COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A bill that could shield Duke Energy from having to clean out polluted coal ash ponds in two areas of South Carolina will move to the Senate for consideration.
The State newspaper reported (https://bit.ly/1mSlrNS) the House approved the bill 80-30 this past week. The bill would block lawsuit by citizen groups under the S.C. Pollution Control Act.
Democratic Rep. James Smith calls the bill “amnesty for polluters.”
The S.C Manufacturers Alliance is championing the bill, which Republican Rep. Nelson Hardwick sponsored. Alliance chief executive Lewis Gossett says environmental groups, not everyday citizens, file most citizen lawsuits.
Smith says the bill would apply to any company but is particularly relevant to Duke Energy.
A coal ash spill occurred last month at a Duke waste lagoon in North Carolina.
___
Information from: The State, https://www.thestate.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.