Council To Be Briefed on Cane Run Coal Ash Dump

The Energy & Environment Committee of the Louisville Metro Council will hear information about LG&E's proposed coal ash landfill expansion at Cane Run Rd. this evening. A representative from LG&E will speak for 15 minutes and a representative from the group of organizations working to stop the fill (among them being KFTC, KWA, and Sierra Club) will give a 15 minute presentation.

**This is NOT a public hearing. Council members will NOT be taking public comment at this meeting, but the public is welcome to attend and learn what's being presented. (I would certainly also encourage people, if they're able to, to attend the 6pm general Metro Council meeting. I do not know the full protocol for signing up to speak, but I do know people can call 502-574-1230 to register to address Council).**

LG&E has put forth a proposal to expand their coal waste storage at their Cane Run Rd. coal-fired power plant. This new coal ash landfill would be 60 acres large, have the capacity to hold 5.7 million cubic yards of coal ash, and reach a height of 14 stories. People living near coal ash impoundments face risk up to a 1 in 50 risk of getting cancer and risk liver, kidney, and lung damage from exposure to it. The EPA has categorized the already-standing coal ash pond as “high hazard,” meaning if a breach would likely cause human death.

To learn more about coal ash, check out KFTC's hand-out: http://www.kftc.org/publications/coal_ash_factsheet%20PDF.pdf

To get involved in this local campaign, contact Beth Bissmeyer at beth@kftc.org