[Southsider2k12]

https://www.lakeshorepublicradio.org/2022-0...ipsco-disagrees

A new report said steel walls near the Michigan City coal plant aren’t keeping coal ash waste from getting into Lake Michigan and Trail Creek — and it will likely get worse over time. But the northern Indiana utility NIPSCO — which owns the plant — said info in the report has been “cherry-picked.”

Though NIPSCO plans to remove coal ash waste from its ponds at the Michigan City plant, it doesn’t plan to excavate the ash used as fill on the site.

NIPSCO also used coal ash as fill in the Town of Pines. The utility was ordered to remove contaminated soil from properties in the area and pay to connect about 270 homes on private drinking water wells to city water.

The report by Burgess Environmental commissioned for Earthjustice reviewed inspection reports and other documents on the stability and integrity of the walls holding some of that waste back.

The report said since the walls were put in place starting in the 1930s, their thickness has corroded. They’ve also moved and part of the wall is leaning outward.

“Well it's an indication that eventually you’re going to fail and then the contaminant — you know, the coal ash — will be exposed to the waves of Lake Michigan," said Gordon Johnson, a geological engineer for Burgess Environmental.

Nick Meyer is the vice president of communications for NiSource — NIPSCO’s parent company. He said the report “cherry-picked” information and the walls have received a “fair” rating — which means though there are some defects and deterioration, the structural elements are sound.

“Kind of picking bits and pieces of older reports and sort of piecing together a bit of a different conclusion based on the reports that they're reviewing," Meyer said.

The oldest report used in the Burgess Environmental review was from 2018. Johnson said his report was meant to "investigate and evaluate the areas that are most likely to fail."

[Southsider2k12]

https://hometownnewsnow.com/local-news/644423

The LaPorte County Commissioners want answers to their concerns about the scheduled environmental clean-up of the NIPSCO coal-fired generating station in Michigan City after it closes.



Commission President Sheila Matias said she's heard from environmentalists about the potential health hazards of any buried coal ash allowed to remain at the site.



Matias said she plans to seek input now from NIPSCO, which is proposing to remove 10 percent of the coal ash and cap what's left.



Ten percent is all that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires but Matias wonders if more should be taken out since the site is beside Lake Michigan, a source of drinking water for millions of people.



Matias wondered if there might be an environmental risk already because of a seawall that appears to be weakening. The coal ash is stored in several ponds at the site, and the seawall is holding back the coal ash closest to the shoreline.



Matias is especially concerned about the health risk of coal ash leaching into the lake.



"I'm looking at other communities in the Midwest where they have the same issue, and they're removing 100 percent. I want to know how did they get that to happen," Matias said.

The LaPorte County Commissioner discussed the topic at Wednesday night's commissioner's meeting.



Matias's goal was to make more people aware of what's happening at the site to get answers to any questions about NIPSCO's clean-up strategy.



"We'll hold NIPSCO's feet to the fire to make sure they do what's right," said Commissioner Rich Mrozinski.

Commissioner Joe Haney echoed the concerns of the other commissioners saying that it's something the commission and county need to keep an eye on.



The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has scheduled a hearing for August 1 on NIPSCO's plan to pay for the estimated $40 million clean-up with a rate increase.



The hearing at Michigan City City Hall begins at 6 p.m.



Matias said she plans to be at the hearing to educate herself on NIPSCO's position and encourages any member of the public with concerns to attend.



"NIPSCO needs to hear the community's concerns," Matias said.

According to NIPSCO, the generating station in Michigan City will close between 2026 and 2028. In addition, its Schahfer generating station in Wheatfield is set for closure in 2025.



NIPSCO is phasing out greenhouse gas-producing coal to rely more on the wind and sun to provide electricity.