CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy
today announced the substantial completion of a number of
conservation and recreation projects the company initiated in the
wake of the February 2014 Dan River
coal ash release, along with the completed excavation of the two
coal ash basins at the former Dan River Steam Station.
Now the federal government is seeking public comment on the Dan
River restoration plan as part of the Natural Resources Damage
Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) process, which is designed to
address potential impacts from an environmental event.
In the wake of the 2014 ash release, water quality in the Dan
River returned to normal in a few days, drinking water always
remained safe, and continued testing has shown no impact on the
river's aquatic life – the long-term monitoring report for the
river is available here. However, there were temporary losses in
fishing and recreational use of the river.
With input from state and federal agencies, and guided by
stakeholder feedback gathered in the fall of 2014, Duke Energy
selected several local conservation and recreation projects that
community members said were important to them, including funding
the protection of three parcels of land along the Mayo River;
removing a dam on the Pigg River; improving Abreu Grogan Park in Danville, Va.; and creating additional public
access on the Dan River.
"These environmental projects conserve important land, improve
aquatic habitat and allow more community access to nature and the
outdoors," said Paul Draovitch, Duke
Energy senior vice president for environment, health and safety.
"After collaborating with our neighbors, we moved forward quickly
with restoration projects that would provide broad environmental
and community value. We look forward to hearing the public's
feedback on this important work."
Duke Energy proactively completed most of the projects outlined
in the NRDAR restoration plan even before the plan was finalized.
As part of the public review process, the Department of Justice and
the Department of Interior have now made a required court filing,
which includes details of the company's work and seeks comment
before issuing the final report.
Details regarding the Duke Energy-funded conservation and
recreation projects can be found as follows in the restoration
plan:
- Mayo River Conservation (p.17) – Acquisition and
conservation of up to 618 acres in this corridor as part of the
Mayo River State Park on both sides of the state line, protecting a
significant aquatic habitat with at least 10 rare and listed
aquatic species, and providing greater access and safety for the
public to more than 10 miles of the Mayo River for recreation.
- Pigg River Dam Removal (p.19) – Removal of a defunct dam
to support recovery of the federally and state-listed Roanoke logperch through aquatic habitat
restoration, fish passage, and restoration of aquatic connectivity
within the Pigg River ecosystem. The project removed the last
impediment to fish passage within a 72-mile reach of the Pigg River
from the headwaters down to the Leesville Reservoir.
- Abreu Grogan Park Improvements (p.19) – Closed for four
months after the Dan River spill to be used as a staging ground for
the Dan River cleanup; improvements increased access to the river
and use of the park by a broader population in Danville, Va., as the only access to the
14-mile section of the Dan River designated as a Virginia Scenic
River.
- Establishment of Dan River Public Boat Launch
Facilities (p.20) – Negotiation on potential properties is
ongoing for one motorized boat access location or two non-motorized
boat access locations.
Safe Ash Basin Closure
The company has made strong progress closing ash basins across
North Carolina in a manner that
continues to protect people and the environment. In May, Duke
Energy completed excavation of the two coal ash basins at the
former Dan River Steam Station, which closed in 2012 and was
replaced with a combined-cycle station that same year.
Powered by natural gas, the 620-megawatt station is cleaner and
more efficient, serving about 500,000 customers – nearly double the
capacity of the retired steam station. In early June, third-party
consultants confirmed the excavation was complete, ahead of
regulator review for the Aug. 1 basin
closure deadline.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150
company headquartered in Charlotte,
N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the
U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating
capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities and
3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables
unit.
Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience,
modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and
expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy
future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric
Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve
approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states –
North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio
and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities
and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6
million customers in five states – North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit
operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as
well as energy storage and microgrid projects.
Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2019 "World's Most Admired
Companies" list and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list.
More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.
The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact
sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's
illumination features stories about people, innovations,
community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on
Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Contact: Bill Norton
Office: 980.373.7276
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
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SOURCE Duke Energy