public policy advocacy for the professional engineer December 2009

Dear ,

Your Legislative Update for the month of December is below.  Please feel free to forward this on to others who might find the information useful!

 

Licensing Board Update

         

The NC Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors met on December 9 and the following items were reported from the Engineering Committee, Chaired by David L. Pond, PE.

  1. Division of Waste Management Rules

  2. Engineering Surveys Policy 

  3. Governor’s Scientific Advisory Panel on Offshore Energy

  4. Qualified Inspection Personnel for NC Construction Activities for Erosion and Sedimentation Control

  5. Reference Guide for the Construction Industry

  6. HB 1478 – Design Seal Legislation

  7. Energy Audits

  8. Meeting with NCDENR Ecosystem Enhancement Program Director

  9. The NC Board of Landscape Architects

  10. DENR Secretary Discussion Items

  11. Onsite Wastewater Systems

Recent Announcements Make 2010 Elections Interesting

A recent slew of (somewhat) surprising announcements will make the 2010 elections, legislative seats at least, more interesting than maybe originally thought. 

Click here to read more about the interesting developments...

 

 

  In the News

 

N.C. Economy

UNC-Charlotte economist John Connaughton is predicting a 3.6 percent contraction in the state's economy this year, with nine of the state's 11 economic sectors seeing declines from their 2008 levels. Click here for full article...

Lejeune Water

North Carolina's two senators are again pushing the Navy to fund a critical study on contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune. U.S. Sens. Richard Burr and Kay Hagan are among four senators urging the Navy to fund a $1.8 million mortality study. The study will determine if there are higher mortality rates for active duty Marines who served at the base during the years that the water was contaminated. Water supplied to Camp Lejeune's main family housing areas was contaminated by dry cleaning solvents and other sources. Health officials believe as many as 1 million people may have been exposed to the toxins before the wells were closed 22 years ago.(THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 12/09/09).

Ecosystem Enhancement Program

State leaders said Tuesday that they have ordered reviews of an environmental program that critics say allows double-dipping from funds to replace wetlands and streams damaged by development. Click here to read the full article...

Happy Holidays from PENC

 

 

If there are questions or you need additional information, please feel free to contact me at bbailey@penc.org or phone 919-834-1144, ext. 1.


Sincerely,


Betsy Bailey
Professional Engineers of North Carolina

In This Issue
Licensing Board Update

Happy Holidays...But Don't Forget the Gift Ban!

On December 9, Governor Perdue signed another Executive Order (#34) that extends the gift ban to gubernatorial appointees to state boards and commissions. As many of you know people in such positions, we thought this information would be useful during the holiday season.  Please be careful in your dealings with your contacts serving on state boards and commissions.

This executive order is a continuation of the gift ban we publicized in this month's member newsletter.  We circulated a memorandum from Secretary of Transportation Gene Conti outlining what was acceptable and ethical behavior during the Holidays - a time of expressing thanks by the giving of gifts.  Governor Perdue's recent Executive Order and the Ethics Policy of the DOT put in place strict regulations on how vendors, contractors and consultants can express their gratitude to their contacts in DOT. To read the memo for a full description of the "do's" and "dont's", please click here.

 
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Professional Engineers
of North Carolina
1015 Wade Avenue, Suite A
Raleigh, NC 27605

Phone: (919) 834-1144
Fax: (919) 834-1148
Web Site: www.penc.org
E-Mail: exec@penc.org