Dominion Energy plans to build the Moriah Energy Center, a liquified natural gas storage facility, in Person County to support increasing customer demand.
However, some community members oppose the project, arguing the facility will cause toxic air and water pollution.
"My biggest concern is that our homes will be ruined. I’m concerned for the air that we breathe," said Andrea Childers, who lives near the site of the planned facility. "I am concerned that at some point my home will not be livable anymore."
The Moriah Energy Center would receive natural gas during periods of excess capacity. It would turn the gas into liquid and store the liquid in large tanks.
Dominion proposes the facility to have a storage capacity of 25 million gallons, with the potential to add another 25 million in the future.
The liquid would remain there until periods of high demand, particularly during cold winter days. Then, it would be converted back into gas and sent out to customers.
Dominion Energy spokesperson Persida Montanez emphasized safety is a top priority for Dominion.
"In fact, we have a liquefied natural gas plant that has been operational for nearly 50 years in the heart of Cary," said Montanez. "We have the track record of being able to operate these facilities safely. The best predictor of future success is past success, and we are an experienced operator."
Dominion says the plant will support 400,000 Dominion Energy customers in ten North Carolina counties.
One major issue at the heart of this situation is varying opinions over whether natural gas is a form of clean energy.
"In addition to being supportive of economic development and serving our customers safely and reliably, we're committed to net zero," said Montanez.
Person County resident Childers is with No MEC, a local community group that opposes the project.
"There's nothing clean about natural gas. To call (natural gas) clean is a misnomer, if not just false," said Childers. "It is poisoning our environment every bit as much as coal is, if not worse."
Childers and other concerned community members voiced their worries at a public meeting last week. The state Division of Air Quality, or DAQ, hosted the meeting to hear public comment on a proposed air permit for the site.
Around 75 people attended the meeting, and almost 40 implored DAQ to deny the permit.
Person County resident Julie Nye said if the permit is approved, it needs to be updated with stronger protective measures, like an independent air quality monitoring system.
"I love my little piece of Person County heaven, and I want to be sure that all reasonable precautions are being taken to ensure that it stays that way," said Nye.
Kris Clayton also lives nearby the site of the project. He said since pre-construction groundwork for the facility began earlier this year, his local creek has been severely contaminated.
"So far they haven’t been a real great neighbor," Clayton said. "And I get it. We need electricity. But natural gas is not the way to go."
Under the proposed air permit, Dominion Energy estimates the facility will emit almost 190 tons a year of six types of criteria air pollutants. This includes almost 96 tons of carbon monoxide and 51 tons of volatile organic compounds.
The draft air permit also estimates emissions for four types of toxic air pollutants, including acrolein, benzene, formaldehyde and n-Hexane.
DAQ spokesperson Shawn Taylor said the amount of air pollutants allowed to be emitted will be within federal and state guidelines.
"The air quality permitting process is designed to ensure that facilities that operate in North Carolina do so at safe levels," Taylor said. "It's important to remember that it's not the presence of a pollutant, but really the level that is emitted and the exposure to it that determines the impact on public health."
Taylor said DAQ will carefully review public feedback and take all comments into consideration. A final decision on the permit is expected in the coming weeks.
