Environmentalists in Martinsville, Indiana, have been hard at work implementing various environmental regulations concerning dumping and general waste. The area of Eagle Valley was home to a coal-fired power plant that ran for over 70 years, resulting in coal ash waste. This waste has populated nearby wooded areas and, most importantly, the waters of nearby ponds. What’s worse, the plant, now owned by AES, an electrical utility company supplying power to the city, is being allowed to dump additional waste into the White River. This section of the river is just upstream from the city’s drinking water supply, which could very well put the citizens living there in danger.
A lawsuit was filed in Morgan County by the Hoosier Environmental Council, which outlined the various dangers of this, explicitly stating that the water is โladen with neurotoxins, carcinogens, and poisons.โ The suit also requests that closure plans and management strategies be disclosed.
โWe are bringing this legal action to stop AESโs contamination of the White River since it wasnโt stopped by our state agencies. We need our state agencies to step in and protect Indianaโs land, air, and water now more than ever since the ability of federal EPA to do so is being severely undermined.โ
Unfortunately, Indiana has more ponds filled with coal ash than any other state in the country. So, because additional waste is expected to be dumped in what’s likely to be what’s left of their clean drinking water, it seems abysmal.
The Indiana Office of Administrative Law Proceedings is no stranger to these requests. In 2023, they upheld a water pollution permit issued to AES. The HEC also requested that this permit be revoked. Hopefully, OALP will review these specific requests and at least grant those that would otherwise result in irreversible damage to the city.
