North Carolina Residents Affected by Coal Ash Cite Alliance

Since then, Duke Energy has taken steps to clean up the spill and remove the coal ash.

Duke Energy is concerned that the state has been confusing some well owners by reporting overly restrictive levels of contaminates while the water remains at federal safe drinking standards.

The group calls themselves the Alliance of Carolinas Together Against Coal Ash and it is made up of residents who live hear coal ash ponds or a proposed fill site. Crews are perfecting the railroad which will transport coal ash in a dry stack to a lined landfill in Amelia County, Virginia. The old coal plant was already decommissioned when coal ash spilled out from one of it’s basins into the Dan River in February of 2014.

“We would never have wished this incident to happen and we’re certainly remain deeply sorry that it did”, said Jeff Brooks, a Duke Energy Spokesperson.

“The have actually stored similar material from the utilities in this particular landfill, so it was designed for this goal”, Brooks said. Members are pushing for the governor, state environmental regulators and Duke Energy to do more to ensure safety. Once the landfill has received the specified quantity of coal ash, it will be sealed with a synthetic barrier, drainage layer and protective soil layer.

After it’s built, coal ash will be excavated from the two basins and moved to the on-site landfill.

The excavation process is a way Duke said it’s trying to re-gain the trust of the community.

“We are demanding our water, our environment, the safety of our citizens be put ahead of corporate greed”, said Bobby Jones of Goldsboro, a retired state health agency employee.

Over the next 15 plus years, Duke Energy will be closing all of their 32 coal ash basins at 14 different sites across the Carolina’s.