NC DEACS Update – Budget Passed DEACS Intact

Last month the NC Senate eliminated the Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service, DEACS, from the proposed 2018 budget.  Among other duties, this is the agency that leads recycling efforts for the state, providing technical assistance and grant support to local governments and businesses.  CRA friends, members, and others in the recycling world responded by communicating to the legislators the value of DEACS to recycling, their communities, the economy, and NC.  Your voices were heard!

The NC House and Senate passed a compromise budget deal last week that keeps the state recycling program intact and is now in the hands of Governor Roy Cooper.  DEACS funding will remain with a cut in its administration of the seven DEQ regional offices and part of its energy work will be transferred to a reconstituted State Energy Office, but the recycling program crisis has been averted; funding for recycling in NC has been restored!

Thank you to the many friends of recycling & CRA members, both organizations and individuals, who assisted in communicating your support for DEACS!  Special thanks to The Recycling Partnership and SERDC for their leadership and support in the effort to keep DEACS.