NC Employers Need Certainty to Keep & Create Jobs
Fixing Regulations Would Help Environment and Economy

How do we create jobs and get our state’s economy growing again?  That’s the billion-dollar question – and one where the North Carolina Chamber and NC employers can help provide workable answers.

Employers need some degree of certainty in order to create jobs and grow the economy.  Knowing this, state leaders and policymakers should capitalize on opportunities to eliminate situations where unnecessary uncertainty is hindering economic recovery and job creation.  The North Carolina Chamber believes at least two such opportunities exist where common-sense changes to environmental regulations would help both the environment and the economy.

1)    “Site-specific risk-based remediation for industrial sites,” which our state does not currently have, would help create jobs, grow the economy and improve the environment in North Carolina (a description and explanation is included below).

2)    “Tiered enforcement” would prevent administrative errors (instead of real environmental infractions) from leading to a notice of violation and threatening Bill Lee Act incentives provided to employers for job creation (read more below). 

The North Carolina Chamber understands that building a strong economy and protecting the environment are not mutually exclusive.  During the upcoming legislative session, your state Chamber will push to improve environmental regulations to strengthen North Carolina’s climate for jobs and improve our environment.

Common-Sense Changes that Cost Taxpayers Nothing
Would Return Jobs & Clean Land

• “Site-specific risk-based remediation for industrial sites” is one example of common-sense regulatory reform that would help NC businesses grow the economy and improve the environment across all of North Carolina. 

What does that mean?  It means this: Current requirements for clean-up of contaminated industrial sites restrict development and prevent productive, environmentally safe use of the land.  Even though the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has risk-based clean-up standards for non-industrial sites, there are not currently any programs that allow for risk-based clean-up of industrial sites.

The North Carolina Chamber believes it is important to establish sensible clean-up standards of industrial sites by implementing site-specific risk-based clean-up principals.  This would allow contaminated sites to be recycled, re-developed, and placed into productive use.  It would protect the public’s health and the environment, while allowing businesses to create jobs and grow the economy.  If a company is willing to invest in the clean-up of a site that needs it, then it should be allowed to develop the site.  It just makes good sense.   

• “Tiered Enforcement” is another example where regulatory reform makes good sense and would provide NC businesses with the certainty they need to keep and create jobs. 

Currently, when it comes to environmental regulations, a “Notice of Violation” (NOV) is not restricted to true “environmental infractions.”  Businesses can receive an NOV for simple administrative errors as if they were major environmental infractions such as a hazardous material leak. When businesses appear to have more NOV’s in facilities here than they have in other states, it looks bad to other businesses looking to bring jobs to North Carolina. 

Additionally, receiving any NOV can result in a company losing “Bill Lee Act” incentives that it was awarded to either locate or expand in North Carolina.  (The majority of Bill Lee Act incentives go to companies already operating in North Carolina.)  Loss of these incentives due to administrative errors will not help North Carolina’s economy recover and grow.   

The North Carolina Chamber believes that it is important to provide certainty around incentives that companies are awarded if we are going to attract and keep jobs.  By establishing a “tiered enforcement” process, these incentives would not be jeopardized by administrative infractions.   


Your Input Will Help Deliver Results

We would like to hear from you about these issues!  Has your company received an NOV for an administrative infraction that has either cost your company the incentives that it was awarded or is jeopardizing your incentives?  Please take a few minutes to let your state Chamber know -- all company and individual names will be kept confidential.  We will need to have as many examples as possible when building our case for legislators.  Your input will help deliver results. Click here to share your feedback.

Heard about ‘The NC Prosperity Project’ Yet?  
Chamber Offers NC Employers Elections Resources for Employees

North Carolina businesses and employees can be effective participants in the political process, and play a role in shaping the economic future of our state and nation.  In the current environment, with laws and regulations affecting every aspect of business, being a politically informed and involved employer – and having equally engaged employees – is increasingly important. 

Becoming a part of the NC Prosperity Project (NCP2) and sharing non-partisan, objective information with employees about voting and key issues affecting your company’s success will make a difference in North Carolina’s future and impact how effectively and quickly our state recovers from an historic global recession.  Those employers and employees who are informed and involved will be in the best position to ensure the best qualified leaders are in place to help North Carolina overcome its current economic challenges.    

NCP2 is a non-partisan, voluntary program provided through the North Carolina Chamber for employers.  NCP2 offers businesses the technology and tools to share information with employees about voting, key issues, and candidates’ voting records and positions on issues. 

NCP2 is about providing employers with the opportunity and means to raise employee awareness about issues that affect businesses and the economy.  It is about informing, empowering, and encouraging employees to participate in elections. 

Employers have a credibility edge over most other sources sought out by voters who want to be informed about candidates and important issues.  Polls show that voters want to know if a candidate's stated position on key business issues would adversely impact the companies for which they are employed. 

Additionally, employees report that they look more than ever to their employers for information on what the “key issues” are and where candidates stand on them.  Yet, only a small percentage of employees actually receive any communication from employers about voting or key issues that would impact the company’s ability to succeed and grow. 

NCP2 provides a means for employers to meet this need.  Visit NCP2 online at www.northcarolinaprosperity.org to see how. 

Basic NCP2 services are FREE, including a Web site and E-communication tools.    To learn more about NCP2 or sign up for NCP2 services, contact Joe Stewart at jstewart@ncchamber.net or (919) 836-1413.