NC Agency To Describe Plans For Eden Coal Ash Landfill
North Carolina environmental officials are spelling out plans for a new, lined landfill for long-term coal ash storage near the site of a 2014 spill of coal ash, the byproduct of burning coal for electric power.
The state Department of Environmental Quality holds a public meeting Wednesday evening at Eden City Hall. The agency is analyzing whether the project might have negative effects on nearby low-income and minority communities.
Duke Energy has proposed moving coal ash from unlined pits at its Dan River power plant into a new landfill on the grounds with a lined bottom to prevent tainted water from seeping out the bottom into groundwater.
Appeals Court Won't Reconsider Wake County Election Ruling
A federal appeals court won't reconsider a decision earlier this month that Republicans in North Carolina's Legislature drew election maps in the state's second-most populous county to benefit the GOP.
An order Tuesday by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said they won't meet to re-examine a July 1 ruling.
U.S. District Judge James Dever or the State Board of Elections could redraw the maps for Wake County education board and commission districts before this November's elections. Republican legislative leaders want the maps left alone, arguing changing them now could create voter confusion.
Officials To See If Ex-NC Lawmaker Voted In Two States
Officials in South Carolina have requested voting records to see if former North Carolina Rep. Charles Jeter voted twice in the 2004 election.
North Carolina State Board of Elections records show Charles R. Jeter voted in the November 2004 election in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
South Carolina records show Charles R. Jeter also voted in Greenville County, South Carolina, on the same day.
WBTV-TV first reported the story. Jeter told the station he did not vote twice. Records show the former Republican lawmaker has only voted in North Carolina since 2004.
Natural Gas Rate Hike Proposed For Western North Carolina
A natural gas service company is proposing an energy charge hike for customers in western North Carolina.
The Asheville Citizen-Times reports that PSNC Energy has proposed a rate increase between 9 and 11 percent, depending on the season and efficiency of equipment.
PSNC Energy spokeswoman Persida Montanez says the company has invested a lot of money in its pipeline system and they're trying to recover some of those costs.
If the rate increase is approved by the North Carolina Utilities Commission, it would go into effect in November. The commission will host a public hearing on the rate increase in Asheville on Aug. 24.
Lanes Closed To Create I-40 Delays As Rockslide Project Ends
Highway officials are warning about significant delays as road work is planned on Interstate 40 in the North Carolina mountains.
The N.C. Department of Transportation says crews will close one of two lanes in each direction of I-40 near Exit 7 starting Wednesday.
The DOT says crews will spend three weeks paving, putting up a new median wall and drainage. It is the end of a project that included a new fence and netting to collect rocks before they can slide onto the road.
Trucks wider than 14 feet will be required to detour through Johnson City, Tennessee. DOT officials say that might be a good alternative for all travelers if the delays get too long.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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