Last week, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed HB951 into law, a substantially revised version of a bill that originally included misguided investments in fossil fuel infrastructure and granted too much power to the state’s monopoly utility. The revised bill codifies central elements of the Governor’s Clean Energy Plan, which established targets of 70% reductions in power sector climate emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050.
HB951 is a praiseworthy compromise from Governor Cooper and legislative leadership, proving that bipartisanship can deliver progress for North Carolina’s environment and economy. North Carolina’s clean energy sectors already employ nearly 100,000 workers across the state, and this law will ensure continued growth of good-paying jobs and spur new investments in the state’s clean energy economy while driving emission reductions.
That said, the revised HB951 is far from perfect, and more work is needed to deliver the clean and affordable future North Carolinians deserve. That work includes establishing protections for low-income households with already disproportionate energy costs to ensure they are not inequitably burdened by the clean energy transition. E2 is committed to engaging in both the legislative and regulatory arenas to build upon the promise of HB951 and help North Carolina realize a prosperous and equitable clean energy future.
While Imperfect, HB951 Signals Growth for North Carolina’s 100,000-Strong Clean Energy Workforce was originally published in e2org on Medium.