"ON THE DAN RIVER, N.C. — Canoe guide Brian Williams dipped his paddle downstream from where thousands of tons of coal ash has been spewing for days into the Dan River, turning the wooden blade flat to bring up a lump of gray sludge."
"On the riverbank, hundreds of workers at a Duke Energy power plant in North Carolina scrambled to plug a hole in a pipe at the bottom of a 27-acre pond where the toxic ash was stored.
Since the leak was first discovered by a security guard Sunday afternoon, Duke estimates up to 82,000 tons of ash mixed with 27 million gallons of contaminated water has spilled into the river. Officials at the nation's largest electricity provider say they cannot provide a timetable for when the leak will be fully contained, though the flow has lessened significantly as the pond has emptied."
Michael Biesecker reports for the Associated Press February 5, 2014.
SEE ALSO:
"Duke Energy Battles to Halt Leak Amid Coal-Ash Review" (Bloomberg)
"More Than 80,000 Tons Of Coal Ash Flow Into N.C. River" (NPR)
"NC Coal Ash Spill Draws New Focus To Controversial Industrial Waste" (CBS News)
Editorial: "Getting Ahead of the Next Coal Ash Leak" (Charlotte Observer)
"Local Water Supply Protected From Coal Ash Spill" (WAVY)
"Virginia Beach: City's Water Supply Not Contaminated By Coal Ash" (Hampton Roads Daily Press)
"Video: Impact on Wildlife From Eden Coal Ash Spill Unknown" (Raleigh News-Record)
"Duke Energy Spills Thousands Of Tons Of Coal Ash Into North Carolina River" (DeSmogBlog)
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