Water is a crucial part of not only our environment, but of our own bodies and economy. To neglect our rivers and groundwater is to sign our own death warrant. A column written by Laura Ortiz outlined her idea of the costs and benefits (or lack thereof) of moving coal ash. She highlighted the fact that Duke Energy has agreed to pay $102 million in fines, but this money will be siphoned through the state government and a fraction of it may go to the cleanup and the affected communities. Taking away so much money from Duke Energy could dissuade them from working towards a cleaner environment, causing them to look for shortcuts and cheap ways out. Waiting for Duke to close all ponds by 2029 is far too long for those households who do not have access to clean water. Ortiz also speaks about the economic impact of cleaning these sites but neglects considering the jobs that would be created by this process.

David Terrill

Resident of Raleigh