ST. CLOUD, Fla. — Despite county commissioners approving a plan this week to test coal ash being brought from Puerto Rico, some residents think the effort isn't enough.
- Coal ash from Puerto Rico being dumped at St. Cloud landfill
- County commissioners recently OK'd more toxicity testing of coal ash
- Commissioner says she'll make motion for more rigorous EPA testing
- PREVIOUSLY:
Jamie Wells wants coal ash nowhere near his St. Cloud home. He has a petition signed by hundreds of people against the idea of bringing coal ash from Puerto Rico to his city.
Wells said he's worried about his family, especially his 11-year-old daughter.
"How can you do this to us? It’s common sense," he said.
His biggest fears are a coal spill taking place at the JED Landfill leaking coal ash into the aquifer, or perhaps people breathing in the ash.
Wells is part of Osceola Fights Back, a grassroots movement to stop the shipments from Puerto Rico. County commissioners approved testing the toxicity of the coal ash, with the permission of the landfill. Officials also said the coal ash is being regulated by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Commissioner Peggy Choudhry listened to residents' concerns at one of the monthly chats she has with the community.
"We want them to know we are listening, despite the decisions made in the past," Choudhry said.
She said she plans to make a motion at the next county meeting for more rigorous sampling called Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework by the Environmental Protection Agency.
"The people also wanted a specific testing, so that’s a conversation we had yesterday in the committee meeting," Choudhry said. "We talked a lot about what exact type of testing it is that we want to add to this inspection to be sure that we’re getting everything that the citizens want to see."
Wells said that although this is a step in the right direction, there’s still a lot more work left to do to clean up what he calls a mess.
"I have to worry (that) in five years, is my water ruined now? Is our water ruined now? What happens then? Who’s going to pay me for my land and for me to move, for this whole community to move?" Wells said.
We reached out to Waste Connections, which runs the JED Landfill, but we have yet to hear back from them.