The representatives of Reftinskaya state district power plant were unable to provide any comments on the decision taken by the public prosecution authorities of Sukhoi Log, Sverdlovsk Region. The authorities protested against the town mayor’s ruling concerning the public hearings carried out by the power plant’s management on September 17, 2009. The public prosecution authorities thus voiced their doubts as to whether these hearings (related to the plant’s new dry ash handling project) were actually legitimate.

The problem was first brought into the limelight by members of the International Socio-Environmental Union and Reftinskiy Environmental Safety Center in September 2009. The greens organized a picket and a conference in Yekaterinburg, protesting against the project. They insisted the procedure of the public hearings on the problem was not carried out properly. What is more, they feel the introduction of the dry ash handling system will cause deforestation, ruin the local flora within ten to fifteen kilometers of the plant, and present a serious health hazard for local dwellers.