SEWC Statement on Governor Stein’s Veto of SB266
For Immediate Release: July 2, 2025
Media Contact: Holly Elliott, hollye@sewind.org
Raleigh, NC — Today, the Southeastern Wind Coalition released the following statement from Katharine Kollins, SEWC President, on North Carolina Governor Stein’s veto of Senate Bill 266:
“By vetoing SB266, Governor Stein is putting North Carolina’s economic future first. As North Carolina continues to experience unprecedented growth, we applaud Governor Stein for reinforcing the state’s leadership in clean energy. Renewable energy like offshore wind has the very real potential to transform our communities and strengthen our grid.”
Now, it is up to legislators to sustain the Governor’s veto. The passage of SB266 would delay or derail the addition of clean energy resources such as offshore wind by removing the planning certainty and emissions targets outlined in House Bill 951. Maintaining the bipartisan law set by the NC General Assembly in 2021 is imperative to ensuring affordable, reliable, and clean electricity generation for North Carolina’s residents, businesses, and manufacturers. This legislation is already working to diversify the state's energy mix, ensure the viability of long-lead time resources, and control long-term costs through investment in technologies like offshore wind, which provide a hedge against fluctuating fuel prices.
“Eliminating the 2030 carbon reduction target would send a dangerous signal to investors and developers in North Carolina’s clean energy sector,” Kollins adds. “The passage of SB266 would compromise the regulatory certainty needed to bring thousands of high-quality jobs, attract investment, and diversify our state’s energy mix.”
About SEWC
The Southeastern Wind Coalition is a 501(c)(3) organization that works to advance the land-based and offshore wind industry in the Southeast. We focus on providing fact-based information on the economic and environmental opportunities of wind energy and encourage solutions that result in net economic benefits to residents and ratepayers. For more information about the Southeastern Wind Coalition, visit www.sewind.org
