Schang weighs in on Senate race

Interim Executive Director Scott Schang weighed in on North Carolina’s Senate Race through an environmental lens with the Winston Salem Journal this week. The article, US Senate candidates Cooper vs. Whatley: How do they stack up on environmental issues?, written by Chaewon Chung, was published by the WSJ on August 13.

“As senator, [Cooper] would shift the balance of power towards a more climate-friendly stance and no doubt seek action to avert further climate degradation.”

In evaluating former Governor Roy Cooper, Schang noted that his tenure included bold actions, like setting a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 and strengthening wetland protections, as well as some missed opportunities to rigorously implement environmental policies, particularly on behalf of marginalized communities like those impacted by continued permits for the wood pellet industry.

As for Cooper’s opponent, Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, Schang noted some conflicting signals in his background. But, given his party leadership role for a party aggressively seeking to roll back climate protections while promoting fossil fuels, Schang cautioned that Whatley “would be one of the most environmentally backwards Senate candidates in modern times.”

Read on to hear more from Schang and other experts on this high profile Senate race with national implications.