Duke seeks to allow North Carolina coal ash sites to continue leaking

COAL ASH: Permit applications from Duke Energy show the utility is seeking to allow multiple coal ash sites in North Carolina to continue leaking. (WSCO-TV)

COAL:
• A coal executive teams up with a sharply critical environmental activist to address pollution violations. (Roanoke Times)
• The Kentucky Coal Association seeks to delay the shutdown of two power plants, citing a pending legal challenge to an EPA pollution rule. (Greenwire)

SOLAR: Work begins on two Duke Energy solar projects in North Carolina, which will total 32 megawatts. (Charlotte Business Journal)

CLIMATE:
• A new IEA report says despite economic growth, global carbon emissions were flat last year. (The Hill)
• Florida, West Virginia and other states continue to push back against the Clean Power Plan. (EnergyWire)

OIL AND GAS:
• Despite a nationwide settlement, workers at a Kentucky refinery will remain on strike. (Huntington Herald-Dispatch)
• A West Virginia ​“forced pooling” bill would allow natural gas to be taken from landowners who don’t sign leases. (Associated Press)
• Louisiana gubernatorial candidates address the oil and gas industry, with one Republican pledging to be ​“a very full partner.” (Associated Press)
• A Louisiana man is fined $40,000 for filing a false wage loss claim from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. (New Orleans Times-Picayune)

KENTUCKY: A state agency launches an interactive timeline showing the state’s energy history. (Associated Press)

ELECTRIC CARS: The Georgia House passes a bill that would allow Tesla to open five retail locations in the state. (Atlanta Business Chronicle)

COMMENTARY:
• Dominion Virginia Power ​“used lawmakers to pull one over on Virginians” with a law that the utility says allows it to withhold some financial information from scrutiny. (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)
• ​“While [the North Carolina] DENR hailed this week’s action as an aggressive move in handling the coal ash issue, history indicates otherwise.” (Jacksonville Daily News)