CHARLOTTE, NC — North Carolina is still pushing legislation to close Duke Energy’s 33 coal ash plants in the state.
The City of Charlotte is working with Duke to move some of the toxic material to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, but that controversial proposal is changing.
All signs point towards Duke Energy having to close its coal ash ponds, and move that refuse elsewhere. One plan had Charlotte-Douglas using the ash from nearby plants as fill for projects like runways, potentially saving the airport big bucks.
“At first blush it sounds like a very attractive offer, because it saves the airport money from having to buy fill,” says City of Charlotte Assistant Manager Hyong U Yi. “But then when you think about the risks associated with that long term, it was an unacceptable risk.”
The message was delivered to the City Council Environment Committee. After 60 days the city staff is giving Duke another option, but not giving up the details.
“We don’t want to put Duke in a box where they have to make a decision now, because everything is sort of public,” says Yi.
“Still having Duke at the table, and continuing to discuss a solution for this, is a good thing,” says City Councilman John Autry, chairman of the Environment Committee.
The key is balancing the environmental, economic and legal impacts.
“We have to comply with the law,” says Autry. “And certainly whatever legislation they finally settle on is going to have an impact on the way Duke is going to be able to move forward.”
“Keep it out of here if you can” says Lake Wylie resident Ray Womble. “But it’s got to go somewhere, and somewhere where it’s going to least impact the economy and the people around it.”
The City of Charlotte hopes to have a Duke Energy response to their counter proposal by early August.
