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Resident raises concerns about Ashar Coal Mine slurry and deed transfer; county says agencies are involved
Summary
A resident urged commissioners to explain county actions related to the Ashar Coal Mine slurry and asked how a deed transfer took place; county staff said they are coordinating with IDEM, EPA, DNR and the property owner and developing an emergency action plan.
Jim Shields, a resident who identified himself and his address during public comment, asked the Ward County Board of Commissioners to explain what the county has done in the last 12 months regarding the Ashar Coal Mine slurry and how a deed transfer was able to occur to a private entity while remediation remained incomplete.
Shields said he was seeking clear action steps and suggested the county use tools like drone data collection to establish measurements and urgency that could prompt action from state agencies. "I'm not here trying to put anybody on the spot," Shields said, adding, "My intention is to resolve this that benefits everybody in our county."
County representatives (Speaker 2 and others) responded that the county cannot always act unilaterally but is involved: staff reported developing an emergency action plan for the slurry pond, continuing meetings with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and ongoing discussions with the property owner and the owner's counsel. Commissioners invited Shields to follow up by email for a deeper briefing and said more technical updates would be provided in scheduled updates from EMA and other staff.
No formal county action or legal determination about the deed transfer was made during the public comment period; staff suggested Shields and the board pursue a separate meeting if he wanted a longer conversation with staff and commissioners.
