http://wfae.org en http://wfae.org/post/state-board-rejects-call-coal-ash-clean <p>Duke and Progress Energy will not have to clean up seepages from fourteen coal ash ponds, according to a ruling from the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission.&nbsp; Several environmental groups including the Riverkeeper Foundation say the utilities are breaking state rules by not stopping their coal ash ponds from leaking into ground water.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>Commission chairman Steve Smith says the vote was 9-to-2 in favor of Duke and Progress.</p> Fri, 07 Dec 2012 22:18:40 +0000 Lisa Miller 17290 at http://wfae.org http://wfae.org/post/riverkeeper-coal-ash-pollution-isnt-regulated-when-it-comes-seepage <p>The Catawba Riverkeeper has identified a handful of places where water from Duke Energy’s coal ash ponds are seeping into Mountain Island Lake and Lake Wylie.&nbsp;</p><p>Catawba Riverkeeper Rick Gaskins has found four leaks, or what are called seepages, into the two lakes that provide drinking water to the Charlotte area.&nbsp; The seepages bubble up from the ground.&nbsp;</p><p>“The ones that are the easiest to spot have generally an orange-ish color to them,” says Gaskins.&nbsp;</p> Sat, 10 Nov 2012 21:05:00 +0000 Lisa Miller 15574 at http://wfae.org http://wfae.org/post/coal-ash-produces-high-arsenic-levels-mountain-island-lake-study-finds <p>A Duke University study has found high levels of coal ash contaminants in rivers and lakes downstream from coal-fired power plants. Mountain Island Lake, which provides drinking water to the Charlotte area, is one of the lakes tested that show the highest amounts of arsenic.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The study tested 11 North Carolina lakes and rivers, and it found smaller ones like Mountain Island had the highest levels of coal ash toxins.&nbsp;</p> Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:39:56 +0000 Lisa Miller 13937 at http://wfae.org