Hoosier Environmental Council Offers Tanners Creek Cleanup Update

At this time, the project is moving slowly with no major updates.

(Dearborn Co., Ind.) - At the Dearborn County Board of Commissioners meeting last night, Tim Maloney gave an update on the Tanners Creek Cleanup. 

With the 4th port bringing a lot of discussion to the economic growth in the area, this cleanup has the community wondering when action will be made.  

Tim Maloney from Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) spoke to these updates at the Board of Commissioners meeting last night.

Although this is a slow moving project and has no specific timeline, his message to the city was aimed at reminding them that all of the work being done is coming from a health and safety perspective.

Maloney says that these coal ash ponds at Tanners Creek are major environmental problems that could ultimately cause issues to our air, drinking water, and the workers exposed in close range.

"Unfortunately, coal contains traces of heavy metals that are more concentrated in the ash after the carbon is burned off. When coal ash is in contact with water, or water from rain or snow runs through it, the water can become contaminated with heavy metals including arsenic, boron, lithium, molybdenum, and selenium." HEC says. 

The goal is to move this pollution of ash fallout to fully engineered landfill that is designed more for these issues. 

Regardless if the port moves forward, the Hoosier Environmental Council believes that this is something that needs to be taken care of in terms of the safety of our community. 

Tim Maloney gives examples of similar cases of pollution in Charleston, WV and Toldeo, OH where the problems have become "virtually catastrophic" for the communities. He explains how easily our situation could escalate to the same as these two cities, and we need to take it as serious as the other states have. 

Aside from the state of Indiana's study, many organizations, including the port, have researched the condition of Tanners Creek.  

LMU also raised concerns with this project due to areas being affect including Aurora, Lawrenceburg, Manchester, and Sparta. 

Maloney continues to urge the public to look at the big picture, which in this case is how the economic loss far outweighs the economic gains that the port could bring. "Let's get everything cleaned up properly to proceed in a productive and safe manner."

All of the contamination information can be found on the HEC's website. 

RELATED STORIES:

Will Tanners Creek Fly Ash Stay Or Go? Revised Closure Plan Doesn’t Satisfy Environmental Watchdog

Geoscientist Hired By City Utility Finds No Fly Ash Risk To Lawrenceburg Water Supply

Hoosier Environmental Council Updates Citizens On Findings At Tanners Creek, And It Isn't Good

IDEM Finds Large Amounts Of Fly Ash In Unpermitted Areas Of Tanners Creek Plant Site