LOUISVILLE, KY (WDRB) -- Louisville Gas and Electric experienced another malfunction this week with a piece of equipment at the coal sludge plant at its Cane Run facility.
The incident has prompted more anger and frustration with neighbors, who have longed documented the dust and coal fly ash they claim has polluted their homes and cars and threatened their health.
This time was no different. Neighbor Greg Walker captured Thursday's malfunction on video and posted it to Youtube. The video shows a dust cloud pouring over a 50-foot screen installed this past April to help mitigate the problem with dust and fly ash.
Liz Pratt, a spokeswoman for LG&E, says the malfunction lasted seven minutes and that technicians shut down the equipment and began repairs immediately. Pratt said their video cameras showed the dust cloud did not leave the property.
"Although it happens infrequently, we take immediate steps to minimize the impact. We take reasonable precautions to eliminate the dust," Pratt told WDRB News by phone.
Earlier this year, the utility agreed to pay a $22,500 fine to the air pollution control district earlier for a similar problem.
Walker's video shows the cloud billowing over a 50 foot screen installed this spring to help minimize the fly ash.
Kathy Little, who lives nearby and has long fought against the utility, said she doesn't think the finds are enough.
"You know, it's very difficult to live around this area and constantly be scared that something like that is going to happen time after time," she said. "Realistically speaking, I fear for all of our health."
Walker claims his cars is often covered in ash and dust. Referring to the recent fines from APCD, he said:
"It's a joke. You could take a couple hundred homes and they've paid for the bill," Walker said.
LG &E plans to change over the facility to natural gas by 2016.
