Duke Energy cleanup actions are needed, but only a start
Published August 20, 2014
Editorial by Winston-Salem Journal, August 19, 2014.
Gov. Pat McCrory and his administration are making steps toward pushing Duke Energy to clean up its coal ash-storage ponds. But a lot more is needed. State legislative leaders announced legislation Tuesday night that would be a start toward that.
State environmental officials told Duke last week that they want plans within three months for closing coal ash-storage ponds at the retired Dan River Steam Station, the site of February’s big spill, and three other plants, The Associated Press reported. Agency officials said they were making the request as a follow-up to the governor’s executive order after the General Assembly failed to act on proposed legislation governing the utility’s ash-storage ponds across our state.
The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources told Duke to submit by Nov. 15 “plans for excavating inactive coal ash storage ponds” at the Dan River, Asheville, Riverbend and Sutton plants. The agency says it’s also requiring increased testing of drinking water, ground water and underground pipe networks near all of Duke’s storage ponds, the AP reported, and says it’s reviewing wastewater permits at seven of Duke’s other coal-fired plants that remain in operation.
But environmental activists rightly want more. Frank Holleman, a senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center, told the AP that DENR is only asking “Duke to do what Duke has already said it will do — prepare plans to clean up the four sites Duke has already said it will clean up. It’s way past time for Duke to clean up coal ash at all of Duke’s 14 leaking coal ash sites across North Carolina.”
He said that in addressing pond closures at Dan River and the other three, “DENR still is not acting to require cleanup of Duke’s dangerous coal ash storage in 10 communities” elsewhere in the state.
He’s right. Despite Duke’s efforts thus far, our state can’t afford the risk of another spill the size of the Dan River one. The AP reported that the plants in question generated elec-tricity for years with coal-fired technology that left large amounts of potentially toxic ash, often kept under water in basins near a river or lake.
Of the four plants that state officials addressed, the Asheville plant is the only one that continues to operate as a coal plant. The others are in Gaston County and Wilmington. Duke Energy has storage ponds at a total of 14 active and inactive plants across the state, the AP reported.
The compromise legislation announced Tuesday night would provide more protection, but a lot more is still needed.
Extreme precaution is warranted. Our waters are precious natural resources that must be protected.
