RALEIGH — North Carolina may have to spend as much as $5 million on outside legal help during its lawsuit against the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Senior deputy attorney general James Gulick gave the price tag Tuesday as the state’s top elected officials approved another $780,000 to pay for outside legal assistance. The Council of State previously signed off on $728,000 for outside legal fees.
The state’s lawsuit alleges that emissions from the TVA’s coal-fired power plants in Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky harm North Carolina’s health, environment and economy. The federal trial is set to begin in July in Asheville.
Gulick told the council more money will be needed to hire outside experts and take depositions. He said the state will receive public health benefits valued at hundreds of millions of dollars annually if it wins.