The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has announced the excavation of nearly 80 million tons of coal ash at six facilities in North Carolina. The closure of all remaining coal ash basins in North Carolina ends the appeal litigation between Duke Energy and community and environmental groups.
According to a news release from DEQ, coal ash will be moved to on-site lined landfills at Duke Energy’s Allen, Belews Creek, Cliffside, Marshall, Mayo and Roxboro sites. Duke will be required to excavate more than 76 million tons of coal ash from open, unlined impoundments at the six facilities. More than 3 million tons of non-impoundment coal ash will also be excavated. The project is the largest coal ash clean up in the nation’s history and will result in more excavation than in four neighboring states combined.
