By Virginia Bridges
Katie Bruno stood in a parking lot across the street from the North Carolina Executive Mansion Saturday holding a sign with a big color picture of Gov. Josh Stein surrounded by the words, “Be our Climate Champion.”
Bruno, a Duke University freshman, and about 85 others gathered in the parking lot to pressure Stein to speak out against Duke Energy and push the state’s monopoly utility to embrace renewable energy.
“Stop Duke Energy, wrecking our planet,” the crowd chanted between speakers and then as they walked around the governor’s mansion.
The protest was led by environmental nonprofit NC WARN, along with 13 other organizations, from the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity to a yoga studio in Durham, organizers said.
On April 3, 61 research scientists from across the United States signed an open letter urging Stein to proclaim his opposition to Duke Energy’s “reliance on fossil fuels and obstruction of clean energy solutions.” They asked Stein to push Duke Energy to utilize renewable energy.
Costly catastrophes, including last year’s deadly hurricanes and wildfires, are fueled by the reliance on fossil fuels and will continue to get worse, the letter said. .
“We are barreling toward climate catastrophe, with climate harms already claiming lives, species, and the places we call home while simultaneously creating unprecedented financial challenges at multiple levels of society,” the letter says.
Neither Stein nor anyone else was seen outside the governor’s brick mansion as the group circled the block chanting. But a governor’s spokesperson said in a statement to The News & Observer that Stein “is committed to maintaining North Carolina’s status as a leader in the clean energy economy, creating good-paying jobs throughout the state, and continuing his work to ensure all North Carolinians have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink.”
“We must continue to reduce climate pollution and prepare our state for future natural disasters by investing in resilient infrastructure,” the statement said.
But those at the noon rally contend Duke Energy is deceiving people in the state. Protesters described a disingenuous effort by the company to utilize renewable energy while it continues to embrace fossil fuels, putting profits over the future of the environment.
“Governor Stein needs to tell North Carolina the truth. Bold action by Governor Stein, I think, would inspire the entire nation,” said Jim Warren, executive director of NC WARN.
Gabriela Sarri-Tober, who works with the Center for Biological Diversity, said the planet is warming at a record pace.
“We’ve seen scorching heat waves that are claiming lives across North Carolina, devastating hurricanes destroying the places we call home,” Sarri-Tober said.
In a statement, Duke Energy said it is committed to its customers and communities.
“And will continue working with policymakers, regulators and other state leaders to deliver reliable and increasingly clean energy while keeping rates as low as possible,” the statement said.
Bruno, the Duke student with the Stein sign, said she came to the event with the Duke Climate Coalition club. Bruno said it’s up to Stein and other governors to push for change.
“I think he’s willing, but we just need to put a little bit more pressure on him to get the ball rolling,” Bruno said.
Virginia Bridges covers criminal justice in the Triangle for The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. She has worked for newspapers for more than 15 years. The N.C. State Bar Association awarded her the Media & Law Award for Best Series in 2018 and 2020.
