Environment

HB 747 updates North Carolina's wildlife laws with three key changes. It requires the Wildlife Resources Commission to keep personal information (like addresses and email) and details about rare species habitats confidential to prevent harm or theft. The bill also creates two new license plates - “Wildlife Resources” (requiring 300+ applications before development) and “Lifetime Conservationist” - with sales revenue funding conservation accounts. Additionally, it shortens the out-of-state boat number reciprocity period from 90 to 60 days and adds safety rules for personal watercraft, including mandatory Coast Guard-approved life jackets and restrictions on close following. These changes affect the Commission, vehicle owners, and boaters, effective October 1, 2025.

SB 1047, titled the Regulatory Reform Act of 2026, organizes and updates North Carolina's laws regarding Guaranteed Energy Savings Contracts (GESC) to provide regulatory relief for citizens. The bill primarily affects state and local governmental units by establishing a structured process for these contracts, which allow governments to pay for energy-saving upgrades based on actual savings rather than upfront costs. Key provisions require officials to publish requests for qualifications, select providers based on specific criteria like past performance and technical feasibility, and conduct independent audits to verify projected energy savings. Additionally, the legislation sets clear thresholds for terminating projects if the actual savings do not meet the guaranteed estimates, ensuring accountability in public spending.

SB 329 authorizes the South Fork Passage Trail to become a state-designated trail within North Carolina's State Parks System. The 60-mile hiking and paddling trail will run from Jacob Fork Park in Catawba County to Lake Wylie on the South Carolina border, connecting existing parks and recreational areas across Catawba, Lincoln, and Gaston Counties. The bill permits using existing state funds from designated trust accounts (like the Land and Water Fund) for trail development without requiring new appropriations. This designation directly expands public recreational access for the 2.7 million residents in the surrounding Metropolitan Statistical Area.

SB 261, the Energy Security and Affordability Act, removes a mandated interim timeline for carbon reduction by North Carolina's major electric utilities (those serving 150,000+ customers) and introduces an alternative cost recovery method for ongoing construction of base load power plants. The bill requires these utilities to achieve a 70% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels) and carbon neutrality by 2050, with the Utilities Commission developing a Carbon Plan by 2026 for achieving these goals. It specifies that new solar energy must come from 45% third-party power purchase agreements for small solar facilities (80 MW or less) and 55% utility-owned or purchased sources, including for solar paired with storage. This bill directly affects North Carolina's largest electric utilities and the Utilities Commission, altering their regulatory framework for emissions and infrastructure costs.