Carrboro council urges Gov. Josh Stein to press Duke Energy to halt fossil-fuel expansion; resolution passes

The Carrboro Town Council voted March 17 to urge North Carolina Governor Josh Stein to take action to stop Duke Energy's expansion of fossil-fuel generation and to accelerate a transition to renewable energy, the council announced after approving a formal resolution.

The resolution, read into the record by the mayor, says the town 'urges Governor Stein to become a national climate champion by using every tool available to persuade or require Duke Energy executives to phase out dangerous fuel sources and to transition to affordable, resilient, and renewable energy.

Council Member Pasado Rosco moved the resolution; it was seconded and approved on a voice vote with no members recorded as opposed. The resolution text cites findings by climate scientists and urges immediate steps including leading installations of solar and battery storage at critical public facilities and requiring on-site renewables and battery storage for data centers investing in new facilities.

The resolution also notes that the town of Carrboro is suing Duke Energy Corporation and accuses some company executives of having 'helped lead a nationwide conspiracy of climate deception for decades,' language included in the text the council approved. The measure was presented as a policy statement urging state-level action rather than as a town-level regulatory change.

Mayor Barbara M. Fushi introduced the proclamations and resolution; the council took the motion, asked for the voice vote, and announced that the motion carried.

The council did not specify a calendar date for further local actions tied to the resolution. The measure is a formal statement of the council's position and asks state leadership to pursue the specific steps described in the resolution.