Candidate Biography (submitted by campaign):

Avram Friedman was born in the Bronx, NY on February 11, 1950. His mother and father were the children of Jewish immigrants.  He drove a taxicab in New York City as he attended Hunter College studying political science in the late 1960s. He became involved in politics, social and environmental causes in the years of the civil rights movement, Eugene McCarthy’s presidential campaign and events revolving around the first Earth Day in 1970.

In the 1970s he worked and traveled as a carpenter, a plumber and a general handyman in Vermont, Pennsylvania, southern Ontario, Israel, western Europe, California, Oregon and Washington state.  In 1979, he organized the 900-mile Walk for Clean Energy, in Oregon, and was instrumental in campaigning for the first successful anti-nuclear referendum to pass this county.

He married in 1981. His wife Jody, and one-year old son, Zev, moved to Sylva, North Carolina in 1983 where he attended Southwestern Community College and received an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Alternate Energy Technology.  He also received a plumbing license and went into business of installing solar hot water systems, along with general plumbing contracting.  In 1986 he successfully lobbied state legislators to place a referendum on the ballot concerning proposed high level nuclear waste repository in North Carolina.  93% voted against the dump.

He ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 1988, to stop North Carolina from hosting a regional low-level radioactive facility.  The waste facility was never built.  In November 1992 his daughter, Merima, was born.  In 2000, he confounded the Canary Coalition and was instrumental in passing NC Clean Smokestacks Act in 2002.  Friedman was recognized as 2007 Air Conversationalist of the Year and received a Governor’s Conservation Achievement Award from the NC Wildlife Federation in recognition of that title.

I am running for office to raise the level of public dialogue on the issues revolving around North Carolina’s energy policies, including Duke Energy’s proposed Cliffside coal-burning power plant.

A permit for the Cliffside’s project was issued by the NC Division of Air Quality on January 30, 2008, despite deep concerns about global warming, air pollution and water usage.  In the 2008 Session, Representative Haire also voted to end a 25-year ban, in North Carolina on the practice of allowing utilities to charge electric rate-payers for “construction-work-in-progress” (CWIP) on new coal and nuclear power plants.  This provision essentially condemns North Carolina to another 50 years of unnecessary coal-burning. 

My candidacy is giving people a chance to vote for someone they know is passionate about public health, the environment and creating a sustainable economy.  My life’s work speaks for itself on these issues. I passionately believe we can meet future energy demands without sacrificing our children’s lungs or their future.  Through meaningful economic incentive wee can drive dramatic progress toward energy efficiency, conservation and a transformation to a renewable energy economy.  I see this path clearly and will work toward that if elected. 

Legislators have felt enormous pressure from the powerful utility industry and know there is political consequences for opposing their lobbyists.  But, they haven’t perceived any political consequences for voting against the environment. 

Win or loose, because of my challenge, Representative Haire is going to know there are now political consequences for voting against the environment.  If I win, every legislator in the state will get that message.