CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In response to WCNC Charlotte's reporting, an advocate's protest and ongoing concerns from parents, Lincoln County Schools now plans on collecting samples and testing the soil at Rock Springs Elementary School. The district's chief operating officer shared that news Tuesday directly with parents who have escalated concerns.
A district spokesperson said administrators are finalizing the details.
"We are still communicating with (the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality) and other outside agencies regarding testing and the kind of testing that can be done to ensure everyone's safety," Director of Communications and Media Services Karen Dellinger said Wednesday.
The school district's decision follows a WCNC Charlotte investigation that revealed almost 300 tons of coal ash were placed at the school decades ago. State regulators, Duke Energy and school system administrators have yet to identify where the coal ash is buried at Rock Springs. However, in a recent message to concerned parents, the school's principal said, in part, "There is no coal ash under our buildings. There is no coal ash under our playgrounds."
In response to WCNC Charlotte's reporting in November, former teacher Lisa Saab, who battled thyroid cancer in 2024, expressed outrage that the school never disclosed what was buried underground.
"It's really upsetting," Saab said at the time. "I'm just angry at everybody, everybody that knew."
Kaitlin Ouverson, whose son attends Rock Springs, emailed the district's superintendent earlier this week. She and other parents said the school never disclosed the coal ash at the site.
"I want the soil tested and I want to know what my kid is playing on every day," Ouverson previously told WCNC Charlotte.
"Bring us some results," fellow parent Jennifer Miller said. "Test it."
Ouverson said the COO told her the school system is hiring an independent contractor to handle the testing. Another parent told WCNC Charlotte the COO said the district is hoping to get the testing done as soon as possible.
Parents first learned about the coal ash at the school from Lori Deans. Deans has spent years raising concerns about coal ash in and around Mooresville.
As WCNC Charlotte has reported, coal ash contains what a Duke University scientist calls "a cocktail of toxic elements," including known carcinogens and elevated radioactivity.
Duke Energy previously said a small amount of coal ash was used as truck access drive at Rock Springs, but most was blended in a cement mixer and "permanently encased in the cement." The utility said the Environmental Protection Agency considers flowable fill a beneficial use that "meets health-based benchmarks for the protection of human health."
The EPA is in the midst of evaluating the coal ash risk at Rock Springs and other locations throughout the area.
Tutor Time of Mooresville previously announced plans to test its property and renovate its playground following WCNC Charlotte's investigation.
While Duke Energy has downplayed the potential health impacts of coal ash, multiple scientists have warned about the dangers, especially for kids, when coal ash is closer to the surface. They worry a child could inhale or ingest tiny particles that can easily become airborne and suffer health problems, including cancers, years and even decades down the road. They also fear the mixture of dozens of "contaminants" could result in an even more severe impact, especially for the most vulnerable.
A Duke Energy spokesperson has said "there are countless risk factors that can contribute to someone’s health condition," adding the utility is not "aware of any scientific evidence to support a link between health effects in the Lake Norman area and coal ash."
Contact Nate Morabito at nmorabito@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.