RALEIGH - State regulators issued a $6.6 million fine Tuesday to Duke Energy for environmental violations related to the February 2014 coal ash spill at the company’s Dan River power plant in Eden. The fine covers civil penalties the company committed before, during and after the spill and only accounts for violations that the utility pled guilty to in criminal court in May 2015. The agency reserves the right to issue additional fines for other violations associated with the spill.

“The state is holding Duke Energy accountable so that it and others understand there are consequences to breaking the law,” Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality Donald R. van der Vaart said. “We are moving forward with enforcement actions against Duke Energy for not complying with environmental laws that protect North Carolina’s environment from catastrophes like the Dan River spill.”

The department entered an agreement with the federal government in March 2014 to jointly enforce these violations against Duke Energy. The department decided not to proceed with the March 2014 agreement to avoid further delays in the process. The state has the authority and information it needs to move forward on its own.