Governor Pat McCrory is joining a chorus of voices from protestors who have been outside Duke Energy’s headquarters. The company is under pressure to lay out plans for what it will do with coal ash at their 14 locations after a broken stormwater pipe sent contaminated water and coal ash into the Dan River.
Researchers at Wake Forest University used pictures taken by a drone to create 3D images, which allowed them to calculate that the broken pipe caused $35 million gallons of contaminated water to flow into the river.
The Dan River feeds a reservoir which supplies drinking water to Hampton Roads, but Public Works officials have said there was no danger to the Hampton Roads water supply.
Both the governor and the director of the state’s Department of Environment and natural resources are asking the company to give them answers by March 15.
Soon, the Department of Natural Resources will begin testing to see if fish in the river are contaminated.
