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Advocating for a Healthier, More Sustainable North Carolina

Emily Sutton, Haw Riverkeeper; Ellie Riggs, Catawba Riverkeeper; Rep. Beth Helfrich; Ryan Carter, Catawba Riverkeeper; Shannon Binns, Sustain Charlotte

Yesterday, I had the privilege of spending the day at the North Carolina General Assembly alongside fellow advocates Ryan Carter and Ellie Riggs from the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation. Together with other Piedmont Promise partners, we met with lawmakers to advocate for a series of bills that will promote smarter growth, cleaner water, and healthier communities across our state.

The energy at the legislature was high, and we had productive conversations with several legislators about
the bills we support, including:

  • House Bill 369 (Parking Reform Act), which would eliminate parking mandates and reduce toxic
    runoff from pavement sealants.
  • House Bill 948 and Senate Bill 584 (Transportation Sales Tax Authorization bills), which would allow
    Mecklenburg County residents to vote on a 1-cent sales tax to invest in transformative
    transportation solutions. (There are both House and Senate versions of this bill moving forward.)
  • I’m incredibly grateful to all the legislators and staff who made time to meet with us, including:
    Rep. Laura Budd Dahle
    Rep. Beth Helfrich
    Rep. Becky Carney
    Rep. Mary Belk
    Rep. Carolyn Logan (via her legislative assistant)
    Sen. DeAndrea Salvador (via her legislative assistant)
    Sen. Caleb Theodros

A special thank you to Rep. Beth Helfrich for not only sponsoring both the Parking Reform Act and the House version of the Transportation Sales Tax Authorization bill, but also for taking an hour out of her morning to meet with me over breakfast. I’m deeply appreciative of her willingness to listen and learn more about our perspectives so she can be an even stronger advocate for these issues.

I also want to thank Rep. Mary Belk and Rep. Laura Budd Dahle for their sponsorship of the Parking Reform Act. And thank you to Senators DeAndrea Salvador and Caleb Theodros for sponsoring the Senate version of the Transportation Sales Tax Authorization bill.

Although our schedules didn’t align this time, I’m looking forward to connecting soon with Senators Vickie Sawyer and Woodson Bradley, who both expressed interest in meeting with me.

These conversations are critical to ensuring that our voices — and the voices of the communities we represent — are heard as important decisions are being made about the future of North Carolina’s growth and natural resources.

Call to Action! We are heading into a sprint to get these bills across the finish line before the legislative session wraps up. One of the most urgent actions you can take right now is to support the Parking Reform Act (HB 369), which is scheduled for committee and floor votes next week. We’re working to collect as many signatures as possible to show broad support for smarter growth and cleaner water.

Learn more about the bill and sign the petition.

Thank you for standing with us as we work toward a more sustainable, healthier North Carolina!

Shannon Binns, Founder + Executive Director

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