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North Carolina Open Thread: Toxic twins 1,4-Dioxane and Republicans’ Budget [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-09-24

This blog is a weekly feature of North Carolina Blue . The platform gives readers interested in North Carolina politics a place to share their knowledge, insight and inspiration as we take back our state from some of the most extreme Republicans in the nation. Please stop by each week. You can also join the discussion in four other weekly State Open Threads . If you are interested in starting your own state blog, weekly to occasionally, I will list your work below.

Following are links to a few stories of interest.

NC Newsline, Lisa Sorg, 9/23/2023

Because of the uncertainty about the presence of 1,4-Dioxane in the town’s drinking water, the Town of Pittsboro and Chatham Marketplace, 480 Hillsboro St, are offering free reverse osmosis (RO) treated water to Pittsboro water customers and customers of Aqua NC who receive their water from the Town of Pittsboro. Customers may use Code 64261 to fill jugs and bottles for free. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Customers should bring jugs and bottles from home, as only a limited supply is available for purchase at the store.

The Town of Pittsboro has ramped up its drinking water testing after the City of Burlington discharged a slug of toxic chemical 1,4-Dioxane — 1,300 times the EPA’s health advisory goal — into the Haw River. It is the second time Burlington has reported contaminating Pittsboro’s drinking water supply this year.

In a press release issued late Friday afternoon, Pittsboro spokesman Colby Sawyer said Burlington officials had notified the town at 1:30 p.m. that routine testing showed high levels of 1,4-Dioxane — 459 parts per billion — had been discharged from one of its wastewater treatment plants on Sept. 14. However, Burlington officials reportedly told their Pittsboro counterparts that the test results had only arrived that day — more than a week later.

1,4-Dioxane is a “probable” carcinogen, according to federal health authorities. The chemical is used in industrial processing and as a solvent.

NIH National Library of Medicine APPENDIX D ADVISORY Health Advisory - An Overview for the Public 1,4-Dioxane Why is 1,4-dioxane currently a potential health concern? Conflicting reports regarding 1,4-dioxane exposure from use of some bath and cosmetic products Recent reports in the media about 1,4-dioxane contamination of children’s bath products prompted ATSDR to reexamine its recommendations to families on reducing risks of exposure to 1,4-dioxane. Note: The acute effects described in this document are not likely to occur at concentrations of 1,4-dioxane that are normally found in the U.S. environment. Why has the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) provided this health advisory for 1,4-dioxane? ATSDR provides trusted health information to the public ATSDR’s mission is to serve the public by using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health information to prevent harmful exposures and disease related exposures to toxic substances. What is 1,4-dioxane? 1,4-Dioxane is used in manufacturing and in household products 1,4-Dioxane (also called dioxane) is produced in large amounts (between 10 million and 18 million pounds in 1990) by three companies in the United States. Companies use dioxane: for a solvent for paper, cotton, and textile processing

for chemical manufacturing, and

in automotive coolant liquid.

WUNC, Colin Campbell, 9/20/2023

After months of negotiations between House and Senate Republicans, the legislature finally released its budget agreement on Wednesday afternoon.

The budget includes a 4% raise for most state employees this year and a 3% raise next year, as well as a gradual decrease in the personal income tax rate.

"This two-year budget carefully considers our state’s past successes, our current needs, and the financial resources we have at our disposal,” Senate leader Phil Berger said in a news release. “It will make infrastructure in rural North Carolina more robust, return over a billion dollars to taxpayers hamstrung by failing Bidenomics, and put student outcomes and parental choice ahead of bureaucracy.”

Democrats like Rep. Deb Butler said they're unhappy with the quick timeline to understand what’s in the bill, which is full of policy provisions.

"It leaves very little time to cover a $30 billion budget and 600 pages," she said.

Final votes will take place in a rare midnight session in the House in the wee hours of Friday and later Friday morning in the Senate, sending the measure to Gov. Roy Cooper, who has said he’ll consider a veto, citing concerns about tax cuts and a major expansion of private school vouchers.

(Please click the story for more)

NC Newsline, Clayton Hinkle, 9/24/2023

Take a long look at the budget here.

Thanks for reading and contributing.

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