“The climate crisis demands that we stop building fossil fuel infrastructure immediately.”
— Dr. Drew Shindell, Distinguished Professor of Earth Sciences, Duke University, in a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper and Duke Energy CEO Lynn Good
FIRST: Add your voice by editing the email message to the left. Or call the governor’s office at 919-443-6668 and tweet @NC_Governor @RoyCooperNC.
SECOND: Tell the NC Utilities Commission to stop Duke Energy’s climate-wrecking gas expansion. statements@ncuc.net (mention Docket E-100, Sub 165 in the subject line) Your email can be one sentence or much more. Learn more.
THIRD: Urge 5 friends to take these quick actions today.
This is a crucial time:
- As governor, Cooper has broad authority under the N.C. Emergency Management Act to take proactive measures to help stem the impacts of climate disasters instead of responding to one disaster after another.
- NC communities are already being devastated by repeated climate disasters that are expected to grow worse. Scientists warn that global climate change is accelerating and an unparalleled threat to life on Earth.
- World scientists insist that new “natural” gas projects clash with global agreements to sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions. See a courageous Duke University climate expert’s appeal to Governor Cooper.
- Cooper’s climate emergency declaration could stop construction or expansion of gas-fired power generation facilities, pipelines and gas storage projects.
- More than 1,900 local and national governments have formally declared climate emergencies, but no U.S. states so far.
Duke Energy, The U.S. Leader…In Climate Pollution:
- Duke Energy is the worst climate offender among U.S. electricity providers and plans to add 50 new fracked gas-burning power units.
- This would constantly raise power bills – even though Duke Energy has dozens of gas units that aren’t even being used! And it appears that Duke rigged data in documents filed with the Utilities Commission to make it look like they need to build many more.
- Technology and economics strongly favor the steady replacement of coal- and gas-fired electricity with renewable power + storage.
- Despite all its greenwashing, Duke gets only 5% of its electricity from renewables in the Carolinas and plans just 14% in 2035 – while the national average is already 18%.
- States and utilities choosing renewables + storage projects over new gas plants are creating jobs while avoiding the health and explosion risks of natural gas.
- Duke leaders’ 15-year plan would leave Carolinas customers paying BILLIONS for gas-burning plants that are forced to retire early due to climate change. President Biden says this must happen by 2035.
SEE MORE ON DUKE ENERGY’S 15-YEAR PLAN – AND HOW DUKE’S MISLEADING NUMBERS ARE LEADING NORTH CAROLINA IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.