(Michigan City, IN) - NIPSCO is being asked to remove coal ash from its Michigan City generating station.

Currently, the NIPSCO plan calls for a cap to be placed over the buried coal ash. However, the city council is formally requesting the two million cubic yards of material be removed after the generating station closes several years as part of the clean-up of the entire site. The anticipated plant closure is from NIPSCO deciding to switch from coal to clean energy sources like the wind and sun.  

Resident Joe Sherman, who lives near the NIPSCO facility, told the city council he’s glad NIPSCO is turning to clean energy, but the coal ash should be removed because it risks the lake's health.

The coal ash, which is the byproduct of burning coal, was buried several decades ago. According to environmentalists, the coal ash is a potential hazard to the lake's water quality and would make site redevelopment more difficult.