SUMMARY OF RELEVANT INFORMATON
The following summary of information is compiled from information listed in this report.
Investigators’ statements and opinions are included, where appropriate, to reflect the
relevance of the information.
Events in Late 2017
In late 2017, the ACP partners were working with NC DEQ to obtain the required 401
Water Quality Certification. The permit was needed by the end of December 2017 so tree
clearing could begin and be completed by March 31, 2018
In late 2017, local business leaders, The Department of Commerce and the Governor’s
Office expressed concern that the ACP would not deliver on promises of job creation and
economic development and expressed concern that gas from the ACP would not be
available as promised. The local business leaders, while communicating with the
Governor’s Office, requested that the ACP partners create a fund to be used to pay for
the extension of gas lines.
November 30, 2017, ACP executives consistently relayed the message that the ACP
would make gas available and that availability and lower price would spur economic
development and a fund would not be required.
Also, in late 2017, Duke and the solar industry were involved in a dispute over an
interpretation of a section of HB 589, referred to as the Nameplate Dispute. In November
of 2017, this dispute was at an impasse.

Governor Cooper Meets with Lynn Good on November 30, 2017
On November 30, 2017, a meeting was held between Lynn Good, CEO of Duke, and
Governor Cooper. At this meeting, Governor Cooper asked Good to create a fund to
extend gas lines as his “advisors”, the local business leaders, had previously requested.
The Governor also asked Good to work to resolve the Nameplate Dispute.
Governor Connects Nameplate Dispute, Mitigation Fund and 401 Permits
Good said the Governor did not make the issuance of the ACP Permits, conditional on
the creation of a fund or the resolution of the nameplate dispute. However, she
understood from their conversation, that the Governor wanted these tasks completed by
the end of December 2017, and at same time as the issuance of the ACP permits. This
timeframe, coincidently, is the same time that the ACP needed the Permits signed to
begin tree clearing.

 The text messages on January 2, 2018, between Eudy and McKinney show the MOU and
Nameplate Settlement were not negotiated separately. In their texts, they agree that they
should not “sign ACP agreement unless solar deal works”.
The following was stated in text messages between Ken Eudy and Alex Miller, a
Lobbyist for the solar industry. This text shows that Eudy is using information from the
solar industry involved with the Nameplate Dispute to negotiate with the ACP.
Miller: “My POCs are out already so I’ll need to get this directly from Markus.
Can I tell him why you’re asking?”
Eudy: “Trying to negotiate wit your friends over ACP. Wanna have the number
of projects in my hip pocket.
Duke Begins to Work on Creating a Fund and Resolving Nameplate Dispute
On December 1, 2017 Good instructed her staff to begin working to resolve nameplate
dispute and create a fund as requested by Governor Cooper.
The Nameplate Dispute was resolved (in principle) on December 14, 2017. (See
Nameplate Dispute Conclusion below)
Statements That Duke was Considering a Fund are Not Corroborated
Even though, information, as listed in this report, shows that Duke was not contemplating
a fund prior to November 30, 2017, some Duke executives said that Duke had considered
the creation of a fund prior to that date. The below information contradicts these
statements:
Fountain said on November 22, 2017, he told “advisors” in Eastern North Carolina that a
fund was not needed. He said he changed his mind, between November 22, 2017 and
November 30, 2017, when he learned that West Virginia and Virginia had negotiated
funds. Information listed in this report shows that Fountain did not learn of the Virginia
and West Virginia funds, until December 11 or 12 of 2017.
Lloyd Yates said he, Fountain and Frank Yoho had conversations about creating a fund
for economic development prior to December 2017.
He said they were just
conversations, and there are no emails or documents reflecting this idea. He said no
numbers were run, or any analysis conducted regarding the fund prior to December.

 Hawkins, who was primarily responsible for creating the fund, after it was requested by
the Governor, said that prior to November 30, 2017, she was not aware of any internal
research or analysis by Duke regarding the creation of a fund.
Duke has not produced any documents to show a fund was being considered by Duke,
prior to November 30, 2017.
The initial draft of the fund was prepared by Duke. This draft showed the fund was entirely
designated for environmental mitigation. This draft is inconsistent with the premise that
Duke had put effort into considering a fund for the sole purpose of economic development.
This first draft was not simply a template of the Virginia MOU as has been suggested by
Ken Eudy, in his interview with Travis Fain and in his testimony on November 8, 2019.
Information from Dominion shows that a paragraph was purposely added to the first draft
of fund to allow for other uses beyond mitigation of interior forest habitat. No Duke
Executives could explain why the first draft was written and submitted in this way.
Governor’s Office Planned Uses of the Fund Prior to the Meeting with Lynn Good
Ken Eudy, in his testimony on November 8, 2019, stated that the Governor did not ask
Lynn Good to create a fund during the meeting on November 30, 2018. In his interview
with Travis Fain, he said Duke came up with the Idea of the fund.
Even though Eudy said Duke came up with the Idea of the fund sometime after November
30, 2017, information listed in this report shows that the Governor’s Office was planning
ways to use money from an “ACP Mitigation” fund prior to that date.
A document titled “Possible ACP Mitigation Options was created as the result of a “APC
Brainstorm” meeting at DEQ on 11/28/17. This document lists possible uses of funds
relating to the ACP. This document was emailed from DEQ to the Julia White then to Kristi
Jones at the Governor’s Office who, at that time, was preparing questions and talking
points for a meeting, on 11/30/17, between the Governor and Lynn Good.
Duke Begins Work to Create a Fund at the Request of the Governor
In the first week of December 2017, Duke calculated (based on farm and tap data in the
path of the proposed pipeline) an amount of $50 Million for the fund. ($25 Million for
economic development and $25 Million for agriculture). $5 Million was added later at the
suggestion of Dominion for environmental mitigation.
On December 5, 2017, Kathy Hawkins proposed this amount to Ken Eudy.
On December 6, 2017, Julia White emailed the document “Possible ACP Mitigation
Options” (created on November 28, 2017) directly to Governor Cooper”

 On December 13, 2017, Duke sent the initial draft of the proposed fund for $55 Million to
Ken Eudy. This draft showed the fund was entirely designated for environmental
mitigation.
On December,19 2017, Ken Eudy and Kathy Hawkins discussed the proposed fund.
During the discussion, Eudy told Hawkins that Governor would be making the final
decision on the ACP Permit instead of DEQ Secretary Regan. Hawkins texted this
information to Lynn Good.
On November 8, 2019, in his testimony before the Joint Legislative Commission on
Governmental Operation Subcommittee on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Ken Eudy was
asked: “Did you inform anyone that the Governor would be making the decision on the
401 Certification?” Eudy answered, “No, Sir”.
Governor’s Office Takes Control of Fund & ACP 401 Permit
On December 20, 2017, The Governor’s Office sent a revised draft for the fund, changing
several things. The counterparty was changed to “the State of North Carolina by and
through the Office of the Governor”. The purpose of the fund was changed to reflect the
funds would be designated for environmental mitigation, economic development and
renewable energy.
Even though Duke had stated the intended purpose of the fund was to provide economic
development by extending gas lines from the ACP, Duke accepted these changes and
did not dispute the new designated uses of the fund.
On December 20, 2017, texts messages and emails, which the Governor’s Office
provided, indicated the Governor’s Office, in preparing a new document in response to
Duke’s proposed fund had considered requesting the fund amount be increased to $80
million.
On December 20, 2017, McKinney texted Eudy about the red line MOU. Stating “Sending
now. Aggregate fund amount listed at 80M. Can move that around.”
Eudy Replied: “Nah. Leave it at $55mm. From this text, it appears as the fund is not based
on any real need or analysis.
At some point in December 2017, Hawkins asked Ann Loomis of Dominion, about
increasing the fund to $80 Million to match total mitigation of Virginia. After Loomis
explained Virginia’s mitigation differences, the NC fund remained at $55 Million.
The above facts indicate the Governors Office was asking for more money that was
initially offered by Duke, showing the fund was not voluntary.
When asked, Lynn Good, Kathy Hawkins, David Fountain and Lloyd Yates could not
explain why the purpose of “renewable energy” was included in the new MOU. Lynn
Good said the administration of the fund was left to the State of North Carolina.

 On December 29, 2017, Leslie Hartz, on ACP signed an updated version of the MOU
and, according to text messages, the Governor’s Office was planning to sign the MOU on
January 2, 2018. Text messages indicated the signing the MOU was cancelled because
the nameplate dispute settlement was not complete.
On January 3, 2018, Jeni Owen of the Governor’s Office, sent an email to Governor’s
Office staff members indicating Virginia has negotiated a $100 million ACP mitigation fund
agreement.
On January 4, 2018, as DEQ employees were finalizing ACP Hearing Officers Report and
planning to send it to Division Director, the DEQ Secretary’s Office requested that the HO
Report be reviewed by the Secretary’s Office. This additional review delayed the issuance
of the 401 Permit by approximately 2 weeks. No edits were made to the HO report when
it was returned from the Secretary’s Office.
On January 11, 2018, after learning that Virginia negotiated a fund for $57.8 Million
(entirely for mitigation of interior forest habitat), Ken Eudy and William McKinney request
an additional $2.8 Million from Kathy Hawkins of Duke. Duke did not agree at that time.
On January 13, 2018, Hawkins texted Eudy to ask help in getting Programmatic
Agreement (PA) signed so VA and WV can begin cutting trees. Eudy said he will help but
instead orders the PA to be recalled on Sunday, January 14, 2018. Eudy has claimed he
had it recalled for legal review. Eudy did not inform Hawkins that he was recalling the PA.
On January 16, 2018, Lloyd Yates texted Kristi Jones, Governor’s Chief of Staff, to ask
why ACP Permit is dragging. In his text he said, “we have had a number of discussions
with Eudy and slow progress”. This text is consistent with the Statement Eudy made to
Hawkins on December 19, 2017 when he told her the Governor will be making the
decision on the ACP Permit. In this text Lloyd says they were discussing the slow progress
with Eudy. He doesn’t mention anything about discussions with DEQ. In this text string,
Yates and Jones make arrangements for Lynn Good and Governor Cooper to have a
discussion on January 17, 2018 at 4:00PM about the ACP Permit. Nothing is suggested
by Jones that Duke should speak with DEQ about the permit.

Conversation Between Governor Cooper and Lynn Good on January 17, 2018
Lynn Good said during her phone conversation with Governor Cooper on January 17,
2018, he requested that the mitigation fund be increased by $2.8 Million to $57.8 Million.
Good agreed to Cooper’s request.
The next day, On January 18, 2018 at 12:31PM, an email titled “ACP TICK TOCK” was
sent by Ken Eudy to the Governor’s Staff members. Eudy states in the email “Gov wants
to get a tick tock on this. Here’s a start. Can you fill it out? He especially wants to

 understand how we think the word of the solar and mitigation agreements will get out. I
put a placeholder statement in for discussion purposes only”.
The email has a planned schedule of tasks as follows:
Timing

Activity

Owner.

1-18
State Historic Preservation Officer signs PA agreement returns it to FERC”. William.
1-18/24 Gov Makes stakeholder calls Morgan
1-19 Sr. staff reviews internal and external messing, sends to gov Julia
1-19 DEQ staff begins process of final 401 approval Julia
1-19/1-22 Gov reviews messaging Sadie
1-23 Gov staff meets with DEQ to align communications Julia
1-23 Gov staff meets with Commerce to secure statements from economic leaders Ken
1-23 Gov staff meets with Solar developers to nail down their messaging on queue agreement Ken
1-23/24 Sr. staff may tweak messages base on stakeholder feedback Sadie
1-25 pm Legislative liaison briefs caucus leaders Brad
1-26 am DEQ notifies ACP Julia
1-26 am NCDP briefed Morgan
1-26 noon DEQ issues 401 permit Julia
1-26 Press office issues gov statement outlining carbon-offsetting measures Sadie
1-26 pm Local or regional stakeholder calls by IGR Jordan

This email was sent at 12:31PM, the day after Lynn Good agreed to increase the
Mitigation Fund by $2.8 Million. The additional $2.8 Million that had been previously
requested by McKinney and Eudy on January 11, 2018. It appears that Duke did not
agree to the additional funds, until Cooper asked Good. It also appears that after Good
agreed to the additional funds, Eudy and the Governor discussed that DEQ would begin
the final 401 Permit Process for the ACP.
The first item on the schedule indicates that On January 18, 2018, “The State Historic
Preservation Officer signs PA, returns it to FERC”. The owner of this task is listed as
“William”.
Eudy has made statements that he recalled the PA, on January 14, 2017, for “legal
review” and it was returned after the review. From Eudy’s email instruction to William
McKinney to get the PA signed and returned, it is apparent that the legal review, was
complete (or was never required) but it had not yet been signed and returned.
On January 18, 2018 at 4:19 PM, McKinney texted Roy Cooper “PA signed and sent. DE
notified”. Cooper texted back “Great”. This text indicates Cooper was aware that the PA
had been previously recalled and that Duke was expecting a notification of when it would
be sent.
According to his “Tick-Tock” email, on January 19, 2018, DEQ would to begin the process
of the final ACP 401 permit. This is consistent with Eudy’s statement on December 19,
2017, to Kathy Hawkins, that the Governor would be making the final decision on the 401
Permit.

 On January 18, 2018, at 10:00PM, Karen Higgins emailed Brian Wrenn, the draft 401
certification and draft denial letter. On January 19, 2018, at 9:26PM, Karen Higgins
emailed Brian Wrenn with revised 401 and HO Report. The HO Report was unchanged
when she got it back from the Secretary’s Office.
Governor’s Office Attempts to Make the MOU Appear to Be Voluntary
On February 8, 2018, at a hearing held by the House and Senate Appropriations Base/
Budget Committees, Lee Lilley, Director of Legislative Affairs for the Governor’s Office,
was questioned about the relationship of the MOU to the 401 WQC. Lilley stated that the
MOU was a voluntary agreement made by the project developers and had was separate
from the 401 WQC.
On February 8, 2018, Ken Eudy called Kathy Hawkins, after the General Assembly’s Joint
House and Senate Appropriations/Base Budget committees meeting, to request that
Duke prepare a letter stating that the $57.8 Million Fund was voluntarily provided on
behalf of the ACP. Hawkins told him that they “were not doing that.” She then notified
Duke management and they agreed that a letter, as requested by Eudy, would not be
prepared.
On November 8, 2019, in his testimony before the Joint Legislative Commission on
Governmental Operation Subcommittee on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Ken Eudy stated
the following in response to questions:
SENATOR BROWN: Did you ask Duke to provide a statement regarding the voluntary
status of the MOU and fund?
KEN EUDY: No, Sir.
SENATOR BROWN: Just to back track for one second. I asked you earlier did you ask
Duke to provide a statement regarding the voluntary status of the MOU and fund. Did
anyone in the Governor’s Office do that?
KEN EUDY: Not that I am aware of.

Nameplate Dispute Information
The information listed under the Nameplate Dispute Section shows that, prior to the
meeting between Duke CEO, Lynn Good and Governor Cooper on November 30,
2017, Duke wanted to resolve the nameplate dispute.
Prior to November 30, 2017, the Public Staff was unwilling to assist in the negotiations
between Duke and the Solar Industry. Duke was not willing to settle, without the support
of the Public Staff, because the costs of the settlement could not be passed to
ratepayers.
On November 30, 2017, Governor Cooper asked Lynn Good to work to resolve the

 nameplate dispute. Good informed him that a settlement would result in approximately
$180 Million in lost savings to ratepayers from HB589. Knowing this, Cooper asked her
to resolve the nameplate dispute and create a mitigation fund, by the end of December
2017.
After the meeting between Lynn Good and Governor Cooper, on November 30, 2017,
Duke found that Chis Ayers and the Public Staff were willing to assist in negotiations and
offered to hold a meeting at their office on December 14, 2017, where a deal was reached.
Information from Duke, the Public Staff and the solar industry, shows that the
Governor’s Office encouraged all parties to settle the nameplate dispute and did not
advocate for one side or the other. However, the Governor knew that a settlement
would potentially cost the ratepayers $180 Million and would benefit the solar industry.
The actual settlement, at the middle nameplate rating, resulted in loss of savings of
approximately $100 Million. As a result of the settlement the solar industry benefited
by having more solar facilities connected at the grandfathered rates and contract terms.
Duke agreed to the settlement because the Public Staff recommended that the costs
to add additional facilities would be passed to ratepayers.
Ayers said the agreement, on the surface, did not necessarily provide the most benefit to
the ratepayers for whom the Public Staff advocates. However, the agreement avoided a
potential lawsuit by solar groups that could have cost ratepayers more if the solar groups
were successful.
Duke executives have provided differing opinions of their concerns over lawsuits.
Hawkins said Chris Ayers, who was appointed by a Republican Governor, was supportive
of the negotiations and was key to the settlement. Hawkins acknowledged that Ayers was
now subject to reappointment by the current Governor.
On May 1, 2019, Governor Cooper announced that he nominated Ayers for
reappointment as the Executive Director of the Public Staff of the North Carolina Public
Utilities Commission.
Duke Executives Stated that MOU and Nameplate Settlement not a Condition of 401
Certification
Duke CEO, Lynn Good insisted that the ACP partners and Duke did not believe that the
creation of the Mitigation Fund and Settlement of the Nameplate Dispute, as requested
by Cooper, had any bearing on the issuance or timing of the 401 Permit for the ACP.
She said the ACP partners and Duke believed that the ACP was entitled to the permits.
Good said “Duke did not and would not pay for permits”. Executives of Duke made
similar statements.

 Information in this report shows that Duke and the ACP partners provided all required
information to DEQ and were entitled to the permits. No information has been found to
indicate that Duke and the ACP partners “paid’ for a permit that they were not entitled to
receive. However, the information shows, at the Governor’s request, Duke and the ACP
partners agreed to create a fund, that was not a requirement imposed by the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission or the State of North Carolina. The benefit to the ACP
partners for creating the fund, is not clear. The MOU for the fund showed the fund was
to be controlled entirely by the governor, with no documents showing how it would be
administered. The listed purposes of the Governor’s fund could not be fully explained by
the Duke Executives interviewed. Information in this report shows that permits,
needed by the ACP, were delayed until Duke agreed to the full fund amount of $57.8
Million.
Multiple Requests for Cumulative Impact Information
During the evaluation by DEQ of the 401 Certification application, multiple requests
were made to the ACP for additional information. These requests consistently asked for
additional information as it related to cumulative impacts that could result from future
economic development from the ACP. In fact, the last two requests were only asking for
information relating to cumulative impacts. Multiple requests for additional analysis of
cumulative impacts were sent because the ACP sometimes did not provide the details
on the projected economic development as requested
DEQ Employees Evaluating 401 Not Notified of Economic Development Fund
The Secretary’s Office was aware that the additional requests for information related to
the cumulative impacts from expected future economic development. DEQ employees
were required to notify the Secretary’s Office of all requests of information.
.
Information in this report shows that Secretary Regan was aware that a fund was
negotiated by the Governor’s Office and Duke and discussed the fund on December 20,
2017. Members of his office, including Sheila Holman and Jennifer Mundt were involved
in creating a document titled “ACP Mitigation Options” on November 30, 2017.
Even though, the DEQ Secretary’s Office knew that DEQ employees evaluating the 401
application, had concerns over the projected cumulative impacts from future economic
development, it did not notify them of the fund to promote economic development
near the ACP.
Governor told Duke that DEQ was “Balking” over Environmental Justice
During the meeting Between Governor Cooper and Lynn Good, on November 30, 2017,
Governor Cooper told her there was “balking” at DEQ over the issuance of permits for
the

 pipeline, and in particular over issues of environmental justice.” Cooper did not explain
what he meant by this statement but during, this meeting, Cooper also asked Good to
create a fund for economic development and to do so at the same time the ACP 401
permits were issued.
Information from DEQ employees indicated that, environmental justice issues are
important but were not a factor to be considered in the issuance of a 401 Certification.
In the final HO Report, it was written: “environmental justice is not included in the criteria
upon which the Director must evaluate the application. Although environmental justice is
not an evaluation criteria, the Department has been intimately engaged with the
stakeholders of North Carolina through the permitting process.”

 CONCLUSION
From the information presented in this report it would be reasonable to conclude that
Governor Cooper improperly used the authority and influence of his Office to cause the
ACP partnership to commit to a $55 million “Mitigation Fund” that the Governor placed
under his complete control. Governor Cooper continued to use his authority and influence
to delay the ACP permitting process until the ACP partners agreed to increase the fund
amount to $57.8 million.
Also, from the information presented in this report, it would be reasonable to conclude
that Governor Cooper used the influence and authority of his Office to pressure parties
involved in the Nameplate Dispute, to enter an agreement that favored the solar industry
at the cost of $100 Million to the ratepayers of North Carolina.
No information was identified from the investigation to show Governor Cooper personally
benefited from the creation of the Mitigation Fund or from the Nameplate Dispute
settlement.
The above conclusions are based on the information obtained from individuals and
entities to the extent they cooperated with the investigation. Additional information
potentially exists with government agencies, private companies, and individuals that have
not fully cooperated.
The investigation was not conducted for the purpose of identifying criminal violations and
the information has not been evaluated to determine if specific criminal statutes have
been violated. However, the information suggests that criminal violations may have
occurred. An investigative agency with the authority to compel cooperation and the
production of documents could potentially obtain additional information to identify
violations of criminal statutes.