Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Oak Creek, Wisconsin: Coal Dust, Wind Fences, and Community Monitoring Background Oak Creek, Wisconsin is home to the Oak Creek Power Plant, a large coal-fired facility operated by We Energies (WEC Energy Group). For years, residents living near the plant reported recurring coal dust settling on their homes, cars, yards, and nearby beaches. These complaints intensified in the mid- to late-2010s, especially after We Energies relocated and expanded coal storage piles closer to residential neighborhoods. In some cases, coal piles were positioned as close as 1,800 feet from homes, increasing the likelihood that wind would carry fine black dust into surrounding areas during gusty conditions. Residents described black residue coating air conditioners, outdoor furniture, swimming pools, and windowsills. Community concern was not limited to nuisance impacts; many residents feared long-term health effects, particularly respiratory illness, after noticing symptoms such as coughing, asthma flare-ups, and persistent irritation.

Community Concerns and Independent Testing

As complaints grew, residents organized to document what they were experiencing. Community members raised funds to deploy their own air monitoring equipment, including PurpleAir sensors, to supplement company and state monitoring. This grassroots monitoring effort reflected a growing distrust of company-controlled data and a desire for independent verification. In 2018, the Environmental Accountability Group (EAG), a local organization founded by Oak Creek resident Bill Pringle, commissioned independent laboratory analysis of black dust samples collected from homes and vehicles. Aspen Consulting, Inc. analyzed the samples using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The firm concluded that the morphology and elemental composition of the particles were consistent with fine sub-bituminous coal dust. These findings directly contradicted earlier company statements suggesting that coal was not the source of the contamination. Pringle, who said his family became ill after years of exposure near the plant, argued that independent testing was necessary because residents could not rely on company assurances alone. “There is no safe level of coal dust exposure,” he stated during a press conference following the release of the test results (Environmental Accountability Group, 2018).

Activism and Demands for Better Monitoring

Environmental and public health groups amplified residents’ concerns. In 2018, the Sierra Club’s Clean Power Coalition called on We Energies to improve air monitoring around the Oak Creek plant, arguing that existing systems were insufficient to capture neighborhood-level exposure. Advocates emphasized that monitors placed far from homes or high above ground level failed to reflect the pollution people were actually breathing. This push for better monitoring echoed strategies used by activists in Richmond, California and Oakland, where community-based monitoring helped demonstrate localized exposure and challenge official narratives.

Regulatory Responses and Permit Limits

Coal dust concerns in Oak Creek intersected with multiple regulatory systems, including air management and water pollution control. When We Energies sought renewal of its Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit in 2019, residents submitted comments highlighting coal dust runoff into surface waters during rain events. In response, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) acknowledged that coal pile runoff is regulated under both individual and general stormwater permits, but emphasized that many coal dust concerns raised by residents fell outside the scope of that specific permit and were instead referred to other DNR programs. This regulatory fragmentation frustrated residents. While coal dust visibly affected homes and waterways, no single permit or agency fully addressed the cumulative impacts of airborne dust, stormwater runoff, and community health. This gap mirrors challenges faced by communities elsewhere, including Hampton Roads, where coal dust often falls between regulatory categories.

The Wind Fence

In response to sustained pressure from residents, local officials, and the fire department, We Energies proposed constructing a massive wind barrier to reduce coal dust emissions. In 2019, the Oak Creek Plan Commission unanimously approved plans for a large windscreen surrounding coal storage areas at the power plant (Racine County Eye, 2020). The project, estimated to cost approximately $10 million, was designed to block prevailing winds and prevent dust from blowing off coal piles. City officials framed the fence as a safety and public health measure. Oak Creek Assistant Fire Chief Mike Kressuk stated that the fire department had “significant concern” about coal dust and believed the structure would address those risks without creating new safety issues. We Energies also noted that it had taken additional steps, including planting roughly 200 trees and building earthen berms, to further reduce dust migration. Construction was scheduled to take place between March and August of 2019. During this period, residents cautiously welcomed the investment but remained skeptical about whether the fence alone would solve the problem, especially given the history of broken assurances.

Ongoing Problems and Fence Failure

Community skepticism proved warranted. In early 2020, residents renewed coal dust complaints after a portion of the wind fence collapsed during high winds. The incident raised concerns about the durability of the structure and its effectiveness under the very conditions it was meant to address. Residents also continued to report dust deposition even after mitigation measures were installed. While We Energies maintained that its air monitors met federal standards and that monthly testing had not confirmed coal contamination, residents pointed out that company data was released infrequently and lacked transparency. The absence of continuous, publicly accessible monitoring made it difficult for residents to assess whether conditions had truly improved.

Phaseout of Coal and Lessons Learned

In 2020, WEC Energy Group announced plans to shut down the Oak Creek coal units by 2024 as part of a broader transition away from coal-fired power generation (WEC Energy Group, 2020). For many residents, this announcement validated years of organizing and documentation. However, the long timeline underscored a key lesson: mitigation measures like wind fences can reduce some impacts, but they do not eliminate harm while coal operations continue. The Oak Creek experience offers several lessons for other communities facing coal dust exposure. First, independent testing and community monitoring were critical in confirming what residents already knew from lived experience. Second, large-scale mitigation infrastructure can help but is not foolproof, especially under extreme weather conditions. Third, regulatory systems often address coal dust in piecemeal ways, making sustained community pressure essential.For impacted residents elsewhere, including in Hampton Roads, Oak Creek shows both the possibilities and limits of mitigation. Wind fences, berms, and sealants may reduce dust, but they require oversight, transparency, and enforcement. Most importantly, Oak Creek demonstrates that community organizing, combined with credible data, can force powerful institutions to respond — even if the path is long and uneven.