Concerned citizens gathered both inside and outside the Lee County Government Center for the Monday, Nov. 17, Board of Commissioners meeting. At the meeting, Duke Energy presented plans to store millions of tons of coal ash in Lee County over the next five years, causing citizen protests.
The plans, which were released to the public last Thursday, Nov. 13, enraged enough local citizens to overflow the board room. Individuals cited Duke’s haste in enacting plans and a general disapproval of using Lee County land as a waste dump as major areas of conflict with the energy provider.
From the Sanford Herald:
By Zach Potter
Sanford Herald: Citizens protest Duke Energy, voice coal ash concerns at Board of Commissioners meeting
“It’s a source of pollution we do not need in Lee County,” said Ed Harris as he held a banner reading “Don’t dump coal ash on our communities.” “This is a convoluted, multi-layered policy they’re trying to sneak in on us.”
“There is a lot of potential for risk,” Schreiner said. “I really think we need to slow down until we can take some time to understand more about coal ash and the hazards associated with it.”
Debra Champion said it’s unfair that first hydraulic fracturing and now coal ash will come to Lee County.
“They are taking this part of North Carolina and turning it into a toxic waste dump,” Champion said.
Read the full report by Sanford Herald here.
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