FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2014

CONTACT: Dan Crawford, Director of Governmental Relations, Office 919-839-0020, Mobile 919-539-1422, dan@nclcv.org

RALEIGH – According to a new public opinion survey released today, the vast majority of North Carolina voters want state lawmakers to take swift and forceful action to require Duke Energy to clean up all of its toxic coal ash lagoons around North Carolina. Perhaps most surprisingly, 9 in 10 North Carolinians have heard about the Dan River coal ash spill.

Among the poll’s key findings:

• 93% of voters want state lawmakers to force Duke Energy to clean up the Dan River;
• 83% want lawmakers to make Duke clean up all their other coal ash sites and move the material to safe and secure containment facilities;
• 81% say lawmakers should “act now” and not study the issue any further; and
• 77% say they are more likely to vote for a state lawmaker that “gets tough with corporate polluters like Duke Energy.”

“The people have spoken and they demand swift and forceful action from our state lawmakers to require Duke Energy to clean up its mess,” said Dan Crawford, director of governmental relations for NCLCV. “While another disaster is just waiting to happen, Gov. McCrory and state legislators should not wait any longer to take the necessary steps to ensure these coal ash sites are cleaned up immediately.”

The NC League of Conservation Voters commissioned the Public Policy Polling survey of 666 North Carolina voters that was conducted February 21-23.

The full poll analysis with crosstabs is available here.

NC League of Conservation Voters is a statewide environmental advocacy organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing North Carolina’s natural environment. NCLCV has been working to protect North Carolina’s environment and our citizen’s health for over 40 years, turning environmental values into North Carolina priorities. NCLCV’s vision for the future of North Carolina is that all citizens and our elected decision-makers will better understand and appreciate North Carolina’s unique natural environment, and the integral role it plays in North Carolina’s economy and quality of life.