Oct 17 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Bruce Henderson The Charlotte Observer, N.C.

Charlotte opponents of Duke Energy's plan for its first coal-fired power plant expansion in three decades filled a hall Tuesday night at Myers Park Baptist Church.

Coal-fueled plants are leading sources of carbon dioxide, an unregulated gas that climate scientists say is warming the planet. Despite increasing power output by 80 percent, the expanded Cliffside plant in Rutherford County would reduce most air emissions -- but those of carbon dioxide would grow.

In the midst of a historic drought, opponents insist that burning more coal is reckless.

"It's to me a faith issue," said the Rev. Stephen Shoemaker, the church's senior minister. "This world is our sacred trust."

About 200 people, including 44 speakers, attended the "citizens' hearing" organized by the Carolinas Clean Air Coalition. The N.C. Division of Air Quality, which says the plant would not worsen the region's air quality, held an official hearing Sept. 18.

Local officials voiced strong support for the $1.8 billion project at that hearing in Forest City. Many touted the 1,600 construction jobs and 20 to 30 full-time employees the project would create.

But opponents have taken advantage of dropping water supplies across the region to attack the plant for new reasons -- its cooling-water requirements.

Duke says the expanded plant would draw 88 percent less water from the Broad River.

But the more powerful plant would double the amount of water lost to evaporation, to about 21 million gallons a day.