NC Senate Passes Renewable Energy Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Michael Shore, 828-582-3141 (c)
Jane Preyer, 919-740-6727 (c)

(Raleigh, NC — July 3, 2007) Environmental Defense today applauded the North Carolina Senate for passage of Senate Bill 3, which would establish a 12.5% renewable energy and efficiency standard (REPS).

Passage of an REPS bill by the NC General Assembly would make North Carolina the first state in the Southeast to require that a percentage of its electric demand be met with clean energy sources.

“The key to a clean and cost-effective energy future is for North Carolina to develop its abundant renewable and efficiency resources,” said Michael Shore, senior air policy analyst with Environmental Defense. “It is critical that the General Assembly pass a renewable and efficiency standard this year to clean the air, reduce global warming pollution, and put off the need to build expensive coal and nuclear power plants.”