LOUISVILLE, KY (WDRB) -- Louisville Gas & Electric will be cited again after new lab results show homes are still being contaminated with flyash.
Neighbors living near LG&E's coal sludge processing plant on Old Cane Run Road have complained for years that the black dust that settles is damaging their homes and causing health concerns.
The new lab results show that homes are still being polluted with flyash particles – a by-product from producing energy.
The utility, which was given a notice of violation in July, will likely be cited this week or next for malfunctioning equipment and excessive emissions, according to Terri Phelps with the Air Pollution Control District.
The recent samples, collected by Metro Goverment's Air Pollution Control District, were returned from a Chicago lab this month. The results were sent to LG&E on Monday.
One testing sample was taken in April from Kathy Little's home. The APCD's sample showed flyash particles were between 60 to 70 percent of the sample. Another sample taken on the same day by LG&E shows the flyash was greater than 50 percent.
But a more recent sample taken from Mitch Cunningham's home in August shows that flyash particles were present three weeks after the utility company power-washed his home. The exact percentage was unable to be extracted from the sample.
The utility declined to comment. A spokesman said the company "is current in compliance" and planned to discuss the new lab results internally on Tuesday.
LG&E has also not paid its $4000 fine it received in July. APCD was working with the utility on a solution, said Phelps, but added that the utility has still been objecting to its original violation in July.
"That's surprising because I really feel like should not only pay that but they should be fined a larger amount," said Little.
LG&E plans to close this plant by 2016 and convert it to produce energy through natural gas. A spokesman says the energy produced here goes directly to local customers.
Little's concern lies not with home but with her daughter.
"I am concerned about her ingesting it , particularly when fly ash can get down into your lungs."
