WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) ó North Carolina environmental advocates are contesting a key state certification that Alcoa Inc. needs to renew its federal license for dams along the Yadkin River.

Yadkin Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks (NOW-yuks) said Friday his group challenged the water-quality certificate the state Division of Water Quality issued to Alcoa last week.

Naujoks hopes its petition to the state’s Office of Administrative Hearings will help block the federal license Alcoa needs to generate and sell electricity from the four dams for the next 50 years.

Gov. Beverly Perdue is also asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to block the license. She said the company built the dams to power an aluminum plant that’s now closed, along with the jobs.