Complaints
Residents' complaints and terminal inspection reports serve as evidence of coal dust impacts over time and are a starting point for tracing institutional responsiveness and/or negligence.
Complaints in the Public Record
Residents and business owners have made formal complaints about coal dust in the public record to government representatives since at least the 1950s. An article in the Daily Press in 1954 describes complaints by the Garden-Shore Civic League to the City of Newport News regarding "smoke and particles" that settle in the Christopher Shores-Stuart Garden area. League members believed most of the particles to be "uncombusted coal blown from the railways' two coal dumping piers."[1] Complaints cover a range of impacts, including health concerns, expenses for added maintenance and coal dust removal costs, and the nuisance of needing to clean dust incessantly.
We count least 20 complaints by residents before the City Councils of Newport News and Norfolk since 2023 and many more submitted to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ) since the agency formed in 1990. Prior to that, there are also multiple instances of formal complaints reported to the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board.
Terminal Inspections in Response to Complaints
Some coal dust complaints triggered a visit to the terminal from an inspector from the VA DEQ, with the original complaint described in the inspection report. Routine terminal inspection reports are archived separately.
Documents
Air Pollution Control Board
Southeast Newport News
- Complaint from Ms. Gerline Avston (Massey Terminal), May 9, 1983
- Complaint from Mrs. Gloria Tabb (Massey Terminal), May 9, 1983
- Complaint from Ms. Maurice Cary (Massey Terminal), May 9, 1983
- Open Public Comment Regarding a Proposed Coal Terminal in Nearby Portsmouth, June 17, 1985
- Mr. James A. Comyns, Portsmouth Properties, PTC Inc.: "Since you may not be aware, we would like to bring to your attention that there currently exist two (2) relatively new open coal storage export facilities in Newport News, Virginia (Massey and Dominion Terminals). The reason we mention this, is that we have experienced a great deal of trouble from fugitive coal dust emissions from the open storage piles of these facilities. Complaints have been numerous, and indeed the local residents around these two terminals have been extremely vocal about the situation, both to us and the press."
Lambert's Point
- Air Pollution Control Board Meeting Minutes that Include a Complaint from Mrs. Beverly Mann, 1977–1987 (Digitized)
- Complaint from a Lambert's Point Resident, June 9, 1992
- Complaint from a Lambert's Point Resident, January 6, 1993
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Southeast Newport News
- Air Inspection Report in Response to a Complaint Made by Carol Brown (Dominion Terminal Associates), March 29, 2012
- Air Inspection Report in Response to a Complaint Made by Carol Brown (Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminals), March 29, 2012
- Carol S. Brown, Newport News Resident: "Coal dust covers much of the Southeast Community of Newport News. The neighborhoods suffer from black dust on the properties which is always airborne and there is a high incidence of lung disorders including asthma by residents in the zip code. I have been diagnosed and treated for severe asthmas since coming to this area 7 years ago. Just run your hand across your car and you can see the coal dust! It's like a coating of pollen in the spring."
- Warning Letter in Response to a Resident's Complaint (Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminals), April 12, 2019
- Communication Regarding the Warning Letter (April 12, 2019) in Response to a Resident's Complaint (Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminals), April 15, 2019
- Full Compliance Evaluation with Site Visit Air Inspection Report, November 4, 2013
- Full Compliance Evaluation with Site Visit Air Inspection Report, August 27, 2018
- Email Describing a Coal Dust Complaint, July 31, 2019
- Barry Halcrow, VA DEQ: "[Resident] believes too much dust has been deposited on her car and her home outdoor areas. She suspects the darker dust to be coal dust from the coal terminals on the James River in Newport News."
Lambert's Point
- Air Inspection Report in Response to a Resident's Complaint of Visible Emissions in Lambert's Point, January 17, 1997
- Air Inspection Report in Response to a Complaint Made by Mrs. Smiley in Lambert's Point on September 25, 2002
- Jerome A Brooks, VA DEQ Inspector: "On 9/25/02, the Department received a complaint from Mrs. Smiley concerning coal dust entering her home through the air conditioning filters causing her to cough and have problems breathing."
- Jerome A Brooks, VA DEQ Inspector: "Sample collected by Will Williams appears to be coal dust. The sample will be sent to Richmond for determination. The complainant's home is located west of the Lambert Point terminal. DEQ staff has spoken with Mr. Ray Jones, Senior General Foreman Pier Operations, of Norfolk and Southern concerning the compliant. Mr. Jones, said he could not recall problems at the terminal but would stress the environmental concerns with his staff. DEQ staff will continue to monitor the complainant's home, neighborhood, and the operations of Norfolk and Southern."
City of Newport News
- Daily Press: "[Garden-Shores Civic League] members thought that most of the dust was fine particles of uncombusted coal blown from the railways' two coal dumping piers about one mile away, but Shaffer, speaking to them at a meeting, say that the rail way's analysis showed that only five to 10 percent was uncombusted coal particles."
- City Planning Commission Meeting Minutes, City of Newport News, May 2, 2018
- City Planning Commission Meeting Minutes, City of Newport News, January 6, 2021
- City Planning Commission Meeting Minutes, City of Newport News, November 3, 2021
Complaints compiled by the Repair Lab
References
- ↑ Newport News to Analyze Smoke and Soot Nuisance in Garden-Shores Sector, Daily Press, April 4, 1954.