McCrory: Snowstorm stressing NC's winter weather budget

CHARLOTTE — North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory says last week's snowstorm is stressing North Carolina's nearly maxed-out winter weather budget.

Sunday morning McCrory appeared on ABC's "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos. He says the state has already hit its maximum budget for snow removal, and the economy will suffer from people being snowed in and not spending money.

He also responded to questions about climate change's role in the harsh storms Carolinians have seen this winter.

"Well I believe there is climate change. I'm not sure you can call it climate warming any more, especially here in the Carolinas," McCrory said.

"I concentrate on cleaning the environment. I think that's where our argument should be, cleaning our air, cleaning our water, and cleaning the ground," McCrory continued.

Those statements come a week after the state took back a settlement proposal concerning Duke Energy's coal ash spill.

Some environmentalists criticized the settlement, saying the deal did not actually require the power company to make any changes.

WSOC