By Chris Russell
Contributing Writer
Residents raised concern over whether the state’s clean power plan goes far enough in controlling carbon emissions during a public hearing held Tuesday at Roland-Grise Middle School in Wilmington. Most of the 30 people who registered to speak to the assembly of about 100 opposed the state’s Department of Environmental Quality’s challenge to the EPA’s Clean Power Plan.
Conflicting data was presented on increased health concerns blamed on dirty air and global warming, and on fossil fuel versus solar and wind generated electricity.
North Carolina has joined 23 states in a lawsuit challenging aspects of the EPA plan that would restructure the way electricity is generated and consumed in the nation.
Speakers included a dad who wants a cleaner world for his kids, doctors who gave statistics about increased health hardships and economic developers.
A standing ovation was given to Wade County attorney Ryke Longest who requested the state Environmental Management Commission meeting moderator, Charlie Carter, step down.
Longest stated that Carter’s advocacy for industry makes him unsuited to be a moderator at a people’s hearing. He said the Administrative Procedure Act was created to give regular people procedural rights, and part of that was to make sure that the functions of rulemaking, investigation, advocacy and adjudication were not all performed by the same person in the process.
“We are asking that you recuse yourself from continuing to serve as hearing officer in these proceedings,” Longest said. “All the voices that have spoken tonight and at the other meetings, all the written comments, none of those are going to go straight to the EMC, all of those will be filtered through you. You will be the one to make this recommendation to the EMC, not us.
There was no comment given in response.
Former Kure Beach Mayor Mac Montgomery was the first to address the public. He said it seemed the governor was putting forth a costly plan that is wasting a lot of tax payer time and money.
He called on Gov. Pat McCrory and his staff to uphold the state’s constitution, which says state leaders should protect the lands and waters to the benefit all the citizenry.
“I believe state leaders should spend tax payer dollars in a fiscally responsible manner. I believe that N.C. voters should hold the governor’s administration accountable for creating a real plan to keep our water clean, our air healthy and our children safe,” Montgomery said.
Speaking in favor of the Clean Power Plan, Cape Fear Economic Development Council Chair Scott Johnson said, “We have already shown we can hit the emission reduction target. If you support jobs, you should support the Clean Power Plan.”
Public health advocate Dr. Lauren Horton said doctors are seeing a rise in illness and death brought on by climate change-related issues such as extreme heat and super storms. And those the most greatly affected are children, seniors and the poor.
“We need to stop valuing dirty fossil fuels and corporate profit over human life,” Dr. Horton said.
Jack Spruill of Pender County lamented about the DEQ turning a blind eye to things such as clearing of hard wood in the state to create wood pellets for power plants in the United Kingdom, among other oversights.
“I think it is highly disappointing to the point of being disgusting that our state government is considering suing the EPA and federal government in this matter,” Spruill said. “The department has promoted a slowdown in the wonderfully successful boon in solar energy in our state.”
Spruill spoke most passionately about the lack of water quality monitors in the Albermarle Sound, the largest freshwater sound in the world.
“The sound has water quality problems and it has rising salinity due to sea level rise, ‘Yes Virginia, there is sea level rise’,” he said, which got a few laughs from the audience.
Dr. Robert Parr spoke about the evidences of glacier melt seen in felled trees in Smith Creek.
“The ocean is rising and climate change is here now in North Carolina,” he said, adding that glacial melting is causing high tide flooding along the Cape Fear River, which is expected to increase.
In talking about his perception that North Carolina is ignoring climate issues, Dr. Parr got the biggest laugh of the night when he said, “Rather than relying on North Carolina’s proven history of rising to the occasion and being a leader in scientific progress, our state leadership is sending in lawyers to hold back the rising sea.”
