North Carolina: Coal Ash Disposal, Damage and Regulation

North Carolina ranks 9th in the U.S. for coal ash generation, producing over 5.5 million tons annually. The state's infrastructure is characterized by 37 ponds, 29 of which are rated "high hazard," meaning failure would likely cause human life loss and significant economic and environmental damage. Most ponds lack liners and leachate collection systems, with 27 ponds being over 30 years old. Documented failures include breaches at the W.H. Weatherspoon, Cliffside, and Roxboro stations, as well as a 2010 failure at the Sutton plant. Water contamination is widespread, with 13 documented cases involving high levels of selenium, arsenic, and other heavy metals in groundwater and surface water. Regulatory gaps persist, as ponds built before 1994 are not required to have liners or conduct groundwater monitoring, and landfill monitoring remains discretionary.

• North Carolina generates over 5.5 million tons of coal ash annually, ranking 9th in the United States. The state has 37 coal ash ponds across 14 plants, 29 of which are classified as "high hazard," indicating that a failure would "probably cause a loss of human life in addition to economic loss, environmental damage and damage to infrastructure."
• The infrastructure of North Carolina's coal ash ponds is largely outdated and lacks essential safety features. No pond has a composite liner, only four have any liner, and only six of the 37 ponds possess leachate collection systems. Additionally, 27 ponds are older than 30 years.
• There are 13 documented cases of water contamination linked to disposal sites. Notable examples include selenium contamination in Hyco Lake and Belews Lake—which eliminated 16 of 20 fish species in the latter—and groundwater exceedances of federal drinking water standards for arsenic at the Sutton plant (up to 29 times the standard) and the Lee plant (up to 44 times the standard).
• North Carolina's regulatory framework contains significant gaps. Ponds constructed before 1994 are not required to have liners, caps, or perform groundwater monitoring. Furthermore, monitoring for coal ash landfills is discretionary rather than mandatory, and there is no requirement for onsite groundwater monitoring after a landfill is closed.

APA

Earthjustice (n.d.). North Carolina: Coal Ash Disposal, Damage and Regulation. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/nc-coal-ash-factsheet-1112.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. North Carolina: Coal Ash Disposal, Damage and Regulation. n.d. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/nc-coal-ash-factsheet-1112.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=North Carolina: Coal Ash Disposal, Damage and Regulation |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/nc-coal-ash-factsheet-1112.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjusticendnorth, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{North Carolina: Coal Ash Disposal, Damage and Regulation}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/nc-coal-ash-factsheet-1112.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }