© 2024 Blue Ridge Public Radio
Blue Ridge Mountains banner background
Your source for information and inspiration in Western North Carolina.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

State Cites Duke Energy with Violations at Asheville Airport

Department of Environmental Quality via lakenormancitizen.com
A liner is laid out at the Asheville Regional Airport as part of a structural fill that will use three million tons of coal ash in the airport expansion project.

North Carolina regulators have cited a Duke Energy coal ash deposit site for environmental violations, this time at the Asheville Regional Airport.

Media outlets report the state Department of Environmental Quality cited Duke on Wednesday for two violations at the Asheville site. In both cases Duke, and site operator Charah, failed to notify the agency within 24 hours of a structural breach caused by severe erosion that had exposed coal ash and a plastic cover to the elements.

The department says Duke discovered the problems on Oct. 29, but didn't report them until Nov. 2.

Duke spokeswoman Catherine Butler says the company immediately corrected the problem.

The department has given Duke until Dec. 31 to submit a written report explaining how the structures breached and where the coal ash migrated.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.
Related Content