Oklahoma Residents Sue Company Over Fly-ash Pit

Residents in a southeast Oklahoma town have filed a lawsuit to close an old mining pit where fly ash from a nearby coal-powered plant is dumped.

The Tulsa World reported in Wednesday’s editions that seven Bokoshe residents and others sued AES Corp. in LeFlore County District Court.

The lawsuit alleges that people living in more than half of the homes near the fly-ash pit have had cancer, and that dust blowing from the pit is causing respiratory illnesses.

In a statement, AES Shady Point vice president Lundy Kiger called the accusations baseless.

The plaintiffs want the court to force the company to stop the dumping, clean up the site, and pay for current and future fly-ash-related illnesses.

They’re seeking more than $75,000 each in compensatory and punitive damages.