EC North Carolina News

The North Carolina Rep. Greg Murphy has had a long-running care for the state's wildlife. Now he is moving forward on his bill after the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries in the state held a hearing on it.

According to Congressman Greg Murphy's tweet, "Today, the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries held a hearing on my bill to correct the designation of large portions of North Topsail Beach as part of the Coastal Barrier Resource system."

The bill aims to provide more local control for water and wildlife services. Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Bentz highlighted the main purpose of the four bills, stating that they will help protect homes on the eastern coast of North Carolina, address erosion issues, and grant protection authority.

The bill focuses on areas affected by the Coastal Barrier Resource Act (CBRA), which was established in 1982 to promote underdevelopment along the east coast ocean line. Approximately 56% of North Topsail Beach's land mass, the area targeted by Greg Murphy's bill, is impacted by CBRA. CBRA is managed by the U.S. services and other federal agencies.

The House Committee on Public Resources, responsible for America's water services, briefly discussed the bill on their website. The committee, predominantly composed of Republicans, advocates for clean water and affordable costs. Cliff Bentz, the chairman who conducted the hearing for Greg Murphy's bill, has been involved in various other acts and movements.

With the hearing completed, Rep. Greg Murphy's bill is one step closer to being passed into law.