Sen. Kennedy files bill in North Carolina Senate on pollution cleanup costs

A new bill filed by Sen. Kennedy in the North Carolina Senate seeks to hold polluters financially responsible for contamination cleanup and to ensure affected residents receive safe water supplies, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 653 on March 25 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Polluter Pays.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates that individuals or entities responsible for contamination leading to water or air pollution must bear the costs of cleanup and provide alternative water supplies for affected residents. The bill amends existing provisions, empowering the Commission to assess the costs of investigations and remedial actions on violators and authorizes the Department Secretary to order immediate cessation or reduction of harmful emissions or discharges. Moreover, if the provided water supply is permanently hindered, the responsible parties must arrange for a public water supply connection or install a whole-house filtration system, with ongoing maintenance covered by them. The Act becomes effective upon becoming law.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Graig Meyer proposed the most bills (36) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Garrett graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2007 with a BSBA.

Garrett, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2019 to represent the state’s 27th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Trudy Wade.