A coal ash pond owned by Duke Energy leaked in North Carolina last week. Environmental groups are now criticizing state regulators for seeking to delay an agreement with Duke that would shield it from responsibility for cleaning up pollution of waterways. The North Carolina government says it will re-evaluate the agreement in light of the spill, but environmentalists say it is a move to buy time until public outcry subsides. Over the past year, the administration of North Carolina governor and former Duke employee Pat McCrory has shielded the company from a series of potential lawsuits.