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In Energy Bill, Cooper Faces Dilemma With Wind Farm Pause

North Carolina Legislature building. Credit: Jmturner, Public Domain, http://bit.ly/2n9pbkF

Governor Roy Cooper may face a tough choice with pending energy legislation. A bill on his desk could force him to boost the state's bright solar industry at the expense of wind power.

Cooper must weigh whether to sign legislation that could make solar power production more competitive and less expensive for Charlotte-based Duke Energy and its customers. But the final bill also contains a moratorium on wind energy projects.

Sen. Harry Brown says the delay on issuing wind farm permits is needed to provide time to ensure towers don't interfere with military flight training.

Brown says it will also protect jobs associated with the bases.

Wind energy advocates say the moratorium is unnecessary. Executives for two proposed wind facilities have suggested the projects will halt if the moratorium becomes law.

The military has not publicly stated any objections to the wind farms.

Cooper has until July 30th to sign the bill.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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