Plans on how to deal with coal ash around the Hoosier State are being finalized by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Indiana has 84 coal-ash lagoons, more than any other state, and is second only to Texas for its dependence on coal energy. Jodi Perras with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign says those dump sites have dangerous toxins and metals that can leach into drinking water.
Perras says every year, the nation’s coal plants produce 140 million tons of coal ash pollution, which is the by-product that is left over after the coal is burned.
Dr. Indra Frank with the Hoosier Environmental Council says the toxins found in coal ash have been linked to organ disease, cancer, respiratory illness, neurological damage and developmental problems.
Perras says while the state is still trying to determine what to do with these dump sites, now’s a good time to speak up. She suggests everyone contact their local lawmakers.
IDEM will finish a draft plan by the end of the year. The final plan requires federal approval from the Environmental Protection Agency.