American Electric Power’s Glen Lyn plant burns about 2,000 tons of coal each day. That produces about 200 tons of ash daily. For years, the company landfilled the ash on the banks of the New River, near the power plant. Today, AEP wets the ash that settles in the bottom of its burners and sluices it to two ponds, where it is dried and then hauled off. The fly ash that is trapped before it escapes from the plant’s smokestacks is hauled away, too. Some goes to Roanoke Cement Co., where it is used in a variety of masonry products. Most of it used to go to a former mine site near Charleston, W.Va.

Now the company is hauling that ash to a site beside the New River, at the edge of Narrows. Over the next three years, that will raise more than 7 acres by about 30 feet. A nonprofit called the Giles County Partnership for Excellence says that will create a building site for a new industry or commercial business. The money the partnership makes from selling the site will reportedly go to vocational education in the county.

A group called Concerned Citizens of Giles County says the toxin-laden ash is a threat to the river and public health.

Following are the stories thus far:

• Group calls for Giles supervisors' resignation
• Nonprofit says it tried to buy site
• Report says water at Narrows coal ask site OK
• Residents continue coal ash fight
• Flooding problems nag Cumberland Park project
• Recent dam break highlights Narrows project
• Grand jury: Narrows coal ash site not a nuisance
• As dump trucks roll, lawyers ready for court
• Narrows site ready to receive coal ash
• Questions surround Giles partnership
• Bills would give communities a voice in fly ash debate
• Both sides file court papers
• Giles supervisors ask for liner, testing for fly ash site
• Economic pressures flow along Virginia's section of New River


Alan Kim | The Roanoke Times

AEP's previous dump site for fly ash.

• Experts say coal ash won't hurt
• Professor concerned about fly ash plan
• Debate over fly ash use heats up in Giles
• 1 of 2 coal ash bills remains alive in Richmond

The advocates, for and against

Giles Partnership

Concerned Giles Citizens