James Bruggers

Louisville Courier Journal

A Jefferson County Public Schools board member is once again calling for the closure of the school that falls in the shadow of one of Kentucky's largest coal-fired power plants and Louisville biggest source of industrial emissions.

Some studies have found an association between pollution and academic performance. And that is what board member Chris Brady said he worries about. He said power plant emissions might have played a role in Frost Middle School's poor academic performance over many years, and he added that a nearly $1 billion investment in pollution controls by LG&E does not eliminate all his concerns.

"By today's standards, they would not allow a power plant to be built that close to a school," Brady said in an interview, adding that's he's also concerned about toxic coal-burning waste at the power plant.

Brady's renewed suggestion is in connection to a JCPS budget discussion. He said he thinks the district could save as much as $1 million a year by closing the school, which teaches only sixth-grade students and is not at full capacity.

A JCPS spokesperson declined to discuss the pollution issue, saying only that "the district is conducting an audit of all school buildings at this time and no decisions will be made regarding those buildings until the complete assessment is done."

Brady also has suggested closing Minors Lane Elementary because it's also in an industrial area and has airplane noise issues because it is near Louisville International Airport.

Frost is in board member Chuck Haddaway's district, and he said the pollution questions had already been addressed. "If that is a concern of (Brady's) it should be an agenda item, not played out in public." Haddaway noted that Brady "has mentioned two schools outside the district he represents."

He also there has been "transformational leadership" at the sixth-grade academy under Principal Faith Stroud and the school is "grabbing momentum each and every year."

Improving air quality

Board member disagrees with JCPS funding plan

The middle school at 13700 Sandray Blvd. in southwest Louisville is about 600 yards from the main part of the power plant, 14660 Dixie Highway.

Tom Nord, spokesman for the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District, said city officials looked into the concerns with JCPS and state officials in 2014 after Brady had raised similar issues.

"Our input was that new emissions controls being installed at Mill Creek would greatly reduce levels of sulfur dioxide, which was the primary source of concern," Nord said. "Two years later, air monitoring data confirms that sulfur dioxide is well below the national standard.

LG&E to seek rate hike to shut down ash ponds

The area around the plant, however, continues to be on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's dirty air list because compliance must be demonstrated over three consecutive years. "At this rate, it’ll be 2015, 2016 and 2017" before compliance can be shown, he added.

The plant meets requirements of the city's Strategic Toxic Air Reduction program, Nord added.

"Our company is making significant strides to do our part to help improve air quality and significantly reduce air emissions at our plants," said Natasha Collins, an LG&E spokeswoman. "In particular, we’re in the final stages of a $900 million investment at Mill Creek to install additional controls that further reduce emissions, as well as installing state-of-the-art technology to control mercury and fine particulate matter."

The Mill Creek Generation Station is LG&E’s largest coal-fired power plant, with a generating capacity of 1,472 megawatts, according to the company's website.

The EPA Toxic Release Inventory reports 4.1 million pounds of emissions in 2014, substantially more than any other company in Louisville. That number is down from 4.8 million pounds reported two years earlier.

It began commercial operation in 1972. The school was constructed before the power plant, Brady said.

His proposal "has nothing to do with the staff or students at that school, but everything to do with location, location, location," Brady told his fellow board members in a recent email.

"This shouldn’t be anything new. I’ve (previously) expressed my concerns about the environmental conditions around this school and its impact on learning and health," he said, referring to another email he wrote to board members in 2013 that included links to several Courier-Journal news articles on Mill Creek issues, including handling of coal-burning waste like ash.

Ash ponds closing

LG&E has announced plans to close and cap its Mill Creek ash ponds by 2020, and use a landfill on the property for any coal-burning waste products it cannot recycle.

Brady has pointed out that coal ash can be blown from the site onto neighboring properties.

The plant's ash ponds have been considered a "high hazard" by EPA based on their potential to cause property damage and injuries if pond walls failed.

Brady said the district could save $500,000 per year by closing Minors Lane school.

Linda Duncan, whose district includes Minors Lane said it was " startling to see the suggestions" in Brady's email.

She said the board has not had any discussions about the two schools.

"We have too many needs" to close those buildings, she said.

Reach reporter James Bruggers at (502) 582-4645 and at jbruggers@courier-journal.com. Reporter Allison Ross contributed to this report.