Greenpeace activists, in what promises to be a long, high-profile campaign against Duke Energy for perceived environmental wrongs, launched the first salvo last week by unfurling a banner 400 feet above the ground on a Progress Energy smoke stack reading “Duke Energy: The climate needs real Progress.”

Duke and Progress are in merger mode, which could make Duke the biggest utility in the country.

The activists pointed to the Asheville-located Progress Energy coal fired power plant’s use of mountain top removal coal, the most destructive form of mining, and that the plant’s coal ash ponds are designated as ‘high hazard’ by the EPA, meaning they would be likely to kill people should they spill.

“It’s past time to send a message to Duke and Progress that they can’t continue to pollute the air, poison the water, destroy mountains and cause climate change just to make a profit,” said Climate Campaigner and Activist Robert Gardner.

Sixteen activists were arrested.