Issue Position: Environment/Clean Energy

Issue Position

North Carolina can have a strong economy that creates high paying jobs and, at the same time, protects our environment -- the two are not mutually exclusive. But we cannot let big polluters evade the laws designed to protect our air and water. Since taking control of the General Assembly, right-wing politicians have stripped essential environmental protections, giving amnesty to corporate polluters and passing on the costs of cleanup to middle-class families. We need to hold polluters accountable and protect the health and safety of our children.

We also need to continue to invest in clean energy technology and development. Clean energy doesn't just benefit North Carolina's environment and the health of our families -- it also creates jobs, and has been a significant source of economic development in the Tar Heel State. In 2015, the clean energy sector of our economy employed more than 26,000 North Carolinians and brought in $7 billion in revenue. I will work to support the continued growth of our clean energy economy by reinstating the Renewable Energy Tax Credit and increase North Carolina's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard.

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