Call on Easley to Back Cleaner Energy

This week CCNC (Conservation Council of NC) joined 15 other North Carolina groups in calling on Governor Mike Easley to support "innovative measures to meet our state’s growing energy needs" instead of more conventional power plant construction. The letter declared that "energy efficiency and renewable energy [can be] the cornerstones upon which North Carolina builds its 21st century economy."
Citing Duke Energy’s proposed new Cliffside plant as an example, the groups warned that building new conventional coal plants now could prove a major financial burden on ratepayers in the event of future carbon emissions regulations, as well as increasing other problematic pollutant emissions. They said that "North Carolina’s energy growth can be met first with energy efficiency measures and renewable energy sources if we create the right political structure in which these initiatives can thrive and become profitable."
Co-signers of the letter (in addition to CCNC) included the Climate Connection project of the N.C. Council of Churches, as well as representatives of other local, state and national citizen conservation groups including the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association, Western North Carolina Alliance, Environmental Defense, Southern Environmental Law Center, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Appalachian Voices, Carolinas Clean Air Coalition, Clean Air Community Trust, Canary Coalition, Environment North Carolina, North Carolina Conservation Network, N. C. Waste Awareness Reduction Network, SouthWings, and the National Parks Conservation Association.