Dear Governor Stein,

We are writing to you as North Carolina community members, workers, and utility customers. We ask you to address the rising cost of electric bills and the threats posed to our communities from an increased reliance on fossil fuels. In your actions as governor, we urge you to commit to the following actions:

No Permits for New Methane Gas Pipelines or Power Plants

Approving permits for new methane gas pipelines and power plants would usher in decades of rising electric bills, a higher risk of disasters like Hurricane Helene, and exposure to health-compromising pollution for communities already shouldering the burden of existing polluting infrastructure. The proposed methane gas pipelines would pollute hundreds of waterways and wetlands, threaten drinking water supplies and harm aquatic species.

We urge:
-Secretary Wilson of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to deny air quality permits and Clean Water Act Section 401 water quality certifications for Transcontinental Pipe Line Company’s Southeast Supply Enhancement Project pipeline & Mountain Valley Pipeline's Southgate project.
-The Energy Policy Taskforce to commission a state-funded independent study on whether the proposed pipelines and gas plants are necessary and cost-effective in meeting our state’s electricity needs and reaching the 2050 carbon reduction goal with clean energy (solar and wind energy combined with energy storage, such as battery storage or pumped hydroelectric storage).
-Governor Stein to expand the representation of stakeholders on the State Energy Policy Task Force by appointing members of environmental justice communities and grassroots organizations representing communities facing impacts from fossil fuel infrastructure and affordability issues.

Raise Wages, Not Electric Bills

North Carolina’s minimum wage is still $7.25/hour, with our state’s median household income sitting below $40,000 annually. Teacher pay in our state ranks 43 out of the 50 states. North Carolina households should not have to choose between paying their electric bill and paying for food, rent or medical care.
Relief from high bills is uncertain and underfunded. Programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Crisis Intervention Program are difficult to access for many North Carolinians, who often run out of money within days of receiving funding. At the federal level, all staff have been cut from the LIHEAP program, causing further concerns for residents struggling to pay their bills.

We urge Governor Stein to:
-Do what is within your authority to support an emergency state fund to cover disconnections and provide utility bill support for North Carolinians.

Tech Companies Pay Their Own Way, Communities Have a Say

In Richmond County, along with other areas in North Carolina, large new Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers are blindsiding communities. These data centers are part of a justification for new methane gas infrastructure, which could increase residential customers’ electric bills.

We urge Governor Stein to:

-Ensure that any state economic incentives offered for data centers require the developer to use clean energy to power their data centers or pay for the development of clean energy generation.
-Direct the DEQ to deny permits for data center projects that would be powered by fossil fuels.
-Support legislation that would:
-Ensure that technology corporations pay the full cost for providing electricity and water to any new data center, instead of offloading costs to residential utility customers.
-Provide full transparency to community members about new data center proposals and ensure that local leaders maintain zoning and other decision-making powers over these proposals.
-Encourage data center developers to enter into Community Benefit Agreements with impacted communities to help mitigate local impacts and provide beneficial community investments.
-Expand the representation of stakeholders on the AI Leadership Council by appointing members from environmental justice communities impacted by data centers and communities whose freedoms and privacy are being curtailed through AI surveillance.

Richmond County Coalition for Justice & Black Empowerment (RCCFJBE) is rooted in Richmond County’s multigenerational Indigenous and Black farming families. To ensure environmental justice, community engagement, and land stewardship rooted in respect for the area’s Indigenous and agricultural history, we urge Governor Stein to:

-Recognize and restore the rights of the Ingram Descendants through the Ingram Descendants State Recognition and Land Restitution Resolution. Recognition is not a request for charity—it is an act of justice, repair, and shared responsibility for North Carolina’s land and people.
-Direct the DEQ to partner with RCCFJBE to lead community-based monitoring and testing of Richmond County’s soil, air and water, ensuring transparency and local oversight.

Protect Workers and Communities from Heat, Disasters, and a Rigged Economy

Using fossil fuels to power AI data centers is a losing game for North Carolina. Extreme heat, hurricanes, droughts, wildfires and flooding caused by the climate crisis are already devastating our communities. Farm workers and other outdoor workers are on the frontlines of extreme heat.

At the same time, North Carolina does not have any crude oil reserves, economically recoverable natural gas reserves, or viable commercial coal production. Relying on corporations bringing in expensive fuels from outside of our state creates inherent risk and volatility and burdens communities and ratepayers with high costs. Yet, North Carolina is an undeniable leader in renewable resources. In 2023, NC ranked fourth in the nation in solar generating capacity and fifth in total solar power generation. The U.S. Energy Administration reports that North Carolina also has undeveloped wind resources.

We urge Governor Stein to:
-Treat the climate crisis like the emergency that it is, and prioritize building a resilient energy system. Sensible, clean energy infrastructure designed to benefit workers and communities will create more jobs and wealth in our communities.
-Do what is in your power and authority to address the crisis that farmworkers face and bring to the table the North Carolina Grower’s Association and agricultural employers to advance farmworker protections, such as required breaks, full access to clean drinking water, and a right to medical attention.

Sincerely,