JLF Senior Fellow Joe Coletti previews an upcoming legislative committee meeting that will begin looking at questions raised by an agreement between Gov. Roy Cooper and companies building the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
At issue is the $58 million Memorandum of Understanding announced by Cooper hours after the Department of Environmental Quality provided certification for work on the pipeline to continue on its route through eastern North Carolina. The permit was announced by DEQ on Jan. 26 and the MOU had been agreed to by both parties only the day before, raising questions of timing and pay-to-play. Eyebrows were raised further when it was revealed the agreement is between the ACP partners and Cooper himself, not the State of North Carolina.
Lots of questions remain here. Transparency is needed. The new legislative committee will begin the process. Read the rest of Joe’s column about the $58 million pipeline agreement here.
