Apologies for the Dan River spill, guilt for coal ash crimes

Dan RiverDuke Energy likes to use a tagline about how, for more than 100 years, it has provided affordable, reliable electricity to its customers “at the flip of a switch.” But a year after the Dan River spill, Duke seems to accept that coal ash pollution has its own chapter in the company’s corporate story. Now, facing federal criminal charges, Duke will pay for its crimes.

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Groups Seek to Ensure Ky. Enforces Clean Water Law

Contacts: Eric Chance, Appalachian Voices, 828-262-1500, eric@appvoices.org Ted Withrow, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, 606-782-0998 (c), tfwithrow@windstream.net Pat Banks, Kentucky Riverkeeper, 859-200-7442, kyriverkeeper@eku.edu Pete Harrison, Waterkeeper Alliance, 828-582-0422, pharrison@waterkeeper.org Adam Beitman, Sierra Club, 202-675-2385, adam.beitman@sierraclub.org Frankfort – A coalition of citizens groups today filed a motion to intervene in a state enforcement action against Frasure Creek…

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Déjà vu in Kentucky clean water cases

15813913282_fd4c121114_zFriday, Appalachian Voices and our partners filed a motion to intervene in a case between the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet and Frasure Creek Mining to ensure clean water laws are being enforced in Kentucky. To anyone following our lawsuits in Kentucky, these recent developments will sound familiar.

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Criminal charges filed against Duke Energy

12311876586_dd088acae8_zThe U.S. Department of Justice has filed criminal charges against Duke Energy for violating the federal Clean Water Act at coal ash sites across North Carolina. The company announced today that it has reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors to resolve the charges that includes $102.2 million for fines and mitigation.

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To protect or prosecute polluters?

FrasureCreek_waterKentucky regulators recently filed an administrative complaint against Frasure Creek Mining for hundreds of violations of the Clean Water Act. As we wait to see if the state is going to take its responsibility to protect the people and water of Kentucky from pollution seriously, Appalachian Voices will continue to do whatever we can to ensure that Frasure Creek and other polluters are held accountable.

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Research Finds Mine Reclamation Failures

Efforts to restore mountaintop removal coal mines are not meeting the objectives of the Clean Water Act, creating a variety of consequences for aquatic life, according to a September study by the University of Maryland’s National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center.

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Citizens File Against KY Coal Company for Falsifying Water Pollution Reports

Resources View the Notice of Intent to Sue Here View example duplicated reports and images of some of the mines involved here For more information view our blog post here State regulators ignore clean water protections and enforcement CONTACTS Erin Savage, Appalachian Voices, 828-262-1500, erin@appvoices.org Ted Withrow, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, 606-784-6885 (h) or 606-782-0998…

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Endangered Species are New Focus in Legal Case against Kentucky’s Water Quality Protections and EPA

Contact Appalachian Voices: Eric Chance, 828-262-1500, eric@appvoices.org Kentuckians For The Commonwealth: Suzanne Tallichet, 606-776-7970, stallichet1156@aol.com Center for Biological Diversity: Tierra Curry, 971-717-6402, tcurry@biologicaldiversity.org Sierra Club: Adam Beitman, (202) 675-2385, adam.beitman@gmail.com Defenders of Wildlife: Melanie Gade, (202) 772-0288, mgade@defenders.org Kentucky Waterways Alliance: Tim Joice, (502) 589-8008, Tim@kwalliance.org LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A coalition of national and Appalachian…

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Full Disclosure?

As North Carolina considers its first natural gas drilling rules, a survey of the region shows how states are — and aren’t — regulating fracking.

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