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LG&E seeking to dump coal waste into the Ohio River
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LG&E Trimble County plant Photo: FOXnews
The Louisville Gas and Electric Company is seeking to obtain a permit from the Kentucky Division of Water to discharge coal waste from the companies Trimble County plant, into the Ohio River.
Besides the application of permit, LG&E is also expanding and modifying its coal ash storage pond at the Trimble County site by adding taller walls to hold in about twice as much wastewater. The activity has caused concern by many residents of the area as well as here in Louisville, as fears over the leaking of the wastewater into the groundwater and possibly the river cause many to organize opposition to the project.
Louisville residents and those from the surrounding areas receive their drinking water from the Ohio River and if LG&E is allowed to discharge the waste from the coal facility, then the amounts of heavy metals in the river will rise drastically, including the levels of mercury.
Health officials say the possible health risks from exposure to such metals, especially mercury are great. The Sierra Club, a national environmental organization, asserts that besides the obvious danger to the fish and other life in the river, the potential risk to humans from the toxic chemicals are cancer, kidney disease, and fragile bones for people living nearby.
The largest risk groups would be pregnant women and children under the age of six. However, the risk of development of cancer for everyone would increase, an unneeded boost that Kentucky, with cancer rates higher than the national average, cannot afford.
An LG&E spokesperson said that the Kentucky Division of Water has until July to approve or reject the permit allowing discharge into the Ohio River. For once we may hope that our local government represents the people rather than the corporations and stop LG&E from polluting our water system.
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