Duke Energy wants citizens group out of ash action

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — (AP) — Duke Energy is asking a judge to prevent citizens groups from taking part in any enforcement action that would make the company clean up nearly three dozen coal ash pits across North Carolina.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources filed a complaint against Duke last year. Several citizens groups got involved in the case, saying the pits polluted groundwater.

But Duke filed a motion Monday to remove the citizens' groups from the case.

The company had agreed to a consent order last year to study cleaning up ash pits at two plants, but that agreement was recently scrapped.

The motion comes nearly two months after a massive coal ash spill at Duke's plant in Eden coated 70 miles of the Dan River in toxic sludge.

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