Duke Energy's trust gap
Published April 7, 2014
Editorial by Greensboro News-Record, April 7, 2014.
It should come as no surprise that people here don’t trust Duke Energy’s planned experiment on local trees with a “growth regulator.”
This is the same Duke Energy that polluted the Dan River with coal ash. And the same Duke Energy that parried with local residents over tree trimming that in some cases was heavy-handed. Small wonder people here are viewing the use of a chemical that is supposed to retard the growth of the limbs with suspicious eyes.
To be fair, Duke will inject the substance, called Cambistat, only in cases where property owners consent. (Actually, they have to opt out.) And there may be some value in the chemical’s use, which could create a win-win for Duke and local residents: If Duke doesn’t have to trim as often to clear space for power lines, residents could see fewer crews hacking away at the greenery.
But there are valid concerns about its side effects. Cambistat contains an active ingredient that could harm plants, birds and some mammals.
Theoretically, the fact that the chemical is applied through the soil should blunt those effects, so the harm may be minimal, but Duke could face a tough audience at an informational meeting on April 17.
After all, the utility has hardly inspired public confidence in its recent actions.
And it has no one to blame for its sullied reputation and lack of public trust but itself.
