Protesters greeted attendees of the Emerging Issues Forum.

Just outside the front door of N.C. State's McKimmon Center, a small group of members of environmental group N.C. WARN held signs saying "Dupe Energy."

Another sign was specifically aimed at Duke Energy head Jim Rogers. "Cancel Cliffside" it pleaded.

The Cliffside coal-fired power plant was recently given final approval by state regulators, though environmentalists have argued it will contribute to global warming and air pollution in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

At the door, N.C. WARN members handed out a one-page memo headlined "Green-Scam Alert."

It argued that Duke has "misled the public, media and elected leaders" on its concerns about global warming as well as the environmental impacts of the Cliffside plant. 

This year's forum is focusing on global warming and energy conservation. 

The GOP candidates took different tacks on how the government could reduce preventable diseases at a debate tonight.

Fred Smith said the government should encourage people to have a healthy lifestyle and get regular physical exams, but the responsibility should be on the individual.

"We've got to take responsibility for our lifestyle," he said.

Bill Graham said that public schools should offer more nutritious food in cafeterias, and the state should reduce air pollution that leads to asthma.

"The main aggravator is simply the environmental pollutants we have coming out of our coal-fired plants and a lot of the other industries that we've had," he said.

Pat McCrory agreed that responsibility should be on the individual, but the government should provide cost incentives for choosing healthy lifestyle options.

"We in state government can promote healthy citizens throughout North Carolina by giving tax breaks, especially to small business who promote preventative care for their employees," he said.

Bob Orr cited the Asheville Project, a city program that successfully lowered health care costs by giving incentives to the workers who were costing the most.

"What I'd like to see is to take this program, which private enterprise has also been experimenting with, and take it in to state government," he said.

A three-judge panel ruled that North Carolina can sue the Tennessee Valley Authority.

The panel in the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the TVA's motions to dismiss a lawsuit that demands the utility clean up its power plants and reduce air pollution.

North Carolina sued the TVA in 2006, claiming that thousands of North Carolina residents suffered ill health from pollution blowing across the mountains from TVA coal plants in Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee.

The lawsuit also argues the pollution has hurt North Carolina's environment and economy.

"Clean air is critical to our health and our economy," Attorney General Roy Cooper said in a statement. "This ruling clears the way for us to to make TVA clean up its pollution that's dirtying our air and making North Carolinians sick."

TVA disputes the claims. (N&O)

Beverly Perdue says the Cliffside coal plant can wait.

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate said the state Division of Air Quality should wait to approve a permit requested by Duke Energy for an 800-megawatt coal-fired plant in the Blue Ridge foothills.

Environmentalists are concerned the plant could lead to air pollution in the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park and contribute to global warming. 

"North Carolina's priority must be on creating long-range goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with a focus on increasing energy efficiency and conservation," she said. 

Perdue also said she would work for a "green economy" as governor. 

Previously: Richard Moore calls for delay on Cliffside.  

Richard Moore says the Cliffside coal plant can wait.

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate said today that state air quality regulators should wait to issue a permit for a new coal-fire plant.

"North Carolina should focus on new, efficient energy choices and conservation rather than building more high polluting, coal fired power plants,” he said in a statement.  "This type of plant should be a last resort, not a first option."

Moore argued that carbon dioxide emissions from the plant could contribute to global warming and damage air quality in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

Duke Energy plans to build the 800-megawatt coal-fired plant in the Blue Ridge foothills, but it needs a permit from the state Division of Air Quality.