Today NC WARN and The Climate Times called for the NC Court of Appeals to immediately suspend regulators’ efforts to block our appeal of a Duke Energy power plant in Asheville. Last week, the NC Utilities Commissioners ordered us to post a $10 million bond before we can ask the Court of Appeals to overturn the Commission’s rubber-stamp approval of the plant.
Methane, Fracked Gas & Climate
Methane (the main component in natural gas) is 100 times as bad for the climate as carbon dioxide over the short term. Less CO2 is emitted by natural gas than by coal when burned. But significant leakage of methane before burning makes gas a disaster for the climate, as revealed even more by recent science. Yet utilities and the gas industry are still feverishly promoting fracked gas.
NC WARN is working hard to connect the dots between climate change, methane leakage and the fracking boom that is driven by demand from the electric power industry.
Learn more about our methane work here.
Watch a 3-minute video by Cornell University’s Dr. Robert Howarth describing why natural gas is a disastrous strategy for the climate. More videos, PowerPoints and documentation here.
“Everything You Need to Know About Methane”, a primer by Earthjustice.
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Duke Energy Seeks $50 million Bond from Critics during Appeal of Controversial Power Plant — News Release from NC WARN
Duke Energy is asking regulators to require a $50 million bond from NC WARN and The Climate Times if the two nonprofits appeal last month’s approval of a new gas-fired power plant in Asheville. The groups argue that the NC Utilities Commission rubber-stamped the project without considering expert witnesses who argue that the plant is not needed and would be disastrous for the climate crisis and risky for electricity customers.
Duke Energy: Appeal of Asheville plant could cost $140 million in construction delays — The Charlotte Business Journal
Duke Energy Progress wants state regulators to require opponents to post a $50 million bond if they appeal the order approving construction of its proposed Asheville natural gas plant. Jim Warren, executive director of N.C. WARN, says the high bond is just an attempt by Duke (NYSE:DUK) to keep his group and other opponents from taking the case to the N.C. Court of Appeals.
Despite delay, Dominion vows to complete Atlantic Coast Pipeline on time — Utility Dive
The most important mystery about U.S. climate change policy — The Washington Post
Environmentalists have charged for some time that the fracking boom — the rise in unconventional natural gas that is the key driver of all of this — has a dark underbelly. Natural gas’s principal component is methane, which is also a greenhouse gas. And if it gets to the atmosphere unburned, it has a much larger warming effect than carbon dioxide does, over a period of about 10 years.
NC WARN challenges the NC media on climate, Duke Energy & Duke’s Response– The News & Observer
The elephant in the room is Duke Energy, the nation’s largest carbon-polluting utility, based in Charlotte. Duke is driving carbon emissions higher at the worst possible time. By planning to build 15 fracking-gas power plants in the Carolinas and pipelines to supply them, Duke is crashing headlong into some cold, hard facts: Methane leakage is the nation’s leading greenhouse gas problem and fracking economics is increasingly risky.
NC WARN Challenges Atlantic Coast Fracking Gas Pipeline — News Release from NC WARN
Watchdog nonprofit NC WARN today petitioned federal regulators to accept us as a party in the legal case over a 524-mile gas pipeline proposed by Duke Energy and Dominion Power that would pump natural gas from West Virginia’s fracking fields to power plants in North Carolina. The project is part of a major shift to make gas “the backbone” of Duke Energy’s future, according to CEO Lynn Good.
Utilities commission ignores public concerns about Duke’s Asheville gas-fired plant — Winston-Salem Journal
In February, Duke Energy gave notice to the N.C. Utilities Commission that it planned to build a gas-fired power plant at the current Asheville coal power plant site. Four months later, the N.C. General Assembly approved, and Gov. Pat McCrory signed, the innocuous-sounding Mountain Energy Act, sponsored by state Sen. Tom Apodaca (R-Henderson), which essentially greased the skids for a short, 45-day decision on Duke’s request. The normal time for such a decision is about 180 days, which is much better, considering the controversial nature of this request.
Why Natural Gas Might Not Be A ‘Bridge Fuel’ — WUNC’s The State of Things
Natural gas is considered a “bridge fuel” between fossil fuels and renewable energy, but experts warn that it can actually be worse than coal for the environment.
This interview features Dr. Robert Howarth of Cornell University, who will be joining NC WARN on March 29th for two special public events discussing the dangers of fracking and methane to our health and climate.
Attorney General Should Contest Rigged Duke Plant Approval — NC WARN Letter to AG Roy Cooper
Today NC WARN sent the letter below to Attorney General Roy Cooper. Highlights include:
– We urge him to challenge the rigged and unconstitutional process leading to approval of a large, climate-wrecking power plant.
– Duke Energy’s control over the legislature and regulators is clearly evidenced in the fast-track approval, and Duke plans to build up to 15 large fracking-gas power plants.