Time to Hold Duke Energy Accountable for Dangerous Coal Ash Impoundments to Prevent Next Spill

[octoberlib]

North Carolina, home to more high-hazard coal ash impoundments than any other state, has been ground-zero for coal-ash issues for years … long before the lawsuits began to fly. That’s probably because the state’s largest city, Charlotte, is home to the nation’s largest energy producer and anti-coal-ash-regulation lobbyist, Duke Energy.

The city is also home to former Duke Energy employee and current state governor Pat McCrory as well as a drinking water reservoir with two unlined, high-hazard, leaking coal ash ponds that have been proven—as have the Dan River plant’s waste ponds—to be contaminating groundwater.

To suggest that the government and the company have been involved in an incestuous affair for nearly a century is putting it mildly, so it’s no surprise to me that the federal government is now investigating the state’s handling of Duke Energy’s latest coal ash spill into the Dan River, even as the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has backed away from a third deplorable settlement with the company over its coal-ash mess. What is amazing is that the agency is developing a coal ash “task force” to study the issue again in lieu of forcing the company to adhere to state and federal laws.

“It is sad and remarkable that DENR’s response to the Dan River spill is to form a committee,” says Frank Holleman, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center which is involved in the coal ash lawsuits against the company. He also pointed out that the state has years of data on coal ash pollution and has testified under oath that the company’s pollution is illegal and a serious threat to the public and clean water.

http://ecowatch.com/2014/02/15/duke-energy-accountable-coal-ash-spill/

[underthematrix]

1. US Attorney is conducting a CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION of

both the gov's office and duke.

[GP6971]

2. I really expect

positive results from the investigation.......NOT!!!!! The corruption runs too deep.

[barbtries]

3. that is good news

though it will probably go nowhere. if we make enough noise, get enough people to make enough noise, they can't sweep it under the rug?
i don't know. corruption is so in-your-face around here.

[NCarolinawoman]

4. Very similar to the Christie Crime syndicate.

Lots of tentacles. Lots of nasty sneaky players. Superficially, just a different style.