Dive Brief:
- Pollution from Duke Energy Progress coal ash ponds is killing 900,000 fish a year in a North Carolina lake, according to a study released by environmental groups.
- Selenium pollution in Sutton Lake is deforming the fish, according to the study. Duke denies the charges.
- Duke is converting the Sutton power plant from coal to natural gas, but has not yet devised a plan for dealing with the coal ash.
Dive Insight:
Duke plans to shut the Sutton plant at the end of the year to start converting it to burn natural gas. The Southern Environmental Law Center and other groups want Duke to remove the coal ash ponds instead of capping them. Duke argues that its plans to retire the coal-fired units and close the ash ponds will take care of any pollution problems in the lake.
