Latest news with #MarkBrody
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NC House committee advances bills targeting clean water
A pipe deposits water from upstream and discharges into the Cape Fear River in Wilmington. (Photo: Lisa Sorg) The North Carolina House Agriculture and Environment Committee voted to approve a flurry of bills on Wednesday, touching on topics like wastewater and PFAS. Rep. Mark Brody (R-Anson, Union) introduced House Bill 376, titled 'Various On-Site Wastewater & Well Provisions.' The legislation would subject drinking wells and wastewater to rules and regulations determined by the state. The bill would create the North Carolina On-Site Wastewater Contractors and Inspectors Certification Board, to consist of nine members appointed to three-year terms. This body would shoulder the responsibility to evaluate and approve on-site wastewater systems. Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) asked for the reasoning behind the legislation and the push for uniform rules. Brody explained that well drillers perform their duties in different counties across the state. 'We're trying to get the same rules for everybody, so they don't go to different counties with different rules,' he said. For wastewater, under current law, if the county evaluates and makes a mistake, the state will absorb some of the costs of fines or repairs as long as the county follows state rules. If the county does not, they are on their own to finance any additional costs. Harrison said she would vote against the bill, as she thought the jurisdiction should remain with local governments. With such varied topography across North Carolina, a one-size-fits-all model may not be the best. 'You have situations where you've got mountainous terrain, you've got coastal which is high water tables, areas prone to flooding it seems you might want to have it more narrowly tailored to local governments,' she said. The bill moves forward to the House Rules Committee. The panel also advanced House Bill 569, titled 'PFAS Pollution and Polluter Liability,' a measure meant to protect North Carolinians from drinking water contaminated by PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or 'forever chemicals' that are dangerous to the environment. HB 569 outlines the permissible concentration levels of PFAS that are established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 'It addresses the PFAs contamination that is put into a water source that goes into a public utility,' sponsor Rep. Ted Davis (R-New Hanover) said. With a favorable vote, the measure heads to the House Rules Committee.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NC bill addresses parking regulations and impact on water runoff. One Charlotte organization is pushing for its passage
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A Charlotte-based conservation organization is putting its support behind a new state bill that addresses parking regulations and their impact on water quality. On Tuesday, North Carolina lawmakers introduced House Bill 369, the Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act. Filed by Reps. Donnie Loftis (R-Gaston), Mark Brody (R- Anson, Union), Howard Penny, Jr. (R-Harnett, Johnston), and Allison Dahle (D- Wake), the bill aims to remove parking minimum requirements, phase out toxic pavement sealants, and provide guidance on managing floodwater and runoff in local communities. NC minimum wage bill faces difficulty becoming law without GOP support The Catawba Riverkeeper, a nonprofit organization focused on preserving, protecting, and restoring the Catawba-Wateree River Basin, supports the bill as a crucial step toward meeting the needs of today's industries without sacrificing the health of North Carolina's waterways or communities. The Riverkeeper says the state's fast growth may create economic opportunities, but that it also strains the state's infrastructure, natural resources, and environment. 'One primary concern is the construction of more impervious surfaces, like parking lots, which increase runoff. Runoff, rainfall that flows over impervious surfaces instead of being absorbed into the ground, is a leading source of water pollution and flooding in North Carolina,' the organization said. According to the Riverkeeper, just one inch of rain on an acre of impervious surface generates 27,000 gallons of runoff. They claim state law contributes to runoff in two major ways: Ordinances mandating the number of parking spaces required for a development force the size of parking lots to exceed market demand, creating underused impervious surfaces that increase runoff and business costs. State law prevents local governments from improving runoff requirements for redevelopment sites, further intensifying runoff impacts. HB369 seeks to reform these policies to reduce flooding and runoff. Legislators will review the Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act in the coming weeks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Experts urge caution as North Carolina pushes for Bitcoin strategic reserve
This week, North Carolina introduced a new bill that would place up to 10% of key state funds in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It is now the latest state mulling a strategic Bitcoin reserve after President Donald Trump announced his administration's plans to create a national stockpile of cryptocurrency last year. While the executive branch is in the embryonic stages of exploring a potential stockpile, more than a dozen states across the country are racing ahead with key strategic Bitcoin reserve bills. The newest bill, North Carolina's House Bill 92, allows the Tar Heel State to include crypto in its investment strategy, but any crypto included must have an average market cap of at least $750 billion. This high threshold virtually guarantees that Bitcoin will be the reserve's sole cryptocurrency. Proponents of a strategic Bitcoin reserve argue that it could help minimize inflation by serving as an alternative to fiat currency and potentially stabilize markets during periods of uncertainty. "With the U.S. dollar facing periods of inflation and devaluation, it is prudent to explore this new breed of assets which can offer a viable hedge against inflation,' said North Carolina State Representative Mark Brody. Meanwhile, the Trump administration issued an executive order last month kickstarting a working group to evaluate the feasibility of a national crypto stockpile. However, the assessment of this stockpile is still in the early stages, and no details on its future adoption have been released. Last week, Utah's House of Representatives greenlit its own bill for a strategic Bitcoin reserve. The bill is pending a Senate vote, but the state already seems to be a frontrunner in the national race to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Industry experts, however, are urging caution on strategic Bitcoin reserves: 'Government reserves are intended to ensure the financial health of their jurisdiction and provide a mitigant to jolts in the financial markets,' said Adam Levine, CEO of Fireblocks Trust Company and SVP, Corporate Development & Partnerships at Fireblocks, a crypto infrastructure firm. 'The top priority must be leveraging the safest solution to preserve their Bitcoin reserves.' 'Most governments today lack the depth of experience needed to operate digital assets,' Levine said. He pointed out that without a robust security and custodial plan, states are potentially 'putting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars at risk.' Sign in to access your portfolio
