Progress on Coal Ash in North Carolina

On April 1, we celebrated the welcome news that the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality ordered Duke Energy to excavate the six coal ash sites in the state that did not already have cleanup plans in place. The decision was a testament to the determination of the people living near these toxic sites who have been calling on the state for strong cleanup measures for years.

The DEQ’s decision follows the best science to safeguard public health and drinking water. We applaud the agency for fulfilling its mandate to protect residents, which is what the public expects state regulators to do in regards to Duke and any other corporation in the state.

Appalachian Voices is proud to have been a leader in this years-long fight alongside members of the A.C.T. Against Coal Ash coalition. But the work continues — Duke appealed the order and is trying to foist the costs of cleanup on ratepayers. Read more here.