‘PROTECT OUR LAND’ PICNIC DRAWS CROWDS; RESIDENTS SAY DUKE CAN DO BETTER
Protect our Land Picnic in Hendersonville, NC on Sunday, October 18, 2015. Photo credit: katrinaohstrom.com
Hendersonville, NC (10/18/2015) — As many as 200 residents of Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina gathered for the Protect Our Land Picnic on Sunday, October 18 at the Historic Henderson County Courthouse in downtown Hendersonville. It was a cold day, but the community was out in force to voice their concerns about Duke Energy’s proposed Western Carolinas “Modernization” plan, which would include a new super-sized natural gas-powered electric plant on Lake Julian near Asheville, a substation for Campobello, SC, and a high-voltage transmission line connecting the two.
The Carolina Land Coalition is a partnership between MountainTrue and several community groups throughout Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. The coalition has quickly grown to more than 1,200 supporters and continues to draw in new members from the affected community.
At an action station, attendees wrote letters to their local legislators and to their respective state’s public utilities commissions expressing concern and asking that they put pressure on Duke Energy to adopt greener alternatives that would meet the area’s energy demands through greater use of energy efficiency programs and incentives, and more investment in renewable energy infrastructure such as solar, wind power and hydropower.
Speakers addressing the crowd included Phillip Brown, a farmer and resident of Mills River, whose family has lived in the area since the 1830s; Emma Greenbaum, North Carolina campaign organizer for Asheville Beyond Coal, who reiterated that while it is good that Duke Energy is retiring the existing coal-powered plant on Lake Julian, that “building an over-sized natural-gas power plant is not the solution”; Mark Stierwalt, Southern Regional Director of MountainTrue thanked everyone for braving the cold and showing unity, and Joan Walker of the Carolina Land Coalition who pressed the point that Duke Energy lags far behind other large utilities in both use of renewables and efficiency programs, and that “Duke can do better.”
Excerpt from the speech by Joan Walker of Carolina Land Coalition:
“It’s great that Duke Energy is listening to their customers and to our communities. But this isn’t a victory party. This is an opportunity. Now, it’s time to stand unified and tell Duke what we want. Instead of ugly transmission lines, we want Duke Energy to better leverage their energy efficiency programs. Duke is the largest investor-owned utility in the nation but lags behind on energy efficiency. Out of the top 32 utilities, it ranks 22nd. Duke can do better.
Instead of an over-sized power plant and a substation in South Carolina, we want Duke Energy to use the renewable energy that we have and to build even more green infrastructure. Of the same top 32 utilities, Duke Energy ranks 19th in use of clean, renewable energy. Duke can do better.
This isn’t experimental, unproven science. These are affordable, attainable solutions that others are already doing. These are solutions that don’t require transmission lines or super-sized fossil-fuel-powered plants. And they are already working in other communities around the nation. Duke can do better.”
Joan Walker of the Carolina Land Coalition addresses the crowd, and presses the case that “Duke can do better.” Protect our Land Picnic in Hendersonville, NC on Sunday, October 18, 2015. Photo credit: katrinaohstrom.com
Donors Lynne and Ralph Jenkins took the stage to encourage others to give as well. Other support came from renowned Hendersonville-based artist Don Blackwell who donated one of his pen and ink pieces to a raffle to raise funds to help sustain the work of the Carolina Land Coalition in opposing Duke Energy’s “modernization plan”
Organizers also provided family-friendly programming and activities for kids of all ages. Full Circle Counseling and Wellness of Hendersonville organized face-painting, sign-making and craft-making activities. Musical entertainment was provided by local rock duo Jeff Michels and Jim Robertson, and by singer-songwriter Kelly Walker.
Attendees were also treated to BBQ pork, chicken and tofu, as well as delicious sides, courtesy of the much-acclaimed Hubba Hubba Smokehouse of Flat Rock, North Carolina.
About Duke Energy’s Western Carolinas Modernization Project:
On May 19, 2015, Duke Energy announced the planned closure of a coal-fired power plant on Lake Julian near Asheville which was a source of air contamination, the region’s largest contributor to climate change and has polluted the French Broad River for years with toxic coal ash.
Their solution is the proposed “West Carolinas Modernization Project,” which would replace the current plant with a natural-gas power plant that is twice the size, build a new substation in Campobello, SC, and a new 45-mile high-voltage transmission line to connect the two. This would require clear-cutting a 150’ wide path through forests, farmlands, summer camps and private properties, and erecting electrical towers as tall as 15-story buildings.
On Thursday October 8, Duke Energy announced that they would be delaying and reconsidering its options on the project, citing the more than 9,000 public comments that the utility has received from customers and the affected community. Duke is expected to put forth their revised plan in November, and community groups throughout North Carolina and South Carolina are calling on their public utility commissions to ensure meaningful opportunities for public comment at hearings that are local and convenient for those residents most directly affected.
About the Carolina Land Coalition:
Carolina Land Coalition is a group of residents, business owners, visitors and ratepayers that are concerned about transmission lines and scale of the new natural gas plant and substation proposed by Duke Energy in the Western Carolinas Foothills Modernization Plan. For more information: carolinalandcoalition.org
About MountainTrue:
MountainTrue fosters and empowers communities throughout the region and engages in policy and project advocacy, outreach and education, and on the ground projects. To achieve our goals, MountainTrue focuses on a core set of issues across 23 counties of Western North Carolina: sensible land use, restoring public forests, protecting water quality and promoting clean energy – all of which have a high impact on the environmental health and long-term prosperity of our residents. MountainTrue is the home of the Watauga Riverkeeper, the primary watchdog and spokesperson for the Elk and Watauga Rivers, and French Broad Riverkeeper, the primary protector and defender of the French Broad River watershed. For more information: mountaintrue.org
Lynne and Ralph Jenkins took the stage to announce a $5,000 challenge grant, encouraging others to match the grant in the coming weeks. Protect our Land Picnic in Hendersonville, NC on Sunday, October 18, 2015. Photo credit: katrinaohstrom.com
Attendees were treated to BBQ pork, chicken and tofu, as well as delicious sides, courtesy of the much-acclaimed Hubba Hubba Smokehouse of Flat Rock, North Carolina. Protect our Land Picnic in Hendersonville, NC on Sunday, October 18, 2015. Photo credit: katrinaohstrom.com
Protect our Land Picnic in Hendersonville, NC on Sunday, October 18, 2015. Photo credit: katrinaohstrom.com
Protect our Land Picnic in Hendersonville, NC on Sunday, October 18, 2015. Photo credit: katrinaohstrom.com
Judie Klapholz and Dr. Seinwell Steinhart of Campobello, SC. They retired to the area with hopes of setting up a horse ranch catering to visitors. Duke Energy’s proposed West Carolinas Modernization project would see a transmission line go through part of their property, a new substation just down the street. Protect our Land Picnic in Hendersonville, NC on Sunday, October 18, 2015. Photo credit: katrinaohstrom.com