As I have written about extensively, state agencies shouldn’t be allowed to adopt rules that exceed federal standards.
The Charlotte Observer reports on provisions in the Senate budget that would prohibit select agencies, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), from exceeding federal standards.
Lost in the article is the primary point that such a change is a “good government” provision.
Such a proposal is not designed to prohibit the state from exceeding federal standards. The proposal is designed to ensure that unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats don’t decide to exceed federal standards and impose excessive costs on state citizens.
If North Carolina wants to go beyond federal standards, the legislature, which is elected and accountable, should make these critical and costly decisions.
