October 20, 2025 • 39 mins
Attorney General Jeff Jackson has joined an EPA lawsuit challenging the federal government’s cancellation of a solar energy program, citing potential harm to North Carolina’s clean energy sector. In Raleigh, a state senator has been charged with DWI, while a new undercover report reveals that DEI initiatives remain active within city government. Lawmakers have also unveiled a draft congressional map that reshapes key districts and could create new political battlegrounds ahead of the 2026 elections.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
It's five h five and welcome into a Monday edition
of the Carolina Journal News Hour, Newstock eleven, ten ninety
nine to three WBT. I'm Nick Craiga. Good morning to you. Well.
Late last week, Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined twenty one
other states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit
suing the Environmental Protection Agency or the EPA, for canceling
(00:32):
nearly seven billion dollars worth of the Solar for All program.
This program, created in twenty twenty two by the aptly
named Inflation Reduction Act, was designed to provide funding to
sixty grant recipients with the goal of helping an estimated
nine hundred thousand low income households across the country utilize
(00:54):
solar power to reduce their monthly energy costs. The Democrat
Attorney General in North Carolina set in a press release
that the funds would have held more than twelve thousand
households in North Carolina save an average of twenty percent
on their utility bills and support energy jobs. He wrote
in the release quote, these funds were going to help
(01:16):
low income and rule North Carolinians save money on their
energy bills. Thousands of families were going to have the
option to install solar power, save money, and have another
energy option after a major storm. Now the EPA has
illegally canceled those funds, So I'm going to court to
bring back one hundred and fifty million dollars to our state.
(01:39):
In twenty twenty four, a company by the name of
Energized andc Coalition led by the North Carolina Department of
Environmental Quality NCDEQ, applied for and was awarded a one
hundred and fifty six million dollars Solar for All grant
from the federal EPA. According to Jackson's news release, over
(02:01):
five years, the program would have helped create at least
forty three megawatts of solar power and offered financial assistance
to help low income, single family homes as well as
multifamily housing, households with medical needs, and community solar pilot
programs in various corners of our state. The cancelation, Jeff
(02:24):
Jackson said, left the state with more than one hundred
and fifty million without more than one hundred and fifty
million of the one hundred and fifty six that was awarded,
and noted that the GRAMPS grants were quote abruptly canceled
without a valid legal basis. The attorney generals are suing
to win back the money that is legally due to
(02:46):
North Carolina and other states. I'm back. On August the seventh,
the EPA canceled the program which was included in the
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Lee Zelden, the administrator for EPA,
discussed the cancelation which resulted from the One Big Beautiful Bill.
The EPA administrator put out a video on his x
(03:09):
account back in early August discussing some of these changes
and some of the reasons and why this administration, in
this EPA decided to move away from this grant program.
Here's the EPA administrator.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Hi, EPA Administrator Lee Zelden. Here the Trump EPA is
proudly committed to fully following the law and being a
great steward of your taxpayer dollars. Since being signed into
law on Independence Day, EPA has been diligently working to
implement President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill in accordance with
(03:46):
congressional intent. The new law eliminates billions of green slush
fund dollars by repealing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, including
a seven billion dollar program called Soul for All. One
of the more shocking features of Solar for All was
with regards to the massive dilution of the money as
(04:09):
many grants go through, passed through, after passed through, after
passed through, after passed through, with all of the middleman
taking their own cut at least fifteen percent by conservative estimates.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
What a grift.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Furthermore, the Biden Harrison administration exempted this program from the
Build America by America law that requires federal agencies to
use American workers, American products, and American infrastructure for project
using American taxpayer dollars. That's great news for China, not
(04:47):
so much for the USA. Lastly, while this program was
stood up in twenty twenty four, very little money has
actually been spent. Recipients are still very much in the
early planning phase, not the building and construction process. But
the bottom line again is this EPA no longer has
the authority to administer the program or the appropriated funds
(05:11):
to keep this boondogle alive. With clear language an intent
from Congress in the One Big Beautiful Bill, EPA is
taking action to end this program for good. We are
committed to the rule of law and being a good
steward of taxpayer dollars. Thank you for your attention to
this matter.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
That's EPA Secretary Lee Zelden in a video in early
August announcing why the administration is moving away from this program.
NCDQ Secretary Read Wilson said in a press release that
the cancelation of the program would eliminate the installation of
rooftop solar for more than twelve thousand individuals across North Carolina, saying,
(05:53):
in part quote, rooftop solar drives down utility bills, reduces
air pollution, and creates jobs. The program's cancelation would hurt
the electrical grid's ability to be resilient to future disasters
and would hamper North Carolina's efforts to ensure reliable, clean,
and affordable energy supplies to meet the needs of a
(06:15):
rapidly growing population and rising energy demand. The funds, the
release said, would have also helped households transition to more
reliable sources of energy to prevent power outages caused by
natural disasters like Hurricane Helene. Additionally, it stated that the
Solar for All program was also designed to help create
(06:35):
an additional one hundred and forty local jobs, including those
for contractors, construction workers, and maintenance staff. As the solar
energy industry employs over nine thousand North Carolinians and supports
more than two hundred businesses across the state. John Sanders,
who is the director of the Center for Food, Power
and Life at the John Locke Foundation, told The Carolina
(06:58):
Journal that although Jack's and statements that the Solar for
All program would have saved low income people and their
families on power bills and created jobs, that there is
truth to that, there is no reason for the Attorney
General to think that the Solar for All program is
the only or even a good way to help individuals
reduce their power bills or create jobs. The quote from
(07:22):
Sanders reads as follows quote with respect to helping low
income families pay for getting solar panels installed on their houses,
the program could do so for only low income families
that have houses. Others in low income apartments and multifamily
housing would not be able to avail themselves for any
particular benefits. Also, the jobs that here is talking about
(07:44):
would be contract installation jobs chasing subsidized work, not full
time jobs from an expanding economy. Sanders said that economic
research literature is filled with studies demonstrating the faster job
both happens in economies with less regulation, lower tax burdens,
(08:05):
and greater protection of individual rights against the government, with
him saying quote, I would welcome a North Carolina Attorney
General adopting these goals for his vision of the state.
John Sanders also added that given that the electricity is
a vital expense for all households and an input costs
for every single business across North Carolina, resource decisions that
(08:30):
result in lower power bills would lead to a stronger
economy and more job creation in the state, noting quote,
as shown by the North Carolina Utilities Commission, power rates
are about twenty percent higher in the eastern part of
North Carolina than the western part, owing to the greater
adoption of solar and less nuclear. The repeal of Senate
(08:54):
Bill two sixty six of the interim emission reduction goal
in the Carolina Carbon Plan is estimated by the North
Carolina Utilities Commission to save rape payers some thirteen billion
dollars by choosing more natural gas and nuclear resources over
solar and wind power. However, with some of the objections
(09:14):
there from John Sanders. As you can imagine, this lawsuit
is going forward again. Democrat Attorney General Jeff Jackson here
in North Carolina Journal joining twenty one other states and
the District of Columbia in their suit against the Environmental
Protection Agency Lee Zelden, the administrator of that over the
cancelation of this seven billion dollar Solar for All program,
(09:38):
which once again was created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
We will keep an eye on this lawsuit as it
traverses its way through the courts, and as we get
any new pertinent details and updates, we'll pass them along
to you right here on the Carolina Journal News Hour,
and of course we'll have continuing coverage over on our website.
This morning, Carolina Journal dot com. It's five twenty two.
(10:06):
Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News our newstock eleven
ten ninety nine three WBT. We are watching what is
expected to be a busy week in Raleigh as lawmakers
are returning for their second to last of voting a
couple of days. It looks like it'll be about Monday
through Thursday here in Raleigh, before the end of the
(10:26):
calendar year. And we flip everything on over to twenty
twenty six. The big topic of discussion this week, something
we have spent a lot of time on over the
last couple of days. At the discussion over new congressional maps.
Those were proposed or announced that they would be proposed
by the General Assembly about a week ago. We learned
some details late last week that new maps we're going
(10:48):
to be a drawn and we're proposed to the public.
We will get some details and analysis on that with
doctor Andy Jackson from the John Locke Foundation coming up
here in just a couple of minutes on the Carolina
Journal News Hour. As the calendar shows this morning, both
the House and the Senate are set to convene around
ten o'clock this morning. Something interesting to note, and we've
(11:10):
seen this a couple of times, but there are still
a plethora six of veto overrides that sit in the
North Carolina House. They are currently sitting on the calendar
for ten o'clock this morning. We have seen this over
the last couple of sessions, so it's not immediately clear
whether these veto overrides will be taken up. However, all
(11:32):
of the folks over at Carolina Journal dot com this
morning will be keeping a close eye on the General Assembly.
They deal with things, for example, things like constitutional carry,
know that's been a big discussion across the state, a
couple of DEI bills, and some other legislation as well.
Those are all calendared for this morning at ten o'clock
in the North Carolina House. We'll have coverage throughout the
(11:55):
day over on our website, Carolina Journal dot com, and
of course coming up for you tomorrow morning right here
on the Carolina Journal News Hour. In some news out
of the General Assembly this morning, a state senator representing
eastern North Carolina has been charged with driving while impaired
in Raleigh. According it to online arrest records, Senator Norman
(12:18):
Sanders of Pamlico County was arrested Saturday near the intersection
of Edward Mill Road and Trinity Road in Raleigh and
charged with a DWY The North Carolina State Highway Patrol
reported that Senator Sanderson had a point one six blood
alcohol content after testing at a Wake County detention center.
(12:42):
Senator Senator Norman Sanderson also faces misdemeanor charges of failure
to obey a traffic officer and transporting an open container
of alcohol. He was given a two thousand dollars bond,
which was posted and a court data scheduled for November
the seventh, according to some of those online records. In
(13:03):
Wake County, a press release was put out by the
Senate Republican Caucus on Sunday. It reads, in part quote
last night, referring to Saturday night, I made a regrettable mistake,
and I take responsibility for my actions. I want to
apologize to my constituents, my colleagues, and my family for
(13:24):
letting them down. I commend the State Highway Patrol and
the Wake County Sheriff's Office for their professionalism during the incident. Sanderson,
a Republican, represents Carteret, Halifax, Hyde, Martin, Pamlica, War and
Washington Counties in the North Carolina General Assembly. This is
a story that we continue to attract this morning right
(13:47):
here on the Carolina Journal News Hour, in some other
statewide news this morning, again expecting a busy week in Raleigh.
Also in Raleigh this morning, a new undercover report by
Accuracy in Media is exposing how local governments are rebranding
their diversity, equity and inclusion programs under different names. The
(14:12):
city of Raleigh is under scrutiny this morning after an
undercover journalist for Accuracy in Media recorded Assistant Director of
Economic and Social Advancement Brianna Scurry discussing efforts to ensure
that the city's DEI programs remain quote as protected as possible.
(14:33):
Scurry in the video is heard saying, quote, we are
certainly being strategic in the ways that we and we
don't want to draw attention to ourselves, number one, but
we also want to make sure that this DEI work
is as protected as possible. Brian Valfour, the vice president
of Research at the John Locke Foundation, says that these
(14:54):
ongoing programs. These ongoing DEI programs are costing taxpayers difficant
sums of money, specifically highlighting in on Raleigh, where this
undercover report stems. Balfour toward the Carolina Journal quote, Raleigh
taxpayers have been footing a rapidly expanding bill for these
DEI programs. The Raleigh Department of Economic and Social Advancement
(15:19):
has a budget of two point six million dollars and
nineteen full time employees. This marks a sixty nine percent
increase in spending in just three years. There has been
a growing national trend to root out DEI in government institutions.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed
(15:40):
an executive order titled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI
Programs and preferencing that based on the name that it
essentially ended DEI initiatives within the federal government. Brian Balfour
also pointed out that although the Development of Economic and
Social Advancement within in the City of Raleigh doesn't include diversity, equity,
(16:03):
and inclusion in its title, it still operates under many
of the same principles. He told The Carolina Journal quote
the department's purpose, as stated on its website is to
create a community for all, an incredibly vague notion. Its
Business Engagement and Opportunity Program explicitly states a goal of
(16:24):
favoring minority owned businesses for city work contracts, noting that
the department also features an LGBTQIA plus police Liaison and
also has a quote Consulting Lab in which one of
its stated benefits is initiatives that foster inclusivity. This is
not the first time that Accuracy in Media has exposed
(16:47):
hidden DEI efforts in North Carolina. Back in May, the
group released to video revealing how UNC Charlotte continued DEI
initiatives even after the UNC Board of Trustees directed campuses
across the state to move away from such programs. There
is a video that goes along with this story from
(17:07):
Accuracy and Media. You can read those details and watch
that video over on our website this morning, Carolina Journal
dot com. That headline story undercover report shows DEI alive
and well in Raleigh. Again, those details over at Carolina
Journal dot com.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
It's five thirty six.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News Hour news stock eleven,
ten ninety nine three WBT. Don't forget if you miss
any portion of our show here live weekday mornings on WBT.
You can check out the Carolina Journal News Hour podcast.
It's available in Google Play, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, anywhere you
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(17:52):
new program delivered each and every weekday morning. You can
also well watch the show live and on demand on
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Journal News Hour Podcast. Download and subscribe now. A very
busy week expected in Raleigh as lawmakers make their way
back to the state capital this morning to deal with
well redistricting. We talked about those details some last week
(18:15):
right here on the Carolina Journal News Hour. However, in
the latter half of last week, we did learn some
information about a proposed map that has been brought forth
by the North Carolina General Assembly. To walk us through
some of the details and what exactly that means, Doctor
Andy Jackson from the John Locke Foundation joins us on
the Carolina Journal News Hour. Andy, we chatted mid last
week before a proposed map was out. You talked about
(18:37):
a couple of different terms, dummymandering, kind of reshaping some
of these congressional districts in the eastern half of North Carolina.
I guess before we get into anything more specific, give
us your broad overview of the proposed maps that were
released by the General Assembly late last week.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Well, they basically did two things, and one thing is
they took a minimalist approach in the sense that they
only they only changed two districts, the first and the
third out there in the eastern part of the state.
And they did so by essentially taking almost all of
the coastal counties out of the third district, putting them
into the out of the third district, putting them into
(19:17):
the first district, and then in exchange, taking some of
those inland counties that were once in the first and
putting them into the third, slightly changing the character of
both of those districts. They both still have equal population,
as North Carolina always does. And the interesting thing is,
whereas before the first district was pretty much an even
(19:41):
district as far as like Republicans and Democrats, and the
third was comfortably Republican, these are now two lean Republican districts,
depending on how you measure it, anywhere from like a
Republican seven to maybe a Republican nine in both of them.
And so they were more aggressive of them, really, I
think certainly I and other people had thought they'd be
(20:04):
as far as making them even. We thought, well, they
go ahead and try to keep Greg Murphy in a
very safe district, maybe an R ten, which would maybe
let them move the first district to an R five.
But they were a lot more aggressive than this, and
so now we have essentially, as far as political goes,
those two districts are the same. They're both advantage Republican.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
So let's talk a little bit about that. You warned
in some of your reporting on this over at the
John Locke Foundation that this is a big gamble and
it could be a big risk for Republicans. It's a
midterm election that typically doesn't favor the party in charge.
Republicans complete in total control in Washington, DC, Andy with
watering down the third district to put some of those
more conservative or Republican voters in the one, does this
(20:50):
open a position where Republicans maybe lose both if there's
a blue wave that moves through in the November election
next year.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
It's a possibility. Now generally speaking, if you're at an
R plus seven district, you're going to Republican's going to
win that thing most of the time. Twenty twenty six
is that presidential midterm election. Though I went back and
looked at some numbers. In twenty eighteen, Republican congressional votes
(21:18):
dropped off their share the vote dropped off by about
four percentage points, and you know that's across all districts,
So you're looking at that point. If that same thing holds,
you're going from a Republican seven down to a Republican three,
and that is in getting pretty close territory. You know,
if Don Davis runs, he's an incumbent that's probably worth
(21:41):
another point or two. So you know, if Don Davis runs,
he's still within striking distance of winning it this year.
And if Democrats do a good job in nominating somebody
to run against Greg Murphy and the other district, they
could also make that one competitive. So with those kind
of tail and this could end up being a w
(22:03):
mander certainly not long term though. I would expect starting
in twenty eight and going forward, as eastern North Carolina
becomes more Republican, both those districts will develop into pretty
safe Republican districts.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
One of the interesting thing, and I'll continue to state,
these are the proposed maps by the General Assembly. We
will see a lot of work out of the GA
this week. Maybe there's a slight possibility that they shift
or change a little bit. So everything that we're talking
about is again proposed. The General Assembly has not had
any other sessions this week yet. But under this proposed map,
Andy Don Davis, who previously represented the first congressional district,
(22:39):
his residence is now in the third. Does that create
a problem for him.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
Potentially? Now, I think the bigger problem is that he's
lost the big chunk of his district. Now he's from
Green County. That is his political base, you know, that's
the area where he grew up politically, that's where the
people know him the best, and so certainly would hurt
him if he would have to run in the first
district without that area, that could have a negative impact
(23:07):
on his campaign. Now, under the US Constitution, you just
have to live in the state. You don't have to
actually live in the district. So he's not bound by
law or by the constitution to run in the thirty
could choose to run in the first still, but you know,
now the way these things are divided, because this was
(23:28):
such an aggressive change, he has a legitimate way to
run in either district. He's got a political base in
either district. So it's going to be interesting to figure
out for him to figure out what he wants to
do with this.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
And I'm glad you bring up that point that unlike
the North Carolina General Assembly, where you do as a representative,
have to reside within the district in which you represent,
that is not the case for the United States House.
So we're talking about Don Davis. But I think this
maybe opens the same question for doctor Greg Murphy, who
currently represents the third district. Some of his postings Friday
(24:01):
on social media and he indicate that he could also
be looking at maybe making a jump to the first
congressional district if that's an area that he decides he
wants to represent.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
Yeah, it applies for Murphy as well. He has lost
a fairly substantial chunk of his district now he's from
Pitt County, although he owns a home on the coast,
so he could shift as primary residence, especially, you know,
probably getting your retirement age now and so he could
do that. And both of these districts are roughly the
same politically, So it's an interesting set of choices that
(24:37):
both Murphy and Davis have. I think they definitely would
want to avoid running against each other because that would
raise the risk for both of them. I don't know
if there's if they're going to be meeting at a
barbecue place somewhere in eastern North Carolina to hash this
out like you run here, I run there, but or
maybe through public communications the language of press really or whatnot,
(25:00):
letting each other know what they're going to do. But
certainly they don't want to run against each other. They
both have a legitimate claim to represent both districts, So
it's going to be an interesting set of choices once
the final maps are made.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
Andy, you've used a term a couple of time. You've
said that the General Assembly was aggressive in the way
in which they redrew those maps. They could have maybe
gone about in a different manner. What do you think
led to the aggressive nature in making these districts, as
you've noted, pretty much equal in terms of the Republican advantage,
instead of just making the first a little bit more competitive.
There's a lot of counties that shifted back and forth
(25:36):
on this.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
Yeah, well, I think part of it is they really
want to deliver that first district, and in order to
do that, they're going to have to do it because
Don Davis is an incumbent. It takes a little bit
more to defeat an incumbent. Now, he didn't win by
that much, he only won by a couple of percentage
points last time around, but he is going to have
(26:00):
those tailwinds behind him with this being a Trump midterm election,
So he could, you know, in a normal district expect
you know, if he was in his old configuration, probably
win that by about six maybe seven percent, So in
order to make sure they can overcome that, they have
to shift that quite a bit more. And so they
really did it as much as they could without making
(26:23):
the third district kind of uncomfortably close for Republicans. So
that's the reason I'm saying this was a lot more
aggressive than I thought they would be, and I think
they believe they need to do it in order to
try to deliver both those districts.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Andy walk us through the process that we'll expect to
see in the early half of this week in the
North Carolina General Assembly. Lawmakers will be gabbling in here
a little bit later on this morning, and I know
that there's some hearings that are already scheduled or some
committees dealing with redistricting. What is the process for lawmakers
in Raleigh to get these maps approved if they so
choose to do so well.
Speaker 5 (26:57):
Congressional districts typically start in the Senate side, and that's
what we're looking at here. They'll have their hearing, We've
already got a public comment period that opened last week,
and this is going to continue on through. It'll pass,
it'll pass along party lines, go to the House pass
along party lines. An interesting thing is that redistricting bills
(27:20):
are not subject to a gubernatorial veto. That's something that
Democrats wrote when they gave the governor the veto. They
didn't really envision that they'd ever lose the General Assembly
when they wrote this back in the nineties. So they said, well,
you know, we sometimes have a Republican governor. Let's go
ahead and make sure the governor can't veto redistricting bills,
(27:41):
among others. Roy Cooper voted for that, and so now
we're in the situation where you have the Republican control
and we have a Democratic governor who has no ability
to stop this. The only way it would be stopped
is with a lawsuit. And I don't think even if
it's going to be ultimately successful, I don't think it's
going to be successful. So we're looking at having these
(28:01):
districts and in place in time for the twenty twenty
sixth election.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Relatively short timeline on all of this. Candidate filing for
these elections coming up in November of next year, will
take place coming up here at the beginning or middle
parts of December of this year. We'll keep our eyes
on what are expected to be a busy week in Raleigh.
Over on our website, Carolina Journal dot com. We appreciate
the insight. This morning, Andy Jackson from the John Locke
Foundation joins us on the Carolina Journal News Hour, where
(28:29):
it's now five point forty seven News Talk eleven ten
ninety nine to three WBT. We'll head back to the
traffic center on your early Monday morning commute and get
an update with Boomer von Cannon.
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Speaker 1 (31:59):
Vince Cookeley, I have said for some time that the
Republican Party is ideologically bankrupt.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
I don't know what this party is about anymore. I
really don't.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Other than Donald Trump, I don't think it has anything
going for it. It's certainly not advancing ideas or values.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Since Cochley, this.
Speaker 9 (32:20):
Morning, your emergency situation station for the time, Boy.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Well, it's not the top of the hour. It's five
point fifty one.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News, our Newstock eleven
ten ninety nine three WBT, as we continue our coverage
this morning of what is set to be a busy
week in Raleigh. As you just heard our conversation with
doctor Andy Jackson of the John Locke Foundation. Lawmakers will
again make their way back to Raleigh for the second
to final legislative session of the year before we flip
(33:04):
the calendar over to twenty twenty six, and the topic
the discussion this week will be redistricting. The House and
the Center of both set to convene at ten o'clock
this morning. We will watch everything that goes on there
over at Carolina Journal dot com and of course have
the latest coming up for you tomorrow morning right here
on the Carolina Journal News Hour.
Speaker 4 (33:24):
In some other statewide news.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
Democrat Attorney General Jeff Jackson is joining twenty one other
states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit against
the Environmental Protection Agency for canceling a seven billion dollar
grant called the Solar for All Program. Now, this was
created back in twenty twenty two by the Inflation Reduction Act.
(33:47):
The program, what at its inception, was designed to provide
funding to sixty grant recipients with the goal of helping
an estimated nine hundred thousand low income households across the
country utilize solar power to reduce their energy costs. Jeff
Jackson said in a press release that the funds would
(34:08):
have helped more than twelve thousand North Carolinians and their
households save an average of twenty percent on their utility
bills and support energy jobs across the state. The AG
said quote, these funds were going to help low income
and rule North Carolinians save money on their energy bills.
Thousands of families were going to have the option to
(34:31):
install solar power, save money, and have another energy option
after a major storm. Now the EPA has illegally canceled
those funds, So I'm going to court to bring one
hundred and fifty million dollars back to our state. In
twenty twenty four, the Energize NC Coalition, which is led
(34:52):
by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, applied for
and was awarded a one hundred and fifty six million
dollar grant from the Solar for All program that came
through the Environmental Protection Agency. According to Jackson's press release,
over five years, the program would have helped create at
(35:13):
least forty three megawatts of solar energy and offer financial
assistance to help low income, single family homes with installing
a solar In this case some other solar as well,
including multifamily housing and households with medical needs. The cancelation,
Jackson said, left the state with more without more than
(35:35):
one hundred and fifty of the one hundred and fifty
six million dollars that were awarded, and noted that the
grant was quote abruptly canceled without a valid legal basis,
and so that is why Attorney Democrat Attorney General Jeff
Jackson has brought this suit against EPA. This all started
back on August the seventh, when the EPA canceled the program,
(35:58):
which was included in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Lee Zelden,
the administrator for EPA, discussed the cancelation, which all resulted
from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed
into law by President Donald Trump back on July the fourth,
in a video posted to lee Zelden's ex account, he said,
quote in some cases, your tax dollars were diluted through
(36:22):
up to four pass through entities, each taking their own
cut off the top. The bottom line is this EPA
no longer has the statutory authority to administer the program
or the appropriated funds to keep this boondoggle alive. Today,
the Trump EPA is announcing that we are ending Solar
for All and for good, saving US taxpayers another seven
(36:46):
billion dollars. The reaction continues in North Carolina, with NCDQ
Secretary Reid Wilson saying that the cancelation of that program
would eliminate the installation of solar panels for more than
twelve thousand low and median income households. Additionally, the Solar
for All program was designed to help create only one
(37:09):
hundred and forty new jobs across the state of North Carolina,
including those for contractors, construction workers, and maintenance staff. The
solar energy industry employees over nine thousand North Carolinians currently
and supports more than two hundred businesses across the state.
John Sanders, who is the director for the Center for Food,
(37:30):
Power and Life at the John Locke Foundation, told The
Carolina Journal that although Jackson's statements that the Solar for
All program would have saved low income people and their
families on their power bills and created jobs is true,
there is no reason for the Attorney General to think
that this program is the only or even a good
(37:51):
way to help individuals reduce their power bills and create jobs.
Sanders also noted that economic research literature is filled with
studies demonstrating that faster job growth happens in economies and
communities with less regulation, lower tax burdens, and greater protection
(38:12):
of individual rights. Sanders also added that given that electricity
is a vital expense for all households and an input
costs for nearly every single business across the state, resource
decisions that result in lower power bills would lead to
a stronger economy and more job creation than otherwise. We've
(38:34):
got some additional details on this illegal challenge, including some
additional quotes from a John Sanders, Jeff Jackson, and a
full video from EPA administrator Lee Zelden. You can read
and watch us some more details on that by visiting
our website Carolina Journal dot com. That story's headline, ag
Jackson joins EPA lawsuit over cancelation of solar program. Well,
(38:59):
that's going to do it. For a Monday edition of
the Carolina Journal News Hour, WBT News is next followed
by Good Morning BT. We're back with you tomorrow morning
five to six right here on newstalk eleven, ten and
ninety nine three WBT
It's five h five and welcome into a Monday edition
of the Carolina Journal News Hour, Newstock eleven, ten ninety
nine to three WBT. I'm Nick Craiga. Good morning to you. Well.
Late last week, Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined twenty one
other states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit
suing the Environmental Protection Agency or the EPA, for canceling
(00:32):
nearly seven billion dollars worth of the Solar for All program.
This program, created in twenty twenty two by the aptly
named Inflation Reduction Act, was designed to provide funding to
sixty grant recipients with the goal of helping an estimated
nine hundred thousand low income households across the country utilize
(00:54):
solar power to reduce their monthly energy costs. The Democrat
Attorney General in North Carolina set in a press release
that the funds would have held more than twelve thousand
households in North Carolina save an average of twenty percent
on their utility bills and support energy jobs. He wrote
in the release quote, these funds were going to help
(01:16):
low income and rule North Carolinians save money on their
energy bills. Thousands of families were going to have the
option to install solar power, save money, and have another
energy option after a major storm. Now the EPA has
illegally canceled those funds, So I'm going to court to
bring back one hundred and fifty million dollars to our state.
(01:39):
In twenty twenty four, a company by the name of
Energized andc Coalition led by the North Carolina Department of
Environmental Quality NCDEQ, applied for and was awarded a one
hundred and fifty six million dollars Solar for All grant
from the federal EPA. According to Jackson's news release, over
(02:01):
five years, the program would have helped create at least
forty three megawatts of solar power and offered financial assistance
to help low income, single family homes as well as
multifamily housing, households with medical needs, and community solar pilot
programs in various corners of our state. The cancelation, Jeff
(02:24):
Jackson said, left the state with more than one hundred
and fifty million without more than one hundred and fifty
million of the one hundred and fifty six that was awarded,
and noted that the GRAMPS grants were quote abruptly canceled
without a valid legal basis. The attorney generals are suing
to win back the money that is legally due to
(02:46):
North Carolina and other states. I'm back. On August the seventh,
the EPA canceled the program which was included in the
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Lee Zelden, the administrator for EPA,
discussed the cancelation which resulted from the One Big Beautiful Bill.
The EPA administrator put out a video on his x
(03:09):
account back in early August discussing some of these changes
and some of the reasons and why this administration, in
this EPA decided to move away from this grant program.
Here's the EPA administrator.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Hi, EPA Administrator Lee Zelden. Here the Trump EPA is
proudly committed to fully following the law and being a
great steward of your taxpayer dollars. Since being signed into
law on Independence Day, EPA has been diligently working to
implement President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill in accordance with
(03:46):
congressional intent. The new law eliminates billions of green slush
fund dollars by repealing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, including
a seven billion dollar program called Soul for All. One
of the more shocking features of Solar for All was
with regards to the massive dilution of the money as
(04:09):
many grants go through, passed through, after passed through, after
passed through, after passed through, with all of the middleman
taking their own cut at least fifteen percent by conservative estimates.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
What a grift.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Furthermore, the Biden Harrison administration exempted this program from the
Build America by America law that requires federal agencies to
use American workers, American products, and American infrastructure for project
using American taxpayer dollars. That's great news for China, not
(04:47):
so much for the USA. Lastly, while this program was
stood up in twenty twenty four, very little money has
actually been spent. Recipients are still very much in the
early planning phase, not the building and construction process. But
the bottom line again is this EPA no longer has
the authority to administer the program or the appropriated funds
(05:11):
to keep this boondogle alive. With clear language an intent
from Congress in the One Big Beautiful Bill, EPA is
taking action to end this program for good. We are
committed to the rule of law and being a good
steward of taxpayer dollars. Thank you for your attention to
this matter.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
That's EPA Secretary Lee Zelden in a video in early
August announcing why the administration is moving away from this program.
NCDQ Secretary Read Wilson said in a press release that
the cancelation of the program would eliminate the installation of
rooftop solar for more than twelve thousand individuals across North Carolina, saying,
(05:53):
in part quote, rooftop solar drives down utility bills, reduces
air pollution, and creates jobs. The program's cancelation would hurt
the electrical grid's ability to be resilient to future disasters
and would hamper North Carolina's efforts to ensure reliable, clean,
and affordable energy supplies to meet the needs of a
(06:15):
rapidly growing population and rising energy demand. The funds, the
release said, would have also helped households transition to more
reliable sources of energy to prevent power outages caused by
natural disasters like Hurricane Helene. Additionally, it stated that the
Solar for All program was also designed to help create
(06:35):
an additional one hundred and forty local jobs, including those
for contractors, construction workers, and maintenance staff. As the solar
energy industry employs over nine thousand North Carolinians and supports
more than two hundred businesses across the state. John Sanders,
who is the director of the Center for Food, Power
and Life at the John Locke Foundation, told The Carolina
(06:58):
Journal that although Jack's and statements that the Solar for
All program would have saved low income people and their
families on power bills and created jobs, that there is
truth to that, there is no reason for the Attorney
General to think that the Solar for All program is
the only or even a good way to help individuals
reduce their power bills or create jobs. The quote from
(07:22):
Sanders reads as follows quote with respect to helping low
income families pay for getting solar panels installed on their houses,
the program could do so for only low income families
that have houses. Others in low income apartments and multifamily
housing would not be able to avail themselves for any
particular benefits. Also, the jobs that here is talking about
(07:44):
would be contract installation jobs chasing subsidized work, not full
time jobs from an expanding economy. Sanders said that economic
research literature is filled with studies demonstrating the faster job
both happens in economies with less regulation, lower tax burdens,
(08:05):
and greater protection of individual rights against the government, with
him saying quote, I would welcome a North Carolina Attorney
General adopting these goals for his vision of the state.
John Sanders also added that given that the electricity is
a vital expense for all households and an input costs
for every single business across North Carolina, resource decisions that
(08:30):
result in lower power bills would lead to a stronger
economy and more job creation in the state, noting quote,
as shown by the North Carolina Utilities Commission, power rates
are about twenty percent higher in the eastern part of
North Carolina than the western part, owing to the greater
adoption of solar and less nuclear. The repeal of Senate
(08:54):
Bill two sixty six of the interim emission reduction goal
in the Carolina Carbon Plan is estimated by the North
Carolina Utilities Commission to save rape payers some thirteen billion
dollars by choosing more natural gas and nuclear resources over
solar and wind power. However, with some of the objections
(09:14):
there from John Sanders. As you can imagine, this lawsuit
is going forward again. Democrat Attorney General Jeff Jackson here
in North Carolina Journal joining twenty one other states and
the District of Columbia in their suit against the Environmental
Protection Agency Lee Zelden, the administrator of that over the
cancelation of this seven billion dollar Solar for All program,
(09:38):
which once again was created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
We will keep an eye on this lawsuit as it
traverses its way through the courts, and as we get
any new pertinent details and updates, we'll pass them along
to you right here on the Carolina Journal News Hour,
and of course we'll have continuing coverage over on our website.
This morning, Carolina Journal dot com. It's five twenty two.
(10:06):
Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News our newstock eleven
ten ninety nine three WBT. We are watching what is
expected to be a busy week in Raleigh as lawmakers
are returning for their second to last of voting a
couple of days. It looks like it'll be about Monday
through Thursday here in Raleigh, before the end of the
(10:26):
calendar year. And we flip everything on over to twenty
twenty six. The big topic of discussion this week, something
we have spent a lot of time on over the
last couple of days. At the discussion over new congressional maps.
Those were proposed or announced that they would be proposed
by the General Assembly about a week ago. We learned
some details late last week that new maps we're going
(10:48):
to be a drawn and we're proposed to the public.
We will get some details and analysis on that with
doctor Andy Jackson from the John Locke Foundation coming up
here in just a couple of minutes on the Carolina
Journal News Hour. As the calendar shows this morning, both
the House and the Senate are set to convene around
ten o'clock this morning. Something interesting to note, and we've
(11:10):
seen this a couple of times, but there are still
a plethora six of veto overrides that sit in the
North Carolina House. They are currently sitting on the calendar
for ten o'clock this morning. We have seen this over
the last couple of sessions, so it's not immediately clear
whether these veto overrides will be taken up. However, all
(11:32):
of the folks over at Carolina Journal dot com this
morning will be keeping a close eye on the General Assembly.
They deal with things, for example, things like constitutional carry,
know that's been a big discussion across the state, a
couple of DEI bills, and some other legislation as well.
Those are all calendared for this morning at ten o'clock
in the North Carolina House. We'll have coverage throughout the
(11:55):
day over on our website, Carolina Journal dot com, and
of course coming up for you tomorrow morning right here
on the Carolina Journal News Hour. In some news out
of the General Assembly this morning, a state senator representing
eastern North Carolina has been charged with driving while impaired
in Raleigh. According it to online arrest records, Senator Norman
(12:18):
Sanders of Pamlico County was arrested Saturday near the intersection
of Edward Mill Road and Trinity Road in Raleigh and
charged with a DWY The North Carolina State Highway Patrol
reported that Senator Sanderson had a point one six blood
alcohol content after testing at a Wake County detention center.
(12:42):
Senator Senator Norman Sanderson also faces misdemeanor charges of failure
to obey a traffic officer and transporting an open container
of alcohol. He was given a two thousand dollars bond,
which was posted and a court data scheduled for November
the seventh, according to some of those online records. In
(13:03):
Wake County, a press release was put out by the
Senate Republican Caucus on Sunday. It reads, in part quote
last night, referring to Saturday night, I made a regrettable mistake,
and I take responsibility for my actions. I want to
apologize to my constituents, my colleagues, and my family for
(13:24):
letting them down. I commend the State Highway Patrol and
the Wake County Sheriff's Office for their professionalism during the incident. Sanderson,
a Republican, represents Carteret, Halifax, Hyde, Martin, Pamlica, War and
Washington Counties in the North Carolina General Assembly. This is
a story that we continue to attract this morning right
(13:47):
here on the Carolina Journal News Hour, in some other
statewide news this morning, again expecting a busy week in Raleigh.
Also in Raleigh this morning, a new undercover report by
Accuracy in Media is exposing how local governments are rebranding
their diversity, equity and inclusion programs under different names. The
(14:12):
city of Raleigh is under scrutiny this morning after an
undercover journalist for Accuracy in Media recorded Assistant Director of
Economic and Social Advancement Brianna Scurry discussing efforts to ensure
that the city's DEI programs remain quote as protected as possible.
(14:33):
Scurry in the video is heard saying, quote, we are
certainly being strategic in the ways that we and we
don't want to draw attention to ourselves, number one, but
we also want to make sure that this DEI work
is as protected as possible. Brian Valfour, the vice president
of Research at the John Locke Foundation, says that these
(14:54):
ongoing programs. These ongoing DEI programs are costing taxpayers difficant
sums of money, specifically highlighting in on Raleigh, where this
undercover report stems. Balfour toward the Carolina Journal quote, Raleigh
taxpayers have been footing a rapidly expanding bill for these
DEI programs. The Raleigh Department of Economic and Social Advancement
(15:19):
has a budget of two point six million dollars and
nineteen full time employees. This marks a sixty nine percent
increase in spending in just three years. There has been
a growing national trend to root out DEI in government institutions.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed
(15:40):
an executive order titled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI
Programs and preferencing that based on the name that it
essentially ended DEI initiatives within the federal government. Brian Balfour
also pointed out that although the Development of Economic and
Social Advancement within in the City of Raleigh doesn't include diversity, equity,
(16:03):
and inclusion in its title, it still operates under many
of the same principles. He told The Carolina Journal quote
the department's purpose, as stated on its website is to
create a community for all, an incredibly vague notion. Its
Business Engagement and Opportunity Program explicitly states a goal of
(16:24):
favoring minority owned businesses for city work contracts, noting that
the department also features an LGBTQIA plus police Liaison and
also has a quote Consulting Lab in which one of
its stated benefits is initiatives that foster inclusivity. This is
not the first time that Accuracy in Media has exposed
(16:47):
hidden DEI efforts in North Carolina. Back in May, the
group released to video revealing how UNC Charlotte continued DEI
initiatives even after the UNC Board of Trustees directed campuses
across the state to move away from such programs. There
is a video that goes along with this story from
(17:07):
Accuracy and Media. You can read those details and watch
that video over on our website this morning, Carolina Journal
dot com. That headline story undercover report shows DEI alive
and well in Raleigh. Again, those details over at Carolina
Journal dot com.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
It's five thirty six.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News Hour news stock eleven,
ten ninety nine three WBT. Don't forget if you miss
any portion of our show here live weekday mornings on WBT.
You can check out the Carolina Journal News Hour podcast.
It's available in Google Play, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, anywhere you
get your shows. Search for the Carolina Journal News Hour,
tap that subscribe or follow button and you'll get a
(17:52):
new program delivered each and every weekday morning. You can
also well watch the show live and on demand on
our Carolina Journal YouTube channel as well. It's the Carolina
Journal News Hour Podcast. Download and subscribe now. A very
busy week expected in Raleigh as lawmakers make their way
back to the state capital this morning to deal with
well redistricting. We talked about those details some last week
(18:15):
right here on the Carolina Journal News Hour. However, in
the latter half of last week, we did learn some
information about a proposed map that has been brought forth
by the North Carolina General Assembly. To walk us through
some of the details and what exactly that means, Doctor
Andy Jackson from the John Locke Foundation joins us on
the Carolina Journal News Hour. Andy, we chatted mid last
week before a proposed map was out. You talked about
(18:37):
a couple of different terms, dummymandering, kind of reshaping some
of these congressional districts in the eastern half of North Carolina.
I guess before we get into anything more specific, give
us your broad overview of the proposed maps that were
released by the General Assembly late last week.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Well, they basically did two things, and one thing is
they took a minimalist approach in the sense that they
only they only changed two districts, the first and the
third out there in the eastern part of the state.
And they did so by essentially taking almost all of
the coastal counties out of the third district, putting them
into the out of the third district, putting them into
(19:17):
the first district, and then in exchange, taking some of
those inland counties that were once in the first and
putting them into the third, slightly changing the character of
both of those districts. They both still have equal population,
as North Carolina always does. And the interesting thing is,
whereas before the first district was pretty much an even
(19:41):
district as far as like Republicans and Democrats, and the
third was comfortably Republican, these are now two lean Republican districts,
depending on how you measure it, anywhere from like a
Republican seven to maybe a Republican nine in both of them.
And so they were more aggressive of them, really, I
think certainly I and other people had thought they'd be
(20:04):
as far as making them even. We thought, well, they
go ahead and try to keep Greg Murphy in a
very safe district, maybe an R ten, which would maybe
let them move the first district to an R five.
But they were a lot more aggressive than this, and
so now we have essentially, as far as political goes,
those two districts are the same. They're both advantage Republican.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
So let's talk a little bit about that. You warned
in some of your reporting on this over at the
John Locke Foundation that this is a big gamble and
it could be a big risk for Republicans. It's a
midterm election that typically doesn't favor the party in charge.
Republicans complete in total control in Washington, DC, Andy with
watering down the third district to put some of those
more conservative or Republican voters in the one, does this
(20:50):
open a position where Republicans maybe lose both if there's
a blue wave that moves through in the November election
next year.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
It's a possibility. Now generally speaking, if you're at an
R plus seven district, you're going to Republican's going to
win that thing most of the time. Twenty twenty six
is that presidential midterm election. Though I went back and
looked at some numbers. In twenty eighteen, Republican congressional votes
(21:18):
dropped off their share the vote dropped off by about
four percentage points, and you know that's across all districts,
So you're looking at that point. If that same thing holds,
you're going from a Republican seven down to a Republican three,
and that is in getting pretty close territory. You know,
if Don Davis runs, he's an incumbent that's probably worth
(21:41):
another point or two. So you know, if Don Davis runs,
he's still within striking distance of winning it this year.
And if Democrats do a good job in nominating somebody
to run against Greg Murphy and the other district, they
could also make that one competitive. So with those kind
of tail and this could end up being a w
(22:03):
mander certainly not long term though. I would expect starting
in twenty eight and going forward, as eastern North Carolina
becomes more Republican, both those districts will develop into pretty
safe Republican districts.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
One of the interesting thing, and I'll continue to state,
these are the proposed maps by the General Assembly. We
will see a lot of work out of the GA
this week. Maybe there's a slight possibility that they shift
or change a little bit. So everything that we're talking
about is again proposed. The General Assembly has not had
any other sessions this week yet. But under this proposed map,
Andy Don Davis, who previously represented the first congressional district,
(22:39):
his residence is now in the third. Does that create
a problem for him.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
Potentially? Now, I think the bigger problem is that he's
lost the big chunk of his district. Now he's from
Green County. That is his political base, you know, that's
the area where he grew up politically, that's where the
people know him the best, and so certainly would hurt
him if he would have to run in the first
district without that area, that could have a negative impact
(23:07):
on his campaign. Now, under the US Constitution, you just
have to live in the state. You don't have to
actually live in the district. So he's not bound by
law or by the constitution to run in the thirty
could choose to run in the first still, but you know,
now the way these things are divided, because this was
(23:28):
such an aggressive change, he has a legitimate way to
run in either district. He's got a political base in
either district. So it's going to be interesting to figure
out for him to figure out what he wants to
do with this.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
And I'm glad you bring up that point that unlike
the North Carolina General Assembly, where you do as a representative,
have to reside within the district in which you represent,
that is not the case for the United States House.
So we're talking about Don Davis. But I think this
maybe opens the same question for doctor Greg Murphy, who
currently represents the third district. Some of his postings Friday
(24:01):
on social media and he indicate that he could also
be looking at maybe making a jump to the first
congressional district if that's an area that he decides he
wants to represent.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
Yeah, it applies for Murphy as well. He has lost
a fairly substantial chunk of his district now he's from
Pitt County, although he owns a home on the coast,
so he could shift as primary residence, especially, you know,
probably getting your retirement age now and so he could
do that. And both of these districts are roughly the
same politically, So it's an interesting set of choices that
(24:37):
both Murphy and Davis have. I think they definitely would
want to avoid running against each other because that would
raise the risk for both of them. I don't know
if there's if they're going to be meeting at a
barbecue place somewhere in eastern North Carolina to hash this
out like you run here, I run there, but or
maybe through public communications the language of press really or whatnot,
(25:00):
letting each other know what they're going to do. But
certainly they don't want to run against each other. They
both have a legitimate claim to represent both districts, So
it's going to be an interesting set of choices once
the final maps are made.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
Andy, you've used a term a couple of time. You've
said that the General Assembly was aggressive in the way
in which they redrew those maps. They could have maybe
gone about in a different manner. What do you think
led to the aggressive nature in making these districts, as
you've noted, pretty much equal in terms of the Republican advantage,
instead of just making the first a little bit more competitive.
There's a lot of counties that shifted back and forth
(25:36):
on this.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
Yeah, well, I think part of it is they really
want to deliver that first district, and in order to
do that, they're going to have to do it because
Don Davis is an incumbent. It takes a little bit
more to defeat an incumbent. Now, he didn't win by
that much, he only won by a couple of percentage
points last time around, but he is going to have
(26:00):
those tailwinds behind him with this being a Trump midterm election,
So he could, you know, in a normal district expect
you know, if he was in his old configuration, probably
win that by about six maybe seven percent, So in
order to make sure they can overcome that, they have
to shift that quite a bit more. And so they
really did it as much as they could without making
(26:23):
the third district kind of uncomfortably close for Republicans. So
that's the reason I'm saying this was a lot more
aggressive than I thought they would be, and I think
they believe they need to do it in order to
try to deliver both those districts.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Andy walk us through the process that we'll expect to
see in the early half of this week in the
North Carolina General Assembly. Lawmakers will be gabbling in here
a little bit later on this morning, and I know
that there's some hearings that are already scheduled or some
committees dealing with redistricting. What is the process for lawmakers
in Raleigh to get these maps approved if they so
choose to do so well.
Speaker 5 (26:57):
Congressional districts typically start in the Senate side, and that's
what we're looking at here. They'll have their hearing, We've
already got a public comment period that opened last week,
and this is going to continue on through. It'll pass,
it'll pass along party lines, go to the House pass
along party lines. An interesting thing is that redistricting bills
(27:20):
are not subject to a gubernatorial veto. That's something that
Democrats wrote when they gave the governor the veto. They
didn't really envision that they'd ever lose the General Assembly
when they wrote this back in the nineties. So they said, well,
you know, we sometimes have a Republican governor. Let's go
ahead and make sure the governor can't veto redistricting bills,
(27:41):
among others. Roy Cooper voted for that, and so now
we're in the situation where you have the Republican control
and we have a Democratic governor who has no ability
to stop this. The only way it would be stopped
is with a lawsuit. And I don't think even if
it's going to be ultimately successful, I don't think it's
going to be successful. So we're looking at having these
(28:01):
districts and in place in time for the twenty twenty
sixth election.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Relatively short timeline on all of this. Candidate filing for
these elections coming up in November of next year, will
take place coming up here at the beginning or middle
parts of December of this year. We'll keep our eyes
on what are expected to be a busy week in Raleigh.
Over on our website, Carolina Journal dot com. We appreciate
the insight. This morning, Andy Jackson from the John Locke
Foundation joins us on the Carolina Journal News Hour, where
(28:29):
it's now five point forty seven News Talk eleven ten
ninety nine to three WBT. We'll head back to the
traffic center on your early Monday morning commute and get
an update with Boomer von Cannon.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
All right, Nick, thank you, sir. All clear now seventy
seven southbound at Extit ten Trade Street. Earlier incident moved
from the interstate and all travelingks are now open, so
you're in pretty good shape as you make your way
toward Exit ten from Exit eleven Brookshire Freeway and in
South Charlotte Stall report of a disabled vehicle in Artsdale
Drive near Nations Forward Road takes a look at Independence.
You're in great shit. From Matthew to Uptown. Your drivetime
(29:02):
westbound Independence just under twenty minutes. Bloomer von kennon WBT traffic.
Speaker 7 (29:09):
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clear view of the road all choose Rainx wipers, the
number one wiper blades in America.
Speaker 6 (29:41):
Your WBT forecast today, Monday, October twentieth, sunny sixty nine,
this afternoon tonight clear, the overnight forty six, tomorrow's sunshine
a bit breezy, and seventy seven concord fifty in the
Queen City fifty two.
Speaker 8 (29:56):
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to turn your home into a beacon of holiday cheer.
So whether you're going all out or just adding a
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(30:18):
fill your yard with holiday joy talk whatever your style,
find everything to get your holidays started at the Home Depot.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
Mike row here with a quick question. Have you noticed
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hope not, because if you have, they could be indications
that you've got a much bigger problem with your foundation.
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Speaker 3 (30:58):
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rates are still way up, so don't be a victim.
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Call seven oh four seven nine oh r ate. That's
neighborhood Lender seven oh four seven nine oh rate. Neighborhood
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Speaker 1 (31:59):
Vince Cookeley, I have said for some time that the
Republican Party is ideologically bankrupt.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
I don't know what this party is about anymore. I
really don't.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Other than Donald Trump, I don't think it has anything
going for it. It's certainly not advancing ideas or values.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Since Cochley, this.
Speaker 9 (32:20):
Morning, your emergency situation station for the time, Boy.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Well, it's not the top of the hour. It's five
point fifty one.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News, our Newstock eleven
ten ninety nine three WBT, as we continue our coverage
this morning of what is set to be a busy
week in Raleigh. As you just heard our conversation with
doctor Andy Jackson of the John Locke Foundation. Lawmakers will
again make their way back to Raleigh for the second
to final legislative session of the year before we flip
(33:04):
the calendar over to twenty twenty six, and the topic
the discussion this week will be redistricting. The House and
the Center of both set to convene at ten o'clock
this morning. We will watch everything that goes on there
over at Carolina Journal dot com and of course have
the latest coming up for you tomorrow morning right here
on the Carolina Journal News Hour.
Speaker 4 (33:24):
In some other statewide news.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
Democrat Attorney General Jeff Jackson is joining twenty one other
states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit against
the Environmental Protection Agency for canceling a seven billion dollar
grant called the Solar for All Program. Now, this was
created back in twenty twenty two by the Inflation Reduction Act.
(33:47):
The program, what at its inception, was designed to provide
funding to sixty grant recipients with the goal of helping
an estimated nine hundred thousand low income households across the
country utilize solar power to reduce their energy costs. Jeff
Jackson said in a press release that the funds would
(34:08):
have helped more than twelve thousand North Carolinians and their
households save an average of twenty percent on their utility
bills and support energy jobs across the state. The AG
said quote, these funds were going to help low income
and rule North Carolinians save money on their energy bills.
Thousands of families were going to have the option to
(34:31):
install solar power, save money, and have another energy option
after a major storm. Now the EPA has illegally canceled
those funds, So I'm going to court to bring one
hundred and fifty million dollars back to our state. In
twenty twenty four, the Energize NC Coalition, which is led
(34:52):
by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, applied for
and was awarded a one hundred and fifty six million
dollar grant from the Solar for All program that came
through the Environmental Protection Agency. According to Jackson's press release,
over five years, the program would have helped create at
(35:13):
least forty three megawatts of solar energy and offer financial
assistance to help low income, single family homes with installing
a solar In this case some other solar as well,
including multifamily housing and households with medical needs. The cancelation,
Jackson said, left the state with more without more than
(35:35):
one hundred and fifty of the one hundred and fifty
six million dollars that were awarded, and noted that the
grant was quote abruptly canceled without a valid legal basis,
and so that is why Attorney Democrat Attorney General Jeff
Jackson has brought this suit against EPA. This all started
back on August the seventh, when the EPA canceled the program,
(35:58):
which was included in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Lee Zelden,
the administrator for EPA, discussed the cancelation, which all resulted
from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed
into law by President Donald Trump back on July the fourth,
in a video posted to lee Zelden's ex account, he said,
quote in some cases, your tax dollars were diluted through
(36:22):
up to four pass through entities, each taking their own
cut off the top. The bottom line is this EPA
no longer has the statutory authority to administer the program
or the appropriated funds to keep this boondoggle alive. Today,
the Trump EPA is announcing that we are ending Solar
for All and for good, saving US taxpayers another seven
(36:46):
billion dollars. The reaction continues in North Carolina, with NCDQ
Secretary Reid Wilson saying that the cancelation of that program
would eliminate the installation of solar panels for more than
twelve thousand low and median income households. Additionally, the Solar
for All program was designed to help create only one
(37:09):
hundred and forty new jobs across the state of North Carolina,
including those for contractors, construction workers, and maintenance staff. The
solar energy industry employees over nine thousand North Carolinians currently
and supports more than two hundred businesses across the state.
John Sanders, who is the director for the Center for Food,
(37:30):
Power and Life at the John Locke Foundation, told The
Carolina Journal that although Jackson's statements that the Solar for
All program would have saved low income people and their
families on their power bills and created jobs is true,
there is no reason for the Attorney General to think
that this program is the only or even a good
(37:51):
way to help individuals reduce their power bills and create jobs.
Sanders also noted that economic research literature is filled with
studies demonstrating that faster job growth happens in economies and
communities with less regulation, lower tax burdens, and greater protection
(38:12):
of individual rights. Sanders also added that given that electricity
is a vital expense for all households and an input
costs for nearly every single business across the state, resource
decisions that result in lower power bills would lead to
a stronger economy and more job creation than otherwise. We've
(38:34):
got some additional details on this illegal challenge, including some
additional quotes from a John Sanders, Jeff Jackson, and a
full video from EPA administrator Lee Zelden. You can read
and watch us some more details on that by visiting
our website Carolina Journal dot com. That story's headline, ag
Jackson joins EPA lawsuit over cancelation of solar program. Well,
(38:59):
that's going to do it. For a Monday edition of
the Carolina Journal News Hour, WBT News is next followed
by Good Morning BT. We're back with you tomorrow morning
five to six right here on newstalk eleven, ten and
ninety nine three WBT
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