Lawmakers override Cooper's veto of hog farm nuisance lawsuit limits

People who live near hog farms and other farming operations in North Carolina can no longer win big damage awards in lawsuits over odors and other problems created by the businesses.

Posted 8:31 p.m. May 11, 2017 — Updated 8:57 p.m. May 11, 2017

Matthew Burns

RALEIGH, N.C. — People who live near hog farms and other farming operations in North Carolina can no longer win big damage awards in lawsuits over odors and other problems created by the businesses.

The state Senate on Thursday voted 30-18 to complete an override of Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of legislation that caps damage awards in nuisance lawsuits at the market value of the property affected. The House voted 74-40 for an override on Wednesday.

There was no debate in either chamber on the override motions.

Cooper said last week when he vetoed House Bill 467 that nuisance lawsuits "can be used to protect property rights and make changes for good," such as North Carolina forcing the Tennessee Valley Authority to limit emissions from power plants because they were hurting air quality in this state.

"I am incredibly pleased that this bill providing legal certainty to family farmers and the thousands of North Carolinians who earn their living in the agriculture industry is now law. This is a victory for farmers and our rural communities," Sen. Brent Jackson, R-Sampson, said in a statement after the override.

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