but a ‘moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity’.

We hope the granting of this prestigious honor will inspire governments all over the world, especially in the United States, to recognize that climate change is a serious issue and take immediate and corrective action to stem the tide of global warming."

Gov. Easley Signs Bill on Hog Lagoons

Michael F. Easley, Governor, 08/31/2007
State of North Carolina, Office of the Governor


GOV. EASLEY SIGNS BILL TO BAN NEW HOG WASTE LAGOONS
New Regulations Will Encourage Improved Standards To Protect The Environment

Raleigh - Gov. Mike Easley today signed into law Senate Bill 1465: ''An act to 1) codify and make permanent the Swine Farm Animal Waste Management System Performance Standards that the General Assembly enacted in 1998, (2) provide for the replacement of a lagoon that is an imminent hazard, (3) assist farmers to voluntarily convert to innovative animal waste management systems, and (4) establish the Swine Farm Methane Capture Pilot Program.'' The law bans new hog waste lagoons and launches programs to convert and modernize current lagoons to meet stricter standards to protect the environment.

''We do not have to choose between a strong economy and a clean environment,'' said Easley. ''This legislation provides assistance to hog operators who invest in the new technologies with a payoff for all of us that protects our rivers and streams.''

The new law prohibits the construction of new hog waste lagoons and sprayfields as primary methods of waste management. New waste management systems must adhere to stricter environmental regulations. The legislation will help provide grants to farms to aid in closing current systems and begin using modern waste management technology.

The law also creates the Swine Farm Methane Capture Pilot Program to generate electricity from methane gas collected by animal waste management systems. It creates a cost-sharing program for farmers to covert to the new technologies with the state covering 90 percent of the cost, or up to $500,000 for each applicant over the next five years. The state share will be 80 percent in 2012 and 75 percent in 2017.

''This is a major step forward for our state and our farmers as we try to ensure the long-term sustainability of the hog industry,'' said state Sen. Charles Albertson (D-Duplin, Lenoir, Sampson), the bill’s sponsor. ''I am sure our regulators and those in the industry will work cooperatively to protect our rivers and streams.''

''With this new law, North Carolina also is taking an innovative step to see if we can economically generate electricity from the methane gas from these waste management systems,'' said state Rep. Russell Tucker (D-Duplin). ''This pilot program could save millions on utility bills, particularly in rural areas.''

Section Three of the law became effective July 1, 2007 retroactively. All other sections are effective September 1, 2007. The legislation passed the Senate on a 48-0 vote and passed the House 108-0.

Hog Lagoons Bill Passes the General Assembly This Week

From the Associated Press:
Legislators have given final approval to a measure that would phase out hog lagoons used by swine farmers to manage waste. The open pits, where waste is typically flushed from barns to be later sprayed on fields as fertilizer, have long been considered a menace by environmentalists and neighbors. The Senate voted unanimously to accept House changes to the bill sponsored by Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin. The measure needs only Gov. Mike Easley's signature to become law. Most of its requirements will become effective Sept. 1.

The bill, which was among several introduced this year to offer a permanent answer to the long-running fight over lagoons, blocks permits for the construction of any new anaerobic lagoon and sprayfield. It orders the state Environmental Management Commission to issue permits only for waste systems that meet high standards governing the elimination of contaminants into water, soil and air. The measure allows a new lagoon to be built to replace an existing one that is in imminent danger of failure, though state regulators insist the parameters are too narrow to allow cheating by farmers who simply want to replace an aging system on the cheap. Hog lagoons have an effective life of about 25 to 30 years.

The bill also allows up to 50 farms to take part in an experimental program to generate electricity by capturing methane emissions from the lagoons. The measure acknowledges the expense of new waste systems with a cost-sharing program for farms that agree to convert to the new technologies.

For the next five years, the state will cover 90 percent of the cost, up to $500,000 for each applicant. The state share drops to 80 percent in 2012 and to 75 percent in 2017. The hope is that, once some farms have the systems in place, the cost will drop as the systems are improved and demand for them grows. North Carolina is second only to Iowa in hog farming, with close to $7 billion in annual sales and 10 million animals.

Read More at News & Observer 07/26/07 New limits are likely for hog-waste lagoons

Democratic Reunion

Democratic Reunion
Dear Fellow Democrat:

It’s easy to be green and help build our Party by attending or sponsoring a Democratic Reunion event on Saturday, July 28. This year’s theme is energy and the environment.

North Carolina can lead the way when it comes to clean energy, research, and education. But with toxic emissions billowing from our state’s coal-fired and nuclear power plants; rising gas prices; and global warming, we must do more to ensure a greener future.

At minimum, you can attend an event on July 28th. Or better yet, host one in your community. This is a great opportunity to reunite with local Democrats while providing a community service that highlights our commitment to stopping global warming and promoting energy independence.

Become an energy action hero by: conducting a recycling drive; offering “tire checks” to make sure people’s tires are properly inflated; planting trees; writing postcards to unaffiliated voters and asking them to support our efforts to lower gas prices; adopting a highway or beach; distributing energy efficiency tips; and sponsoring a letter-writing campaign to Congress in support of our energy independence and environmental protection legislation.

There’s a lot of talk about energy independence, but not much action. Put your faith and beliefs into action by partnering with other local organizations and faith communities in pursuit of this common mission.

Ready to start? Here are a few simple steps for success:

Plan your event:

You'll need to decide all the event details (When? Where? What?). You will need to reach out to others to build your volunteer team for the event.
Publicize your event:

To post your Democratic Reunion on to the DNC Calendar: http://www.democrats.org/page/content/partybuilderEvents/
And, to post on the NCDP Calendar: http://ncdp.org/submit_calendar_item
Also, be sure your local media knows about the event.
Resources:

Your Regional Political Director will be happy to assist you in event planning, so feel free to be in touch with them.
The DNC will design and provide online palm cards to promote Democrats’ Global Warming/Energy Independence legislation. When you post your event on their site, you will be able to print these for your event.
Help build our Party and support the environment or promote energy independence at the same time. Please sponsor or attend a Democratic Reunion event on July 28th.

With Best Wishes,

Jerry Meek