North Carolina

A proposed lithium mine presents a climate versus environment conflict

Published

2 years ago

November 12, 2022

A proposed lithium mine presents a climate versus environment conflict

Indicators like this one, noticed October 26, 2022, are throughout northern Gaston County, North Carolina, close to the place Piedmont Lithium desires to construct a 1500-acre lithium mining and processing operation.

David Boraks/WFAE

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David Boraks/WFAE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – As world leaders meet for an additional local weather summit in Egypt, the U.S. is pushing to mine extra lithium for electrical car batteries at dwelling. EVs will assist minimize air pollution from transportation, the nation’s largest supply of greenhouse fuel emissions that trigger international warming. However there is a tradeoff, as residents have realized close to Charlotte, the place an enormous open-pit mine is proposed.

An organization known as Piedmont Lithium desires to construct a mine and processing operation on 1,500 acres in northern Gaston County, about 30 miles west of Charlotte.

Emily Winter, a neighborhood relations coordinator and geologist for Piedmont, leads the way in which to a big rock outcrop close to what sometime is likely to be the mine’s South Pit.

“So inside this rock, it comprises spodumene, the mineral. And that mineral spodumene comprises lithium that we are able to convert to lithium hydroxide that then goes into batteries,” Winter explains.

Emily Winter of Piedmont Lithium on October 26, 2022 factors out lithium-bearing spodumene in a rock outcrop off Whitesides Street in Bessemer Metropolis, N.C.

David Boraks/WFAE

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Emily Winter of Piedmont Lithium on October 26, 2022 factors out lithium-bearing spodumene in a rock outcrop off Whitesides Street in Bessemer Metropolis, N.C.

David Boraks/WFAE

Lithium deposits run by means of the county in a mile-wide north-south band, often called the Carolina Tin-Spodumene Belt. For many years within the twentieth century, mines right here equipped many of the world’s lithium, till cheaper sources have been present in South America and Australia. Now the factor is in excessive demand for electrical car batteries, and buyers see a chance.

“There’s little or no manufacturing of lithium uncooked supplies, or any battery uncooked supplies, within the US. The potential’s there, nevertheless it’ll take time to deliver it on-line,” says Piedmont Lithium CEO Keith Phillips.

When Piedmont Lithium devoted its new headquarters within the close by city of Belmont this summer time, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis was there. The North Carolina Republican stated the U.S. wants its personal sources of lithium and lithium processing to counter China.

“The Chinese language have a said technique of being the world’s financial and navy superpower by 2050. And so they do not intend to do this by means of an important battle. They intend to do it by placing their tentacles across the globe, economically,” Tillis stated. “They intend to ensure that the western world relies upon them for lithium, for tantalum, for uncommon earth minerals, in order that they’ll actually beat us by by no means firing a shot.”

Tillis stated that is why he helps Piedmont Lithium’s efforts to open a brand new mine – so long as it is executed in an environmentally accountable method. However that is the catch.

When local weather objectives result in environmental issues

Piedmont’s plans name for 4 open-pit mines 500 toes deep. Meaning demolishing homes, digging up farm fields and woods, and disrupting streams. Some neighbors have offered their land to the corporate. However others whose property borders the positioning aren’t comfortable.

Locke Bell owns 120 acres backing as much as the deliberate South Pit. “Relative to the proposed mine, I’ve 4,160 toes of frequent boundary,” he says.

Bell is a former district lawyer and has been following Piedmont’s plans since 2017, when the corporate approached him about mining on his land. He declined the provide after seeing an in depth map of the proposed mine.

“Out of the blue, I noticed these huge mines – open pits… We have now sufficient of that round right here that is poisonous already,’” he says.

He is speaking about outdated lithium mines close by that closed within the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties and at the moment are contaminated with arsenic, which happens naturally within the space’s soil and rocks.

Warren Snowden walks on his household farm in Gaston County, NC, together with his canine Finn on October 29, 2022. The property borders the positioning of a 1,500-acre lithium mine deliberate by Piedmont Lithium. He’s serving to to guide an opposition group known as Cease Piedmont Lithium.

David Boraks/WFAE

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David Boraks/WFAE

A number of miles away on the opposite facet of the mine website, Warren Snowdon has related issues. His household’s outdated farm is simply throughout a stream, about 600 yards, from the deliberate East Pit. He is serving to to guide an opposition group known as Cease Piedmont Lithium.

“Our subject is on each entrance: It is water. It is air. It is gentle air pollution. It is noise. It is site visitors. Get us a photo voltaic farm. Get us a wind farm,” says Snowdon, who’s fast to say he is not against the nation’s transition to renewable vitality.

State and native officers nonetheless should approve the mine

Piedmont Lithium nonetheless wants key approvals, together with state air and mining permits. Each are delayed whereas the corporate responds to requests for extra data from North Carolina businesses. Piedmont additionally faces native political opposition.

Chad Brown chairs the Gaston County Fee, which should approve a rezoning for the mine.

“With the knowledge I’ve proper now, I in all probability wouldn’t name for a vote on this,” Brown says. “I must have tons of extra data only for the environmental facet, and so far as air high quality, water high quality, various things like that.”

Final 12 months, the fee adopted a 60-day moratorium so it may replace its zoning guidelines to permit a mine. The ordinance has some tooth – it limits blasting and truck site visitors, Brown says. However he is undecided Piedmont will have the ability to get the electrical energy and water it wants for mining and processing.

Requested if he thinks the mining venture will occur, he says, “I believe proper now, you are still at 50-50, only for the straightforward reality of it is a great distance out.”

Nonetheless, Piedmont Lithium’s CEO Keith Phillips is optimistic.

“So the allowing course of is extra concerned, and it’ll take longer. And our plan, our hope, is that we’ll be in manufacturing in Carolina in 2026, and will probably be absolutely permitted and accredited and funded someday in 2024,” he says.

Whereas it pursues that aim, the corporate has a backup plan: It is constructing a processing plant in Tennessee with assist from a $141.7 million federal grant. And it is relying on mines in Quebec and Ghana to provide lithium ore.

Piedmont’s North Carolina neighbors are rooting for that backup plan as a substitute of the open-pit lithium mine of their neighborhood.

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North Carolina

Dozens in western NC kicked out of hotels Tuesday despite FEMA extending deadline, officials say

Published

5 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

Dozens in western NC kicked out of hotels Tuesday despite FEMA extending deadline, officials say

Despite the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) extending the deadline, dozens of people in western North Carolina were left without shelter Tuesday night after being kicked out of the hotels FEMA provided as temporary housing for those impacted by Hurricane Helene.

On Monday, FEMA announced it was extending the deadline for its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program for victims of Helene in western North Carolina.

Through the program, FEMA paid for hotel and motel rooms for thousands of people displaced by Hurricane Helene.

Tuesday just before 3:30 p.m., FEMA said on X that “current eligible occupants can remain in their lodging through the end of March 2025.”

But hours later, Senator Ted Budd posted this message on X:

“My office is hearing from dozens in WNC who have been kicked out of their hotels tonight, despite FEMA’s announcement yesterday that they were extending Transitional Sheltering Assistance through January 25.

“This is unacceptable. This needs to be fixed TONIGHT.”

Senator Thom Tillis also called out FEMA Tuesday night on X:

“My office has been helping dozens of Helene victims today who have been told their hotel vouchers expired despite not having a safe and livable home to go back to. Their homes have mold and broken windows…it’s 20 degrees tonight. Hotels are trying to help them, and a number of nonprofits are stepping up to pay for victims to stay in their hotels so FEMA has another day to get its act together.

“This is a total breakdown on the part of FEMA.”

This comes after Governor Josh Stein was in western North Carolina that same day.

On Tuesday, Stein posted a photo of himself eating a BBQ sandwich at JRO’s in Canton.

Gov. Josh Stein eating sandwich in Canton Tuesday (Photo: Josh Stein Facebook)

“My team and I have been working hard to maintain temporary housing assistance for people in western NC,” the governor said Monday, one day prior, on X.

Senator Budd said later on Tuesday that he had been in contact with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and encouraged those in need of assistance to contact his office at budd.senate.gov.

WRAL News reached out to FEMA, and this was the agency’s response:

“If any survivors still need housing assistance or feel their TSA eligibility ended in error, they should immediately call the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362.”

If you were impacted by this situation and would like to share your experience with WRAL, go to wral.com/reportit.

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North Carolina

NC Lottery Mega Millions, Lucky For Life results for Jan. 14, 2025

Published

14 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Jan. 14 drawing

04-14-35-49-62, Mega Ball: 06, Megaplier: 3

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 14 drawing

03-06-17-26-39, Lucky Ball: 04

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 14 drawing

Day: 2-0-1, Fireball: 3

Evening: 3-3-6, Fireball: 3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 14 drawing

Day: 0-2-7-8, Fireball: 8

Evening: 8-8-1-4, Fireball: 2

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from Jan. 14 drawing

11-17-19-20-33

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Double Play numbers from Jan. 14 drawing

18-24-36-37-43

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.

For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:

Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.

When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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North Carolina

School closings, delays in Western North Carolina, Wednesday, Jan. 15

Published

22 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

School closings, delays in Western North Carolina, Wednesday, Jan. 15

Some school systems in Western North Carolina are closed or operating on delays Wednesday, Jan. 15, due to winter weather impacts.

Avery County Schools: Two-hour delay.
Cherokee County Schools: Two-hour delay.
Clay County Schools: Closed, optional workday.
Graham County Schools: Two-hour delay.
Jackson County Schools: Two-hour delay.
Macon County Schools: Franklin area closed, remote learning day. Highlands School, three-hour delay. Nantahala School, two-hour delay.
Madison County Schools: One-hour delay.
Mitchell County Schools: One-hour delay.
Swain County Schools: Two-hour delay.
Transylvania County Schools: Two-hour delay.