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State Representative Jake Johnson from North Carolina expressed concerns about the state’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) regulations hindering recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene. Johnson highlighted the impact of regulations on debris removal and building developments near rivers, suggesting that certain rules should be temporarily suspended to facilitate rebuilding post-storm.
Johnson criticized the DEQ regulations, stating that they could impede recovery efforts in areas like Chimney Rock that were heavily affected by Helene. He emphasized the importance of easing regulations to support contractors working on cleanup and rebuilding tasks in affected regions.
While Johnson acknowledged the efforts of the GOP-led general assembly to roll back regulations, he also noted that the final decision lies with the department head appointed by Governor Roy Cooper. However, Johnson believed that Cooper would likely sign regulatory rollbacks if they were presented to him.
Additionally, Representative Ray Pickett raised concerns about the DEQ’s permitting and approvals process, especially in relation to infrastructure projects that require expedited processing for rebuilding efforts. DEQ responded by stating that they would utilize flexibility to address recovery needs and had requested regulatory changes to support the cleanup process.
Both Johnson and Pickett expressed frustration with delays in DEQ response post-Helene, highlighting the need for quicker action and assistance in assessing environmental concerns, such as propane tanks in rivers. They emphasized the importance of timely and efficient support from DEQ in the aftermath of natural disasters like Hurricane Helene. Deberían haber entendido que tenemos que movernos rápido”.
DEQ, sin embargo, le dijo a Fox News Digital que su personal “estaba en el terreno durante la tormenta y en los días inmediatamente posteriores proporcionando respuesta de emergencia, apoyo y evaluaciones”.
“Nuestro personal ha estado trabajando, y seguirá trabajando, directamente con los sistemas de agua y aguas residuales, junto con nuestros socios federales y estatales, para evaluar los daños, coordinar recursos y proporcionar asistencia técnica para restaurar los servicios en el oeste de Carolina del Norte”, dijo la agencia.
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La misión de DEQ es “proporcionar un manejo ambiental basado en la ciencia para la salud y la prosperidad de todos los habitantes de Carolina del Norte”, según su sitio web.
La agencia se dedica a ayudar al estado a mejorar la calidad del aire y del agua, así como a emitir y supervisar permisos para el desarrollo, almacenamiento de agua y otras iniciativas.
“El gobernador ha tomado medidas significativas para reforzar la respuesta sin precedentes del estado a esta tormenta, incluida la emisión de una orden ejecutiva que exime regulaciones para garantizar que los sistemas de agua y las necesidades ambientales puedan ser satisfechas rápidamente durante la recuperación”, dijo Jordan Monaghan, portavoz de Cooper, a Fox News Digital en respuesta a los comentarios de Johnson.
La orden ejecutiva de Cooper otorga a DEQ la facultad de acelerar las reparaciones relacionadas con problemas de agua potable y aguas residuales. También otorga a DEQ la discreción de eximir ciertos requisitos relacionados con proyectos “que requieran una certificación individual de calidad del agua” para acelerar la reconstrucción.