Dive Brief:

• A North Carolina judge ruled that Duke Energy must immediately stop possible groundwater pollution from the company's coal ash ponds in the state.
• The court ruling is at odds with state regulators who have been trying to work out a negotiated settlement with Duke.
• Duke has considered capping the coal ash ponds, which would leave the ash in place. This ruling, if upheld, would most likely require the ash to be removed.

Dive Insight:

The issues around Duke's coal ash ponds have been going on for years, but they reached a new level last month after two spills from one of the utility company's coal ash basins into the Dan River. State regulators are scrambling to deal with the situation and federal prosecutors are investing. The court ruling may nudge the process forward.