The Latest: Berger: Don’t expect further action soon on GenX | The News Tribune

The Latest on the North Carolina legislature reconvening its session (all times local): 7:35 p.m. Don’t expect the North Carolina Senate to soon go along with legislation approved by the House designed to study further unregulated chemicals in drinking water and give state officials more funds for water testing and permitting.
Lawmakers will hold perfunctory floor sessions into next week but no votes are scheduled.
The state House has approved a bill addressing further unregulated chemicals like GenX found in North Carolina rivers and giving money to regulators to help with permitting and water testing.
The House voted unanimously Wednesday for the measure, which also got support from Democratic Gov.
There won’t be agreement this week at the General Assembly on whether to take more action or spend more money to better understand and curb unregulated chemicals in North Carolina’s drinking water supplies.
The Senate adjourned their session Wednesday afternoon and won’t return to work until at least early next week.
That means a House measure expected on the chamber floor later in the day designed to direct more study about contaminants and environmental permitting couldn’t go further until the Senate comes back.
The General Assembly reconvenes its session at midday Wednesday, with work initially expected to last only one day.
The drinking water legislation expected before a House committee Wednesday is in response to the chemical GenX being discharged into the Cape Fear River.
Demonstrators against Republican efforts to approve judicial changes also were expected to rally Wednesday at the Legislative Building.

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