(Source : WCNC) — State environmental records have revealed that nearly 300 tons of coal ash were placed on the grounds of Rock Springs Elementary School in Denver, North Carolina, in 1996, a fact that has only recently come to light for parents and former staff. The discovery is raising serious concerns about the potential health risks associated with coal ash contamination at the school, where children continue to play and learn.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now “actively working” to address the issue, following inquiries from concerned parents and community members. The coal ash, which contains toxic substances including arsenic and mercury, was used as fill material at the school’s property in the late 1990s. However, it wasn’t until recently that parents, teachers, and local residents became aware of the potential danger beneath the school’s grounds.
Lisa Saab, a former teacher at Rock Springs who worked at the school from 1999 to 2007, is among those now grappling with the discovery. Saab was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in early 2024, and, while she cannot confirm a direct link, she said the revelation about the coal ash now makes her question her health history.
“I never understood why I had gotten thyroid cancer, but now it kind of makes sense,” Saab said. “I had heard of coal ash being in Huntersville and Mooresville, but I just thought we were safe there.”
Health Concerns and Community Outrage
Saab’s concerns echo those of current parents like Kaitlin Ouverson, whose 11-year-old son is in his final year at Rock Springs. Ouverson expressed alarm at the thought of her son playing on the school’s soccer field, which is located on land contaminated with coal ash.
“He plays on that soccer field every day with his friends. He comes home filthy some days because of it,” Ouverson said. “I’m petrified. You give your kids a good breakfast, you give them their multi-vitamin, and then send them to a toxic coal ash site for eight hours. It’s absolutely insane.”
Ouverson, who had moved to Denver from Mooresville to escape coal ash contamination in that area, is demanding action. “I want the soil tested, and I want to know what my kid is playing on every day,” she said.
Jennifer Miller, another concerned parent, also moved her family to Denver to escape the risks of coal ash. Her children now attend Rock Springs, and she fears for their health. “It’s extremely scary,” Miller said. “My children, five days a week, they’re walking through that. You see the dust flying around where they play. They’re surrounded by it.”
A Personal Mission for Accountability
The discovery about coal ash at Rock Springs comes after years of advocacy by Lori Deans, a local activist who has raised concerns about coal ash contamination in the Mooresville area. Deans, who lost her son to cancer, has been vocal about the need for investigations into the potential health risks posed by coal ash. She found state records confirming that coal ash had been used at Rock Springs and has since shared the information widely, sparking growing community concern.
“Generational poisoning is what it is,” Deans said. “You need to take this seriously. The whole area needs to be investigated by the EPA.”
Deans’ efforts have led to increased scrutiny of coal ash sites in the region. For example, Tutor Time of Mooresville, which was built on coal ash, announced plans to renovate its playground after tests found elevated levels of arsenic and radiation nearby.
Now, attention is shifting to Rock Springs Elementary. Emails from the EPA to concerned parents confirmed that the agency’s Superfund division is evaluating the potential risks posed by the coal ash at the school.
“We are in the process of reviewing your inquiry as well as others received from other community members,” the EPA wrote in an email to a concerned parent. However, the agency has not yet commented publicly on the situation.
Uncertainty About the Scope of the Contamination
The state records regarding the coal ash at Rock Springs are limited, and it remains unclear who was responsible for placing the material at the school. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has stated that the amount of coal ash used at the school was small and did not meet the thresholds for requiring additional regulatory oversight. However, the DEQ also admitted that it did not track the final location of the coal ash, leaving residents unsure about where the material is buried on the property.
Duke Energy, which sold coal ash for use as construction fill in the 1990s, has said that only a small amount of the material was used at Rock Springs. A Duke spokesperson also reiterated that the company believes coal ash, when encased in cement, poses no significant health risk. “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has extensively studied the safety of using coal ash in concrete and concluded that it meets health-based benchmarks for the protection of human health,” said Duke Energy spokesperson Bill Norton.
However, experts at Duke University have raised concerns about the risks posed by loose coal ash, particularly for children. They warn that fine particles of coal ash can become airborne, posing a risk when inhaled or ingested. The potential long-term health impacts of such exposure include developmental disorders, cancers, and pregnancy complications.
The Call for Action
As concerns mount, the community is demanding more transparency and action from local officials, Duke Energy, and the EPA. Both the Lincoln County Schools district and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality have been involved in ongoing discussions about the situation. A spokesperson for the school district stated that the district is in contact with the DEQ and Duke Energy regarding the issue but did not provide further details.
For parents like Lisa Saab, the discovery about coal ash at Rock Springs has stirred up emotions of anger and frustration. “I don’t know what to do,” she said. “It’s really upsetting and it’s upsetting that there really is nothing being done.”
The EPA’s ongoing evaluation could determine the next steps for addressing the contamination at Rock Springs, but for now, parents and community members continue to call for action to protect children from the potential health risks posed by the coal ash beneath their feet.
