Albertson on Neuse

After U.S. Sen. John Kerry wrote about pollution in the Neuse River in a recent book state Sen. Charles Albertson replied.

The Duplin County Democrat said that the pages in "This Moment on Earth" were misleading because they failed to mention improvements made since gillnetter Rick Dove became sick.

"Failing to mention the time period in which Mr. Dove experienced harmful algal blooms effects on the health of both fish and humans (the late 1980’s) could cause an unnecessary sense of panic in residents of and visitors to coastal North Carolina," he wrote in an April 18, 2007, letter.

Albertson also noted that North Carolina has not had a Pfiesteria piscidia bloom in eight years and that the Senate recently passed a bill he sponsored to help hog farmers upgrade their systems.

"It is offensive that none of this progress was reflected in your book and was not represented by your comments made on your book tour," he wrote.