Dec. 9, 2006: The Land & Water Conservation Commission, created and appointed by the 2006 General Assembly and the Governor, will hold three public meetings in early January 2007 (Jan 4, 8, & 10). These public meetings are a great time to show legislators that we North Carolinians think that conservation is a critical issue for the state's future. More Details see Action Alert.

October 31, 2006: Help Stop Nuclear Power in Georgia - Southern Nuclear Company of Georgia wants to build additional nuclear power plants near Waynesboro. This would increase the negative health impacts on nearby residents and increase the cost of electric power. The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League is joining with other groups who oppose this expansion. Will you help us?
How you can help | 40 mile radius map (1MB)
Declaration of Standing
Legal Declaration/Standing Q&A Fact Sheet

October 25, 2006: Lou Zeller's comments at the Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality hearing on revised permit for Tire Energy Corporation's tire incinerator in Martinsville, Virginia.

October 25, 2006: Boone, NC Town Council passes Resolution creating a Zero Waste Plan in order to eliminate waste and pollution in the manufacture, use, storage and recycling of materials.. Read October 23, 2006 Watauga Democrat article | View Resolution passed by Boone on October 19, 2006.

October 17, 2006: Lou Zeller's comments before the VA State Corporation Commission regarding proposed coal-fired power plant in Wise County, Virginia.

October 11, 2006: Target may have the latest hip designs, but their aisles are filled with products made of dangerous chemicals linked to cancer. The Center for Health, Environment & Justice has launched a national campaign to ask Target to phase out the poison plastic and switch to safer alternatives, as other retailers have done. Read CHEJ's Oct. 11, 2006 Press Release (includes photos from Winston-Salem protest) | View Sam Suds video | Read CHEJ's letter updating the campaign. (posted 12/07/06)

Does environmental justice for New York City mean more garbage for North Carolina? Read David Mickey's Op-ed piece which was printed in the Sept. 11, 2006 edition of Waste News.

August 31, 2006: Duke Power proposes to triple the electric power output of its Cliffside plant near Shelby, North Carolina. The company predicts that emissions of nitrogen oxides will double: from about 3,000 tons per year to nearly 6,000 tons/year. Nitrogen oxides are the primary source of ground level ozone, a pollutant which frequently exceeds National Ambient Air Quality Standards in many parts of North Carolina. Ozone is a regional problem; NOx emissions affect downwind counties and states.
Lou Zeller's comments before the NC Utilities Commission

Aug. 07, 2006: Moratorium stops North Carolina mega-dumps

July 25, 2006: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has posted a national forecast of new nuclear reactor licensing activities for 2006 - 2008. The NRC issues updates on nuclear power reactor licensing issues every six months. These reports are available on their website at http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-licensing/related-documents.html

July 24, 2006: BREDL and our chapter Be Safe Not Sorry request NC DENR Division of Air Quality require South Atlantic Galvanizing in Graham, NC obtain an air pollution permit. BREDL letter to NC DENR

The League's July 17, 2006 comments reflect our opposition to North Carolina's pending agreement to allow several paper mills, plastics plants, a chromium plant and an aluminum plant to receive unwarranted exemptions from state and federal regulations limiting pollution which causes atmospheric haze: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Such factories should be required to install Best Available Retrofit Technology, also known as BART, to reduce their negative impact on air quality in national parks, wilderness areas and on public health. BREDL comments

July 12, 2006: BREDL Report on proposed Fibrowatt facility - Executive Director Janet Marsh Zeller's comments on the report: Fibrowatt's Thetford plant, in 2004, put out 234,430 kilograms (516,824 pounds) of carbon monoxide. I call these incinerators rather than power plants, because 50 megawatts is a tiny amount of power for what is lost. The amount of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide -- if this plant is similar to their Minnesota plant -- would be roughly similar to a coal plant. One disadvantage of burning poultry litter is the creation of air poisons not in the original materials. They are created in the smokestack itself. Fibrowatt's Thetford plant put out 30 milligrams of dioxins in 2004. We are going to see larger amounts if they build what they plan for North Carolina. If you dissect what they say -- hold on, here are details.
BREDL Report | Emissions Table

May 1, 2006: BREDL requests the NC Utilities Commission promote policies which accelerate the growth of wind and solar power and discourage further incentives for fossil-fuel and nuclear power.
Lou Zeller's testimony before the NC Utilities Commission

April 2006: The Safe Energy Campaign Factsheet - On March 16, 2006 Duke Power Co. and Southern Co. announced that they had picked a site in South Carolina for a new nuclear power plant. Also, the power companies announced plans to seek early site permits for additional nuclear reactors at Oconee, SC and at a new site near Winston-Salem, NC.

April 19, 2006: Recently, CHEJ's PVC Campaign achieved the unthinkable - an organized consumer initiative convinced some of the world's largest corporations such as Wal-Mart, Microsoft and Johnson & Johnson, to phase out their use of PVC, the poison plastic, in packaging.  We can leverage these enormous victories with the help of thousands of people like yourself standing by our side. Join this winning campaign by participating in the PVC Action Network

March 21, 2006: Fibrowatt LLC is considering locations in North Carolina for a 50 MW plant that burns poultry litter. Burning poultry litter creates unnecessary pollution and is inconsistent with NC GreenPower’s mission to promote renewable energy while protecting the environment. Please sign on to our letter urging NC GreenPower to remove the incineration of poultry litter and other types of litter from the green energy program. BREDL Sign-on Letter | Fibrowatt Factsheet

March 16, 2006: Nuclear Power Licensing Factsheet - One-Step Licensing of Nuclear Plants Short-circuits Safety

Feb. 11, 2006: Jasmine ShoShanna, with help from Marjory Holder, writes about a Zero Waste dinner held in Boone, NC as well as her personal experience of minimizing waste at home.

Feb. 11, 2006: Stericycle Dental Waste Management Plan - Reducing Mercury Emissions with Title V Operating Permits.

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