Published 12:00 am Thursday, May 30, 2013
CHARLOTTE (AP) — The state of North Carolina has filed a second lawsuit against Duke Energy, saying that coal ash threatens Charlotte’s water supply.
The Charlotte Observer reported the Division of Water Quality last week changed its existing complaint about ash stored at Duke Energy Progress Asheville plant. The addition added the Riverbend plant near Charlotte.
The state filed a separate lawsuit late last week regarding the Riverbend plant in Mecklenburg County Superior Court.
Both lawsuits complain about the risks from coal ash storage areas.
Duke has said the seepage from the storage area is normal and does not affect water quality in Mountain Island Lake. The utility says it complies with its discharge permit into the lake.
The lawsuit asks the court to require Duke to assess contamination at the site.
MOREHEAD CITY (AP) — Authorities say an arsonist might be behind a fire that has burned 60 acres in the Croatan National Forest.
Firefighters with the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies were still working Wednesday to put out the fire near N.C. 58.
Officials say they think someone intentionally set the fire in five separate areas around 5 p.m. Monday.
No injuries or property damage have been reported, but several structures were threatened Tuesday night. The highway has been closed at times in Carteret County because of heavy smoke.
In March, a wildfire at Croatan burned more than 500 acres in the 160,000-acre forest.
FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — Fifteen people are homeless after a fire destroyed an apartment building in Fayetteville.
The cause of the Tuesday fire that destroyed an eight-unit building at the Carriage Hill Apartments has not been determined.
The fire broke out shortly before noon. There were no injuries. Authorities say they think the fire started in the ground floor of the building.
CHARLOTTE (AP) — A former Charlotte city council member is running for mayor.
Edwin Peacock made the announcement Wednesday. The 43-year-old Peacock says he’d offer strong leadership and would build bipartisan support to solve problems facing North Carolina’s largest city.
The owner of a financial investment company, Peacock made an unsuccessful bid last year for the Republican nomination in the 9th Congressional District.
Peacock joins Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Cannon as a candidate for the mayor’s office. A Democrat, Cannon is looking to replace Mayor Anthony Foxx, who is President Barack Obama’s nominee for U.S. Transportation Secretary.
The city is holding a September mayoral primary. Each party’s winners will face off in the November.