On August 16, 2011, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) On-Scene Coordinators (OSC) Shelly Lam and Jaime Brown responded to a request for assistance from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) at the Jasper Municipal Utilities Power Plant. Coal at the plant caught fire burning uncontrollably, releasing emissions that could not be directed into the facility's pollution controls, and creating a plume in downtown Jasper, prompting concerns from residents about air quality.
Approximately 200 tons of burning and smoldering coal were located in a bin inside the plant. The coal could not be removed and firefighting efforts were not effective at extinguishing the fire. The facility, which historically operated intermittantly, started operations to generate power and extinguish the fire by consuming the coal.
EPA and the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) contractors conducted air monitoring and sampling to determine if threats to public health were present. Emergency response actions were completed on August 18, 2011 when all coal had been consumed and air monitoring readings had returned to ambient conditions.
