Oak Creek Neighbors Protest WE Energies Meeting Over Coal Concern

MEQUON, WI — A group of Oak Creek neighbors who live near the WE Energies power plant say they've been negatively affected by blowing coal dust, and they're taking their concerns to the WEC Energy Group shareholders meeting held in Mequon Thursday.

The advocacy group Clean Power Wisconsin says that on March 5, winds blew dust from a coal storage pile at the Oak Creek plant into neighborhoods north of the plant. Test results confirmed the black dust found covering homes, cars, and yards in several Oak Creek neighborhoods was coal dust. Residents reported additional dustings between March 25 and March 28 after We Energies claimed to have taken additional steps to contain the dust.

Organizers say that a group of WEC Energy Group shareholders gathered prior to the holding company’s annual meeting to make statements about their concerns over the financial liabilities of burning coal.

Advocates said over the past several years, similar incidents have occurred in other neighborhoods, especially to the south of the plant.

The WEC Energy Group's annual shareholders meeting was held Thursday morning on the Concordia University-Mequon campus.

Oak Creek Patch File Photo