HENRY CO., Mo. — Earlier this month, a married couple in Henry, County, Missouri, sued Evergy and other companies for alleged negligence in regard to hazardous waste at Evergy's former coal-fired power plant in Montrose, Missouri.
The couple — Bill and Sue Steward — say the waste spread and contaminated their nearby property, and now the community is getting involved.
LINK | Read the lawsuit
Mark Larson took a county commission seat last year knowing he would tackle this issue.
"We've got an issue with the fly ash," he said.
Fly ash is a by-product of combusted coal. It can contain hexavalent chromium, which is a carcinogen.
The recent lawsuit alleges the defendants — Evergy Metro, Inc.; Sutton Trucking, Inc.; Kansas City Fly Ash, LLC; and Kissick Construction Co, Inc. — "collectively haul, dump, store, load and manage Fly Ash generated from power plants outside of Henry County, Missouri" at the former Evergy site in Montrose.
It claims toxic chemicals from the site have contaminated nearby air, soil and water.
"You've got people's lives at stake," said Chace Larson, Mark Larson's son.
Chace Larson lives about 40 minutes from the former power plant.
"I don't know if I'm directly affected by it," he said. "I'm on well water, and I think I'm far enough away where air contamination is not getting me."
Chace Larson says residents are mostly concerned about the safety of their drinking water.
With so many questions up in the air, a local school — Davis R-XII School — closed its doors last Thursday and Friday.
READ | Rep. Alford ‘deeply concerned’ over environmental reports in Henry County, Missouri
Evergy says the site meets state and federal guidelines.
"Many of the chemicals discussed at the Henry County Commission meeting are frequently found in materials commonly used in and around Missouri, including in various agricultural products, cement and paint thinner, as well as in the soil and rocks," Evergy said in a statement to KSHB 41 News.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) confirmed three site visits since 2023, and the most recent was last Friday. MDNR observed the site is in compliance each time.
"I mean, I know what the tests say and I know there's going to be more tests done," Chace Larson said.
The Stewards left their home and 40-acre property after the law firm they hired requested the testing and elevated results of hexavalent chromium were returned. KSHB 41 News has not independently obtained those test results.
Mark Larson believes the elevated results.
"These testing labs that do this, they're on the line for this," he said.
Both Mark and Chace Larson are looking for answers tonight at a community meeting Monday night with Evergy, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and state lawmakers.
Because of the anticipated volume of attendees, the community meeting has been moved to the Benson Convention Center at 1008 E Sedalia Avenue, Clinton, Missouri, at 6:30 p.m.
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KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.