FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 17, 2014

CONTACT: Dan Crawford, Director of Governmental Relations, NC League of Conservation Voters; dan@nclcv.org, 919-839-0020 or 919-539-1422

Raleigh, NC – Dan Crawford, director of governmental relations for North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, today responded to Thom Tillis’ spin about his record on coal ash. Tillis’ claims follow the launch of NCLCV’s television ad campaign asking North Carolinians to urge Speaker Tillis to protect our drinking water from coal ash contamination.

“Thom Tillis is not coming clean about his responsibility for bad coal ash legislation or his poor environmental record. His past performance is so abysmal that he’s earned a horrible 26% lifetime score on our Legislative Scorecard. If Speaker Tillis has finally seen the light of day on coal ash, then he should put North Carolina families before his polluting allies and finally implement the strongest possible safeguards to protect our drinking water from coal ash spills,” said Crawford.

The Coal Ash Management Act of 2014, which Speaker Tillis rushed through the House process, has major flaws and leaves taxpayers on the hook:

• It fails to assign financial responsibility which may leave ratepayers to share the burden of costs.
• It allows some impoundments to be capped in place without a liner or any other separation between coal ash and water supplies.
• It attempts to weaken existing groundwater protection laws.
• It creates a politically appointed commission with the authority to reject a cleanup plan if needed fixes are deemed too expensive.

By backing this bill, Speaker Tillis is ignoring public demand for more protection. A poll commissioned by NCLCV just after the Dan River coal ash disaster found that 83% said they want lawmakers to make Duke Energy clean up all their coal ash sites and move the hazardous material to safe and secure containment facilities, and away from water supplies.

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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.