Senate Bill 71 has broad bipartisan support from lawmakers, the environmental and business communities who recognize the opportunity for North Carolina to continue leading on this issue.

We don't understand why the Governor would veto a bill that makes North Carolina'sCoal Ash law even stronger. Very importantly, it reconstitutes a Commission that will evaluate the safety and cost of any closure plan on customers.

The legislation gives our state the flexibility to make better basin closure decisions based on new information and the completion of facility improvement projects. Senate Bill 71 also encourages safe recycling of coal ash, which is non-hazardous, and gives plant neighbors certainty about their water quality. Extensive science and engineering studies demonstrate that basins are not impacting neighbor wells, but extending a permanent water supply to those neighbors benefits all customers because it preserves the wide range of closure options.