By Jacque Day
Paducah, KY – Air, water, noise and light pollution: these topics dominated a three-hour public meeting last night of the McCracken County Planning Commission. The Southern Coal Handling Company has petitioned to rezone portions of Carneal, Heady and Metropolis Landing roads from Rural Residential to Heavy Industrial. The company has its eye on the area for a prospective coal terminal and coal-to-liquid facility. Teresa Cash was one of more than a dozen to appeal to the commission to reject the petition.
"I just want them to look at the situation and think, What if this was me and my family on Heady Road? Would you want to live across the street from something like this?"
The petitioner's attorney Mark Whitlow says the project will bring much-needed jobs to the area. He adds, the venture could mean a billion-dollar investment for the coal-to-liquid facility, and $20 million for the coal terminal.