Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2016 16:36:40 -0500
From: Mike Fox
Subject: Claire Linker’s post and coal ash
Claire Linker wrote in the last chatlist:
> I have heard that Mike Cross works across the aisle, but he lost our vote
> when he voted with the Republicans to allow Duke Power to dump coal
> ash in our county. Claire Linker
You are correct Claire that Mike Cross works across the aisle, but you are incorrect in saying that he voted “to allow Duke Power to dump coal ash in our county.” On Dec 5th 2014 Mike Cross voted with all the other commissioners, Republican and Democratic, to oppose the dumping of coal ash in Chatham County.
However the state has the power here, not the county, and it was the state that decided to put the coal ash here. The county had no say in the matter and it was done over the county’s recorded objections, which unfortunately the state has the legal power to do.
What Cross voted for on June 15th 2015, along with fellow Democratic commissioner Jim Crawford, was to accept $19 million from Duke Energy that the county will use to bolster the Moncure fire department (the area affected) and to monitor the area for pollution and Duke’s compliance with its permit.
The choice the county was given wasn’t coal ash or no coal ash. The choice the county was given was coal ash with no money, or coal ash with $19 million. The responsible choice is the one that Mike Cross, Jim Crawford, and Walter Petty made.
Hope this helps,
Mike