RALEIGH, N.C. - Federal authorities have launched a criminal investigation into a massive coal ash spill into the Dan River.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Raleigh issued a grand jury subpoenas demanding records from Duke Energy and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The subpoenas seek emails, memos and reports from 2010 through the Feb. 2 spill.
The Associated Press obtained a copy on Thursday of the subpoena issued to the state. A Duke spokesman confirmed the company had also received one.
Duke initially estimated the spill at 50,000 to 82,000 tons of coal ash, but this week the company said its estimates were wrong. Duke now 30,000 to 39,000 tons spilled into the river.
Prosecutors ordered the state environmental agency's chief lawyer to appear next month before a grand jury.