In 2014, North Carolina experienced its worst environmental disaster when nearly 40,000 tons of coal ash spilled into the Dan River, polluting drinking water and endangering wildlife. This devastating spill highlighted an even bigger problem across the state. With 14 coal ash sites across the state, we are just one pipe burst away from another disaster. In light of this, the Department of Environmental Quality classified many of these sites as “high risk” and ordered the immediate clean up. However,  in her recent column titled “The costs and benefits of hauling ash,” Laura Villegas Ortiz argues against the need clean up the coal ash sites across the state.

Ortiz says that critics of the DEQ plan to argue that the coal ash sites are not polluting drinking water and that moving the coal ash to new, dry lined storage would do more harm than good. The problem is that this argument comes from Duke Energy, the culprit behind the Dan River spill. Of course Duke Energy does not want to follow the DEQ’s plan because it would cost them money and hold them responsible for their actions. Gov. Pat McCrory, who is also skeptical of the DEQ plan, worked for Duke Energy for 28 years and continued to hold stock in the company after assuming office.

When it comes to potential environmental disasters like another coal ash spill, I am inclined to trust the DEQ over the company responsible for the first spill. Duke Energy needs to be held accountable for their actions and these coal ash sites must be cleaned up for the sake of the North Carolinians who currently do not have access to safe drinking water. We simply cannot afford another disaster like the Dan River spill.

Caroline Bodie

Resident of Raleigh

This Letter to the Editor is a response to the column “The costs and benefits of hauling ash,” published July 28.