Full announcement from the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters:

RALEIGH, N.C. - As originally introduced, the two pages of Senate Bill 10, titled Eliminate Obsolete Boards and Commissions, made no mention of any environmental boards or commissions. Today the Senate Rules Committee adopted a Proposed Committee Substitute of SB 10, now the Government Reorganization and Efficiency Act, 16 pages longer, and blatantly attacking the environment.

If this bill is ratified as is, it would replace all current members on the Coastal Resources Commission, Environmental Management Commission, Utilities Commission, and several others. It would also change the number of positions, length of terms, and the way appointments are made, ultimately giving more power to the General Assembly.

"These legislators were sent to Raleigh to create jobs and to help our struggling economy. Instead they are focused on settling political debts by erasing the existing, balanced infrastructure and historic expertise," said Dan Crawford, director of governmental relations for NCLCV. "The majority party wants to allow corporate special interests to write their own rules without public input. The people of North Carolina deserve better."