The Dynegy Vermilion coal-fired power plant closed in 2011, leaving behind three large ash pits containing millions of gallons of coal combustion waste laced with toxic heavy metals and carcinogens, the result of years of burning coal. All three pits are located in the floodplain; two of the pits are unlined and actively leaching into underlying groundwater.
While state and federal agencies weigh new rules and regulations for the closure of coal ash ponds, Vermilion County residents and local experts raise their concerns about the possibility of a disaster similar to those that occurred in Tennessee and North Carolina, where coal ash pits burst, sending tons of toxic sludge downstream.
Watch the new video from Eco-Justice Collaborative:
Waiting for Disaster – Coal Ash on the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River from Eco-Justice Collaborative on Vimeo.
Sign this petition to urge local, state and regional decision makers to support complete closure and cleanup of these ash pits to preserve the health of the Middle Fork River and the communities that depend on it for future generations.
