Moore: Cliffside plant can wait

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.