Page 9 - Tree Line - North Carolina Forestry Association - Second Quarter 2023

Forestry Day in the Legislature
2022 LEGISLATIVE REVIEW
Recap of the General Assembly’s
2022 Short Session
Members of the North Carolina General Assembly delivered on a true “short” session in 2022. Little time was wasted in considering legislation that crossed over during the 2021 long session, confirming gubernatorial appointments, and creating the 2022 Appropriations Act.
HB 141 – Promote NC Sawmills
The NCFA worked with members of the North Carolina Senate Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee on House
Bill 141. The NCFA was successful in opposing an amendment that would have weakened the certification requirements for grading lumber. Ultimately, this bill died in the Senate Rules and Operation Committee.
HB 1095 – PFAS Pollution and Polluter Liability
The NCFA and other members of the business community were successful in opposing House Bill 1095 – PFAS Pollution and Polluter Liability. If enacted, the bill would have unilaterally bypassed the traditional rulemaking process, enabling the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to work together and impose new regulations and giving DEQ the ability to create new environmental regulations without public comment, stakeholder involvement, or General Assembly-appointed Rules Review Commission oversight.
HB 103 – 2022 Appropriations Act
Governor Cooper signed House Bill 103 into law on July 11, 2022. The purpose of this budget was to adjust the 2021 Appropriations Act based on the availability of additional funds and agency requests. NCFA members will be pleased to know that the measure contained several appropriations of interest for NCFA members, including:
• $1.2 million for the North Carolina Forest Service for new equipment and overtime pay
• $1 million recurring for the Forest Development Program
• $1 million recurring for prescribed burning
• $1.5 million nonrecurring for the Be Pro Be Proud initiative, bringing the state’s total contribution to this initiative to $6.5 million.
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