Home / Environment / Ohio Forest Dispute: Trees vs. Coal Ash Protection
Ohio Forest Dispute: Trees vs. Coal Ash Protection
13 Nov
Summary
- 250 trees removed near former Ohio power plant amid dispute.
- Residents sue new owner for $3.3M, allege broken preservation agreement.
- Dispute linked to coal ash pond safety and water contamination concerns.
A federal trial began on November 9 in Cincinnati concerning a dispute over the removal of around 250 trees in Pierce Township, Ohio. Residents are seeking $3.3 million in damages from Commercial Liability Partners (CLP), the current owner of a former coal-fired power plant site. The lawsuit alleges CLP violated a 1986 agreement requiring a designated greenbelt to remain "substantially undisturbed." Residents argue the cutting of mature trees and creation of logging roads breached this pact.
The greenbelt, part of a 1,443-acre property, was intended as a natural barrier between the community and buried coal ash from the former William C. Beckjord power plant. Residents, organized as Neighbors Opposed to Pit Expansion (NOPE), are concerned that the tree removal has weakened this protection. CLP's legal team contends the agreement does not specifically forbid the removal of mature trees. The trial is expected to last one week.
Beyond the tree dispute, the residents have broader concerns about the environmental condition of the former power plant site. Over five million tons of coal ash, potentially containing toxic heavy metals, remain in unlined ponds near the Ohio River, a vital drinking water source for millions. Clermont County has filed a separate lawsuit seeking cleanup of the ash ponds.
Concerns about potential contamination of drinking water supplies have been ongoing. In 2020, residents reported clouds of coal fly ash blowing from the site, and in 2021, a smokestack collapsed into the Ohio River during demolition. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has cited noncompliance issues with two ash ponds.
