The NC Department of Environmental Quality is facing budget cuts. | Stock Photo at Getty Images
The NC Department of Environmental Quality is facing budget cuts. | Stock Photo at Getty Images
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is among the foremost candidates for heavy budget cuts and project delays as the state faces major shortfalls in revenue from the pandemic.
After enduring many obstacles to the state budget including a multiyear battle over state spending that’s included a mix of mini-budgets, hurricane and coronavirus relief measures, officials are prepared to put the 2020-21 fiscal year on the books, the Carolina Public Press and Coastal Review Online reported on Aug. 3.
With major shortfalls in revenue as a result of the economic impact of COVID-19, additional pandemic related expenses and the need for additional financial aid for local governments adding to the financial woes, budget cuts across state government are unavoidable.
The environmental budget is among the most likely state agencies to take a hit. The department's budget has been entrenched in disagreements for over a decade as it has been hit with high profile crises.
A budget deal to give the agency funds for the long-needed renovation of its main Reedy Creek laboratories and additional personnel for testing for emerging contaminants such as GenX was vetoed by Gov. Roy Cooper in late June of last year. On July 1, 2019, an automatic budget law went into effect, funding state agencies at the previous year’s level.
“We continue to monitor the situation, but it’s too early to report anything or provide an outlook,” Sharon Martin, spokesperson for the department, said in an email response to Coastal Review Online. “As you know, DEQ is no stranger to limited funding, so we continue to achieve our mission with limited resources as we always have.
Alerts Sign-up