OMU, Fiscal Court to handle coal combustion residuals for another year

January 15, 2021 | 12:06 am

Updated January 14, 2021 | 10:59 pm

Graphic by Owensboro Times

Daviess County Fiscal Court approved Thursday an agreement to extend a Coal Combustion Management System contract with Owensboro Municipal Utilitiesby one year. Fiscal Court will continue to handle OMU’s coal combustion residuals during that time. 

The agreement has already been in place for roughly five years, according to Director of Legislative Services David Smith. The agreement has been a positive thing for both OMU and the County, according to Judge-Executive Al Mattingly. 

Since the beginning of the County’s agreement with OMU in December 2016, Fiscal Court has turned a more profit than expected, with OMU’s total bill to date topping $4.2 million. 

“That’s about two times what they originally talked about in net tons and revenue,” Mattingly said. 

The agreement allows the County to handle OMU’s residual coal combustion which, originally came from stock they were creating. Now, according to Smith, it comes from sediment ponds. 

The extended contract was discussed when OMU realized the sediment ponds were deeper than initially thought. 

“They want to extend it a year, but they think they should be done in six months,” Smith said. “We have received a quarter of a million tons since December 2016. This is a good way to get rid of it. Everything is contained at our landfill, so it doesn’t leak [into the water].” 

According to Mattingly, the agreement had been “good for them, and good for us.” Smith agreed, saying it benefitted OMU and its ratepayers. 

January 15, 2021 | 12:06 am

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