Don't let Duke Energy make customers pay for the costs of closing its ash ponds.

The Issue

A massive coal ash spill at a Duke Energy plant in North Carolina contaminated the Dan River last month. The bottom of the Dan River was coated with coal ash for 70 miles by the spill, the third-largest in U.S. history. "Duke Energy, the nation’s largest electricity utility, was cited for failing to control discharges of coal ash or contaminated coal ash water from the storage basin. The utility was also cited for violating surface water safety standards, failing to prevent pollutants from reaching the river and failing to obtain a state permit for discharges into the river. Between 30,000 and 39,000 tons of ash had spilled.The spill released 27 million gallons of contaminated water." http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-coal-ash-spill-regulators-20140228,0,4932463.story#ixzz2vkVZe7XF

"The spill was caused by a ruptured storm-water pipe below the coal ash basin, according to Duke Energy. A second pipe at the site ruptured two weeks later, spilling an unknown amount of coal ash and contaminated water into the Dan River." Law makers will likely order Duke Energy to close it's ash ponds, and in doing so, the expense would run hundreds of millions of dollars that will be passed on to the North Carolina Duke Energy customers.

Duke Energy has been careless with the handling of the disastrous coal ash spill on the Dan River, and it should be Duke Energy's responsbilitiy to keep our enviroment safe. "Duke Energy should clean up the coal ash at its own expense." If you sign this petition Duke Energy will not be allowed to raise the costs of our energy bills for the fourth time in recent history, to compensate their carelessness. We as citizens need to hold large corporations accountable for their actions or lack there of.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/03/07/4749430/duke-ceo-customers-should-pay.html#.UyBHaV4dRh4

Photo (Gerry Broome / Associated Press / February 5, 2014)