Hatty (Tar Mrrl
Nuclear Expansion
Hits Minor Setback
ByJGiNNY SciABBARRASI
City Editor
Officials fighting a nuclear power
plant expansion received a small victo
ry after the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission ruled more information is
needed before proceeding.
A three-member panel of the NRC
determined on Aug. 7 that Carolina
Power & Light’s plans to expand its
Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant
warranted further research about safety
measures.
The ruling is only part of a 20-month
battle between
county officials
and CP&L, one
that will continue
into' the coming
year.
Sen. Ellie
Kinnaird, D-
Orange, said that
while this ruling
was a step in the
right direction, it is
“It’s a victory for citizens and
their concerns over safety,
but it’s not a complete victory,
it’s just a hearing. ”
Sen. Ellie Kinnaird
D-Orange
now up to lawyers and scientists to work
out expansion plans.
“It’s a victory for citizens and their
concerns over safety, but it’s not a com
plete victory, it’s just a hearing,” she said.
The expansion of the plant, located
in Wake County, would make it the
largest high-level nuclear waste site in
the nation. Jim Warren, executive direc
tor of N.C. Waste Awareness and
Reduction Network, said the group
plans to continue to urge CP&L to dis
cuss safety concerns with the public.
“The company is still actively working
to block a scientific hearing - the ruling
doesn’t necessarily require that to hap
pen,” he said. “I think most reasonable
people would see this as a lack of CP&L
being able to defend their position.”
But CP&L spokesman Mike Hughes
said the company has done everything
possible to justify the expansion.
“Every one of Orange County’s ques
tions and concerns are being addressed
by the NRC and the (Atomic Safety and
Licensing Board),” he said. “Every
aspect of review has included public
hearings. Every question Orange
County has raised about our plan has
been addressed.”
Chapel Hill Town Council member
Bill Strom said it is important for elect
ed officials to question something as
controversial as nuclear expansion. “As
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elected officials, we’re charged with pro
tecting health, safety and welfare,” he
said. “It remains an unresolved issue
that I feel strongly about and the coun
cil feels strongly should be explored.”
Despite growing opposition against
the plant’s expansion, Wake County
officials have remained silent.
“CP&L probably considers itself as a
good citizen of Wake County - they
probably have a very good relationship
with the county commissioners,”
Kinnaird said. “(Wake County commis
sioners) see this in a different way than
those with a little distance.”
But Hughes said
this proves area
officials’ complaints
are unwarranted.
“Wake County,
where the plant is
operated, does not
feel compelled to
act on a legitimate
business,” he said.
No Wake
County commis-
sioners could be reached for comment.
Both sides now have until Nov. 20 to
file written statements over the safety of
the expansion. The ASLB will assess
the validity of the' filings and decide
whether a formal hearing or impact
statement will be needed.
“It’s really in the hands of the com
mission,” Kinnaird said. “That’s what
we were asking for is this hearing.”
The City Editor can be reached
at citydesk@unc.edu.
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Town Dips Into Budget for Flooding Repairs
By Kathryn McLamb
Assistant City Editor
Chapel Hill suffered heavy rainfall
induced by severe summer storms, leav
ing. local business owners to rebuild
from damage induced by the 6 to 8
inches of water that fell.
Area businesses and residents suf
fered flood damage ranging from soggy
carpets to massive inventory losses in
the July 23 storm. Orange County was
declared to be in a state of emergency
after damage estimates from the storm
reached the $8 million mark.
With the virtual shutdown of Eastgate
Shopping Center and the washout of
portions of Piney Mountain Road
immediately following the flood, clean
ing up and rebuilding has become a
town priority.
But the cost of rebuilding will consti
tute a major financial burden for the
town.
Chapel Hill Mayor Rosemary
Waldorf estimated the cost of repair at
$150,000 to $200,000. “To me, this is an
emergency repair, and we need to get it
done as soon as we can,” she said.
Although the Chapel Hill Town
Council passed a tax increase in the new
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budget earher this summer, tax revenue
will not be used in flood repairs.
“We set the tax rate based on pro
jected services and capital improvement
programs,” Waldorf said. “We couldn’t
look into the future and foresee that
Piney Mountain Road would wash out
in July.”
Instead, the town will turn to other
possible solutions for financing flood
repairs.
“We have bond funds available for
drainage problems,” Waldorf explained.
“We might also delay some other capital
improvement programs that we expect
ed in the budget.”
Efforts have already begun to help
Eastgate merchants get back on their
feet, without having to supply financial
support.
As the floodwaters receded, the
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of
Commerce called a meeting of Eastgate
merchants, town officials and chamber
members to address the immediate
needs of shopowners.
“It was one of those things that was a
clear need,” said Beth Deacon, chair
woman of the Chamber of Commerce.
“1 don’t think people were really talking
together before that.”
Deacon said the chamber tried to act
as quickly as possible in conjunction
with town officials to help merchants get
the supplies they needed and to help
them find emergency loans.
“It’s not (the chamber’s) responsibil
ity to coordinate the Eastgate merchants
as a unit,” she said. “But we do see that
we might be able to help them come
together.”
Many Eastgate merchants and some
residents affected by the floods have
applied for loans offered through the
Small Business Administration, a feder
al organization offering relief to areas
declared states of emergency.
“The main help that (being declared
a state of emergency) triggers is that it
allows SBA loans at about a four per
cent interest rate,” Waldorf said. “That’s
probably less than half what you would
have to pay if you went and got a home
owners loan.”
Waldorf said the loans would help
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shopkt. rs and homeowners afford
flood repairs and allow them to get back
on their feet
But Chapel Hill stormwater engineer
Fred Royal said residents should not
consider the July flooding a one-time
event. Areas like Eastgate and Camelot
Apartments he in floodplains where
future flooding is not only possible, but
likely.
“The flooding was bad because it cre
ated a lot of damage,” Royal said. “But
it was good because it woke people up
and showed them what some of our
problems are related to stormwater.
“People tend to forget during the dry
times, but stormwater is everyone’s
problem,” he said.
“It is to everyone’s benefit to solve
these problems before the next disaster
happens.”
The City Editor can be reached
at citydesk@unc.edu.
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