The placement of coal ash from Duke Energy in Chatham and Lee Counties has many residents concerned.

About 30 area residents gathered at the Historic Chatham County Courthouse in Pittsboro to air their concerns out to county commissioners regarding the disposal of coal ash in areas of Chatham County.

Speaking in three-minute segments, several residents said they felt placing the coal ash in clay mines would be hazardous to the health of the residents.

John Wagner says leadership should consider the future effects of this decision.

“The problems our generation is passing on to the next are unacceptable,” Wagner says. “We really need to think long term; what is going to benefit the community and protect the community long term?”

One speaker says residents of Lee and Chatham Counties should not be Duke Energy’s “human sacrifice.”

Martha Jerolime says there are multiple parties at fault in this discussion.

“The North Carolina General Assembly and Duke Energy both are abusing their power on the local level. Neither has any restraint,” she says. “Just ask yourselves, ‘what would you fear, if a 12 million ton coal-ash landfill came to your neighborhood by force?’”

County Commissioners shared in some of the concerns brought by residents.

Commissioner Diana Hales says Duke Energy has maintained levels acceptable at the state level for hazardous chemicals, but that certain plants exceed those parameters.

“Their readings under the 2T regulations are that they are within parameters established by the state,” she says. “Well, sure.

“But when you look at a wastewater treatment plant, they are way out of control.”

Commissioner Hales also expresses concern over the land warranty being offered by Duke concerning the liner that would be used to secure the coal ash.

The commissioners were considering several options they could take to fight coal ash being placed in their community.

The options presented by commissioners include, rezoning the land proposed to be used for a coal ash site, considering the coal ash a solid waste rather than fill for a pit, considering the project to be new development, and proposing the land could not be used because of watershed regulations and concerns that the coal ash would contaminate drinking water.

All of these options would require more local government approval and regulation over the proposed coal ash sites.

The commissioners went into closed session to discuss legal options for the county to take.

State officials held a public hearing on the proposed coal ash reuse project in Lee County, on Monday night. They will hold a similar hearing in Chatham County on Thursday, at the Historic Courthouse in Pittsboro.

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