A nuclear plant near North Carolina's capital city was shut down after operators reviewing ultrasonic tests from last year found the results showed tiny marks of corrosion and cracking that need repair, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has scheduled a public meeting and open house on May 20 to discuss the agency’s assessment of safety performance during 2012 at the Harris nuclear power plant. The plant, operated by Duke Energy, is near New Hill, about 20 miles southwest of Raleigh.

A new rule set for approval by the North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission requiring some disclosure of fracking chemicals has been withdrawn at the request of industry giant Halliburton.

A state study group focused on pooling of land has recommended that oil and natural gas operators be compelled to work together, under certain circumstances, when it involves leased tracts in close proximity.

After approving a policy recommendation, the Compulsory Pooling Study Group of the N.C. Mining and Energy Commission (MEC) spent Friday morning at the Cooperative Extension in Lee County tackling new questions — primarily how to further define and regulate the pooling process, and how local governments might see tax income other than severance taxes on gas and property taxes on equipment.

Striking a balance between local government zoning control and natural gas industry regulations was the focus of a state government study committee Friday afternoon.

Although many of the speakers and the topics they covered at a meeting Tuesday night held by anti-fracking activists were familiar, there was one significant change — the average age of the audience was much younger than in most meetings related to the subject.

Hydraulic fracturing regulations in North Carolina are now one small step closer to being finalized.

(Editor’s note: This is the second installment of a two-part series exploring the issue of hydraulic fracturing from the perspective of Chatham County farmers. The series was written by Katherine Blunt, a student at Elon University.)

PITTSBORO — As the North Carolina legislature weighs the pros and cons of lifting a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, some Chatham County farmers worry the practice will cause water shortages and contamination.

Farrell Moose is keeping an eye on his water.

When the North Carolina General Assembly voted in July to legalize hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the state, he paid more than $300 for a baseline test of his well.

Today we have an extended Take 5 with John Humphrey, who is an attorney and the principal of The Humphrey Law Firm in Alexandria, Va. His practice includes public policy analysis and development, and he frequently works with communities in addressing matters relating to energy and natural resource issues. A Sanford native, John studied public policy at Duke University and eventually worked in Gov. Jim Hunt’s administration as Director of Policy Development in the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources and as local government liaison in the governor's office. After attending The University of Michigan Law School, John joined the litigation practice in the Washington, D.C., office of Shearman & Sterling, where he worked with a number of natural resource companies before forming The Humphrey Law Firm in 2003.

A government study group on the role of local governments in fracking met in Pittsboro on Friday, where it became clear that there’s still much discussion to be had until the state’s rules regarding the power of cities and counties can be finalized.

When Lynn Fass sold her horse farm in New Jersey several years ago, she wanted to get as far away from the drilling she partially blames for her property's depreciation as possible. Now, living in Chatham County, she's facing fracking once again.

If and when hydraulic fracturing begins in North Carolina — with much of it centered in this area — experts say it will affect water supply, traffic patterns, levels of various types of pollution and a host of other factors for which the regulations are now in flux — and some of which came up in conversation during a meeting Wednesday.