Air Permit Hearing Tonight on Gas Power Plants in Person County

A combined cycle methane gas power plant.

Here’s what you can do:

Duke Energy wants to build two new methane gas power plants in Person County (north of Durham).

What we know:

  • Investing in fossil fuels (gas) is bad for the climate & costly for customers.
  • Duke Energy proposed these power plants as part of a plan to retire the Roxboro coal plant.
  • The coal ash from that plant poisoned local residents’ groundwater.
  • In Person, the rate of emergency room visits for asthma is higher than the state average.
  • Person County’s cancer rate is higher than the state average.

Now, Duke Energy is seeking an air permit for one of these gas plants.

Tell NC Department of Environmental Quality: We can’t retire one environmental injustice, to replace it with another.

Join us at the air permit hearing on Nov. 12

or submit your public comment online.

Talking points below!

Air Permit Public Hearing on Roxboro Gas Power Plant

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024

Time: 6 p.m. (doors open 5:30pm)

Location: Piedmont Community College auditorium, Room D-101

Address: 1715 College Drive, Roxboro

 

Submit a public comment!

DAQ.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov with “DukeRoxboro.24A” in the subject line

Voicemail: 919-707-8714

 

Mail (postmarked by Nov. 22)

NCDEQ Division of Air Quality

1628 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1628

 

Sample Comment & Talking Points

Dear NC DEQ,

My name is _______, I am a local resident. Do not issue the air permit for the Roxboro Steam Electric Plant. This matters to me because __________________________ (insert your personal reason here!).

Do not retire one environmental injustice in Person County, just to replace it with another. Here are some of my concerns:

  • Duke Energy’s own “environmental justice” analysis shows the plant may increase the community’s already high risk of cancer from harmful air pollutants.
  • Duke Energy wants to run the gas plant & the coal plant at the same time, unclear how long. That’s more pollution for the community, not less.
  • Duke Energy estimates the gas plant will emit more volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide than the existing coal plant.
    • VOCs can cause liver, kidney and nervous system damage.
    • Low to moderate levels of carbon monoxide can cause chest pain, impaired vision, and reduced brain function.
  • The draft permit doesn’t have an effective plan to monitor for sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid, and arsenic.
  • In 2032, new Clean Air Act rules will take effect. Until then, the plant would run 80% of the year, emitting more than 2x the total carbon pollution the Roxboro coal units it is replacing produced in 2023.
  • Duke Energy does not provide all the relevant pollution data. Duke fails to demonstrate why the data they do provide accurately predicts future pollution levels.
  • The long-standing community directly next to the proposed gas plant is predominantly African American. The community has suffered the impacts from the existing coal plant for nearly 60 years. This is an environmental injustice. Issuing this permit would continue that injustice.

Sincerely,

Fact Sheets: Proposed Gas Powerplants/T-15 Pipeline & Air Permit

The two methane gas power plants Duke Energy is proposing in Person County would be fed by the T-15 pipeline.

Hyco Lake Gas Power plants & T-15 Pipeline: Learn more about both projects from this fact sheet.

Learn ore about the T-15 pipeline and its proposed route at www.no-t15.org

Air Permit Fact Sheet: Find detailed information about the air permit for the gas plants and community concerns.

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