Coal Ash and Carolina: Progress Energy on NPR
My classmates are well aware of my love for NPR, and my fellow public radio fans might have heard one of my Progress Energy* colleagues, Scott Sutton, on yesterday’s WUNC segment entitled “Coal Ash Debate Comes to North Carolina.” Scott works in Corporate Communications as the company’s environmental spokesperson; he also leads our social media efforts.
The coal ash conversation is an interesting example of the interaction between the public, private and nonprofit sectors, represented in the radio piece by the EPA, Progress Energy and the Sierra Club. The interplay between the three sectors around different issues and events has been one of the most interesting parts of my work here this summer. Within this private company, there is still a great need for knowledge about the interworking of governmental and nonprofit agencies. (My department’s VP was the press secretary for former NC governor Mike Easley, and my manager is an UNC MPA alum.)
Progress Energy is actively working to reduce our use of coal in North Carolina. Last August the company announced plans to permanently close three coal-fueled plants to build a state-of-the-art natural gas fueled facility. The new plant will reduce emissions while increase electric generation capacity.
You can read more about Progress Energy’s environment news here.
*The views expressed on this blog posting are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
