Residents Living Around We Energies Plant Raise Concerns After Bluff Collapse

Several residents living near We Energies voiced concerns about seeing large amounts of oil and fly ash in the water after the bluff collapsed yesterday, but they got few answers at the Village Board meeting Tuesday night.

Renee Michna, 7701 Michna Road, lives near the We Energies plant. She told the board the Coast Guard, which had nets out, missed most of the oil.

"It spread out in the water, and you can still see the fly ash," Michna said. "You can tell it’s jet black, and it's leaking out. And that's all heavy metals. It's going to affect our coastline and Wind Point's. I called the DNR. They said they would come out tomorrow. They waited a whole day."

Marie Michna, who also lives near the plant, said she watched just after the bluff collapsed.

"The oil was floating right past me right along the coast," Marie said. "It would have reached Chicago tonight. I was looking at same area, a big dark area, there was a small little boat, and the boom isn’t catching much of it. There's no way this will be able to contain it. I think they are just waiting for it to disperse in the water."

Ron Coutts, the Village President, said he had received a call from Linda Sodemann, of We Energies, who said the bluff collapse happened in Oak Creek. However they would be monitoring the situation.

"I know you want us to do something, but its up to DNR and the Federal government," Coutts said. "I can probably talk to them again, but my hands are tied. Even with the wells, there have been to tons of meetings, but everyone said they have no money."