There has been undeniably high instances of cancer in the community of Belews Creek [4] and downstream of the community in Eden, NC. In the past 10 years alone, the community has reported a disturbingly high number of cancer deaths. These are historically poor Black and Latino communities with less affluent neighborhoods. Therefore there has been no investigation or recognition correlating the high number of cancer deaths to the water contamination by the old unregulated coal ash dump.

Further, since the coal ash spill in February 2014 Duke Energy has pledged to remove the coal ash [1] but intends to create another dump in Eden, NC. Members of the community have reported a high number of Duke Energy trucks scouting Sharpe Farm, a plot of land put up for sale by it's owner in light of the spill. This area, Sharpe Farm, is less than a mile away from Dan River posing a severe risk to cause further damage.

Duke Energy has also been untruthful and irresponsible. Company directors have been spreading misinformation in the communities that coal ash is safe and is “much like ash from your charcoal grill or your wood fireplace,” Richard Baker, Duke Energy’s Director of Water and Natural Resources. According to Dennis Lemly, a researcher of coal ash for more than 30 years at both Wake Forest University and for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, he says that the charcoal in your grill is not true coal and that it "doesn't have nearly as high a concentration of these trace elements or heavy metals.” [1]

Despite the danger, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also failed to act. After months aggrivated delay, the EPA gave coal ash waste the same classification as household trash [7]. This has lead to further misinformation that continues to endanger the public. This calls for a review by the OSG. This is a matter of public health. We must educate and protect our communities.

In addition, Duke Energy is also over saturating local politics with campaign money, dumping over $1 Million of contributions into NC local elections since 2005 [6]. With so much invested in the local elections and an immediate need rid themselves of the coal ash, Duke Energy is a large political player seeking to silence the community. While the DENR at the State level has pledged to eliminate the risk to our drinking sources [2], members from the community report that their mayor, the Mayor of Eden, NC told them he cannot speak on their behalf.

Duke Energy has history of causing severe neglect and damage. Belews Creek Stream Station itself has served as a coal ash dump since the 1960s [5]. It has been classified as as high hazard by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); releasing slews of toxic cancer causing heavy metals and has since then been shut down [5]. In addition, Duke Energy has broken the record for state fines with a $25.1 million penalty for groundwater damage in Wilmington, NC [3].

With constantly proven failures, disregard for public health, and numerous casualties within our families, Duke Energy should not be allowed to construct another dump in our community. Coal ash dumps have not been proven as a safe way to dispose of the material [1], and continue to pose that risk with very little oversight [5].

To combat this, we are petitioning Surgeon General to:

• Finally conduct a formal investigation of cancer instances and cancer deaths in the communities effected by Belews Creek Stream Station Coal Ash Depository
• Defend the public against coal ash misinformation 
• Use their influence to stop Coal Ash dumps on the grounds of health hazards to the public

Resources
[1]http://wunc.org/post/coal-ash-carolina-three-important-questions
[2]http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/12/19/16549/coal-ash-no-worse-everyday-trash-epa-rules
[3]http://www.publicintegrity.org/2015/03/11/16868/duke-energy-fined-251-million-groundwater-damage-coal-ash
[4]http://www.southernstudies.org/2014/05/is-a-duke-energy-power-plant-making-nearby-residen.html
[5]http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/nc-coal-ash-factsheet-1112.pdf
[6]http://www.followthemoney.org/show-me?d-eid=856&s=NC#[{3|gro=,c-r-ot
[7]http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/12/19/16549/coal-ash-no-worse-everyday-trash-epa-rules