Announcement commits Duke Energy to further coal ash cleanup

The following is a statement by Frank Holleman, senior attorney, who represents citizens groups in the two Carolinas seeking cleanup of coal ash sites across the states, on today’s announcement from Duke Energy.

“Clean ups for the additional three unlined, leaking coal ash sites in North Carolina not previously announced – Cape Fear, H.F. Lee, and Weatherspoon – are a big step forward. We’ve been fighting to clean up these three leaking sites in the state enforcement actions and Cape Fear and Lee in federal court. Of the 16 Duke Energy sites in the two Carolinas, we’ve now succeeded in getting nine coal ash sites committed for total cleanup – a cleanup of almost 39 million tons of coal ash in the two Carolinas – and ash is now being moved at three of those sites.

“But there’s still more to do, other communities and families in North Carolina deserve similar protections from other unlined, leaking coal ash sites that Duke Energy has across the state. We will keep working to see that Duke Energy’s remaining unlined, leaking coal ash sites are cleaned up in a way that protects our communities and clean water throughout North Carolina.”

Below Cape Fear Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette samples coal ash pollution leaking from Duke Energy’s Cape Fear coal ash lagoons on the banks of the Cape Fear River, one of several sites now slated for further remediation.

The Southern Environmental Law Center represents the following citizens groups in court to clean up Duke Energy’s coal ash pollution from all 14 leaking Duke Energy sites across North Carolina: Appalachian Voices, Cape Fear Riverwatch, Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, Dan River Basin Association, MountainTrue, Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation, Roanoke River Basin Association, Sierra Club, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Waterkeeper Alliance, Winyah Rivers Foundation, and Yadkin Riverkeeper.

Full details of Duke’s announcement are available here.