Davidson County commissioners voted 4-3 Monday to approve Duke Energy’s request to rezone about 1,600 acres of rural land to make way for a massive natural gas storage facility along the Yadkin River.
The move came after residents repeatedly spoke against the plan during an hours-long, packed meeting in Lexington. They raised concerns about potential environmental and health impacts, and changes to the rural character of the land.
“There's no place on earth I'd rather be than Western Davidson County, which is why I chose to raise my kids here,” resident Jacob Leonard said. “But I don't want my kids getting asthma, cancer, whatever this plant is going to bring.”
Others urged commissioners to delay the vote until they had more information about the project’s potential impacts.
“I believe every commissioner should be able to explain clearly and publicly why the available information is sufficient to support this decision,” said resident Jeneen Sperduto. “And if it is not sufficient, then the responsible question becomes: what is gained by voting now rather than waiting for answers?”
The storage facility is part of a larger project that includes two gas-fired power plants across the river in Davie County.
Duke officials say the expansion is needed to meet growing demand for electricity in North Carolina.
The approval clears a major hurdle for the company, but the project is still not a done deal. Duke says the plan must undergo several state and federal environmental reviews before construction can begin.