The residents said scrubbers designed to stop air pollution at FirstEnergy's Bruce Mansfield Power Plant in Shippingport, Pa., are producing a dangerous material that's being dumped in their backyards in Greene Township, near the West Virginia state line.

Debbie Havens, who has lived near FirstEnergy's Little Blue Run Impoundment for more than 30 years, said she's now dealing with a material called fly ash, which she and other residents said is harming people's health and the environment.

Havens and other residents are ready to take their fight to Washington, D.C., and groups like the nonprofit organization Environmental Integrity Project is supporting them by pushing for federal action on fly ash.

"Currently it has no more regulation that household trash and yet it contains arsenic, chromium and hexavalent chromium," said Lisa Graves-Marcucci, EIP Pa. Community Outreach.

The fly ash is also stored in geo-tubes, but EIP says they have proof that one tube cracked open this summer. FirstEnergy officials said that is true, but eventually the ash will harden to the consistency of low-grade concrete.

Further, the energy company said fly ash won't leak out because of the impoundment's design. Even so, Havens said she is still concerned.

"I've lost a lot of sleep and prayed a lot of prayers," she said. "I'm fighting with all I've got. For what? For my family, for my community, I don't want to give my problems to someone else."

Representatives from FirstEnergy said the company has repeatedly tested for ground and water contamination and results have been within acceptable levels.

EIP will hold education meetings, including one Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Hookstown, Pa Fire Department and at 7 p.m., September 1, at the Chester Fire Department.

In addition, the EPA will hold a public hearing in Pittsburgh, September 21, at the William Penn Hotel from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. regarding possible fly ash regulation.

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