NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – People in one Norfolk neighborhood have concerns about coal dust, and they want to meet with Norfolk Southern about it.

Lambert’s Point Coal Terminal has been in the community for a number of years.

10 On Your Side spoke with some neighbors who said they have experienced health problems, like coughing and watery eyes, since moving there a couple of years ago.

“I would like to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air and breeze without my eyes running,” said Janie Morris.

Morris told us she grew up in the neighborhood and recently moved back. Since, she’s taken eye drops twice a day to help with her issue.

Dennis Dukes, another resident, said he has a hiss in his throat.

“The doctors can’t find anything. They say it’s in the air. It’s coal dust,” he said.

Resident Charles Corbett said he developed a dry cough a couple of years ago.

“We want them to be a good neighbor. We want them to cover the coal,” Corbett said about the open rail cars that come into their community.

10 On Your Side reached out to Norfolk Southern, who told us they met with community members in 2014 about the issue.

They directed us to a website that noted all the actions they’ve taken to make air quality cleaner.

The website also stated the company has conducted air quality studies, with the oversight of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, that stated coal dust does not cause significant health risks.

The Norfolk Department of Health reported those results to Norfolk city officials in 2017. The information also stated that the dust did would not cause significant health risks but could impact the ability for residents to do healthy outdoor activities like walking.

But residents still have concerns about long term effects.

“We’ve been tasked with the burden of proving the poor health in these communities is connected to the coal dust,” said Lafeetah Byrum, who works for the New Virginia Majority.

The organization works statewide for social and environmental justice issues in communities of color.

Byrum says they’ve been working in Lambert’s Point for a couple of years and they’ve spoken with a number of residents who suffer with COPD, bronchitis, asthma, and cancer.

She believes it will take a lot of work and power for residents to get changes they want.

“A lot of folks feel like it’s David and Goliath,” she said.

But the group was hopefully after state delegate Joe Lindsey introduced House Joint Resolution 32 to address the coal dust concerns.

The resolution listed a number of actions they wanted Norfolk Southern to take including a cost-benefit analysis of covering the open rail cars and hosting resident input meetings in four Virginia cities.

Norfolk was one of them.

10 On Your Side spoke with Delegate Lindsey over the phone, who said that the subcommittee chair tabled the bill in hopes that the residents and Norfolk Southern would come together to meet on their own.

“When we walked away, we walked away thinking we would meet with Jim Squires and he would give this community an opportunity to meet face to face. That hasn’t happened in the past and 90 days ago, we sent a letter to substantiate that meeting to no avail,” Byrum said.

We also reached out to Norfolk Southern asking if they would meet with the residents and 10 On Your Side about the issue.

They did not respond.

With their headquarters possibly leaving Norfolk to relocate to Atlanta, residents are holding onto slim hope that their voices will be heard before that happens.

“I still am hopeful because as long as you have people who fight and organize, history has shown us that anything can change,” Byrum said.

For more information about the coal terminal at Lambert’s Point, visit http://www.nscorp.com/content/nscorp/en/about-ns/environment/norfolk-southern-a-responsible-corporate-neighbor-at-lamberts-point.html.