SEWARD -- Three Alaska environmental groups said Thursday they plan to file a lawsuit over coal-dust pollution in Seward.
The groups said they sent a letter to the Alaska Railroad Corp. and Aurora Energy Services warning them that they need to control pollution at Seward's coal loading dock.
The Alaska Railroad declined to comment on the potential lawsuit. Spokeswoman Wendy Lindskoog said the company has not yet received the letter.
"A lack of adequate pollution controls at the facility has resulted in ongoing dumping of coal debris into Resurrection Bay and uncontrolled blowing coal dust, damaging water quality in the bay and threatening the tourism industry," according to a press release about the lawsuit from the Sierra Club Alaska Chapter.
The Sierra Club chapter, the Alaska Center for the Environment and Alaska Community Action on Toxics are the groups that plan to sue. Trustees for Alaska, the public-interest law firm representing them, issued a 60-day notice of intent to sue over the coal discharges.
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