Legislative roundup: Hope for a brighter, cleaner future

March 2, 2014

Legislative roundup: Hope for a brighter, cleaner future

North Carolina could see more jobs in the emerging clean tech and energy field while also helping protect the environment, said a local lawmaker who spent part of last week talking about prospects with college students and others.

Rep. Jason Saine, who co-chairs the subcommittee on Emerging Markets and Energy, was part of a panel on the future of so-called clean industries that met Wednesday at UNC Chapel Hill.

The timing of the first so-called “clean-tech summit” was not scheduled to coincide with a coal-ash spill four weeks ago in Eden that coated 70 miles of the Dan River, but it did offer a reminder to participants, Saine said.

“That put an exclamation point on why we do need to be forward thinking,” the Lincoln County Republican said.

The daylong event addressed topics ranging from smart grid technology to efficient water management, transportation to environmentally sustainable waste disposal technologies.

Research taking place at the state’s universities has begun to transition into manufacturing and jobs, Saine said.

Just last week saw Gaston County enter into an initial partnership with Strata Solar that could lead to a solar panel farm at a former landfill off Auten Road, north of Gastonia.

via Legislative roundup: Hope for a brighter, cleaner future – Local – Gaston Gazette.