Rep. Davis files bill in North Carolina House to restrict Cape Fear River Basin water transfers

A new bill filed by State Rep. Ted Davis, Jr. in the North Carolina House aims to pause certain water transfers and study the Cape Fear River Basin’s long-term water use impacts, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 1136 on April 29 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Cape Fear IBT Moratorium/EMC IBT Reductions.’

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

In essence, this bill temporarily bars new or expanded transfers of surface water from the Cape Fear River Basin upstream of Cape Fear Lock and Dam No. 2, with exceptions for existing lawful and emergency transfers, until June 1, 2030. It directs the North Carolina Collaboratory to study the basin’s water uses, reliable supply, environmental and economic impacts of transfers, and equity for affected communities, and to report recommendations by July 1, 2029, funded by a $1.5 million appropriation effective July 1, 2026. The bill also expands the Environmental Management Commission’s authority to require reductions in existing interbasin transfers when needed to prevent detrimental effects on source basins and mandates updating existing transfer certificates to include this new reduction standard.

Davis proposed another 20 bills 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.

Davis graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA and again from Wake Forest University Law School with a JD.

Davis, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 20th House district, replacing previous state representative Holly Grange.