Is Kepco properly disposing coal ash?

Officials of the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) are scheduled to appear in today’s Provincial Board (PB) session to update legislators on the coal ash disposal of the Korean Electric Power Co. (Kepco).

PB Member Arleigh Sitoy said they will ask the EMB officials to verify if Kepco is complying with the legal requirements in their disposal of the coal ash in barangay Tina-an, Naga City.

“Complaints we received from Naga City residents indicate a failure on Kepco’s part to properly dispose of its coal ash in clear violation of provisions of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000,” he said.

Sitoy said the EMB appraisal will provide the board with information to be used as basis for review of the contractual arrangement between the province and Kepco.

The agreement allows the firm Cemex Phils, the manufacturer of  Apo Cement, to buy the coal ash from Kepco for their use.

The province will collect a share from Cemex on an amount agreed upon between them.

Sitoy said the review will help them address complaints of air pollution from residents of barangay Tina-an, Naga City who claimed that the dispersal of coal ash has caused skin and lung ailments in their community.

A coal ash facility being planned for construction by Kepco at the controversial Balili property is tied up in the courts following a complaint filed by ecology groups.

Sitoy and PB allies are also questioning last year’s backfilling of limestone in the Balili property that was purchased by the province for P98 million in 2008.  A government survey showed the property to be mostly underwater and classified as public domain. /Correspondent Renan Alangilan