Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson issued the statement below following Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 678:

“Governor Cooper’s latest veto shows the brazen hypocrisy of the Democrats’ approach to energy policy. North Carolina could be leading the way to a commonsense, all-of-the above approach to energy policy, including carbon-neutral sources like nuclear power. Instead, Gov. Cooper and the Democrats are catering to the extreme left of their party while North Carolina consumers pay the price every month, suffering under crippling utility bills.

As Lieutenant Governor, I established the Energy Innovation Committee of our state’s Energy Policy Council – which advises the Office of the Governor and the General Assembly on emerging technology in the sector – to set North Carolina on course for a more commonsense approach that puts responsible production and consumers ahead of petty partisan politics. I look forward to Republican lawmakers voting to override Governor Cooper’s politically motivated veto.”