North Omaha has had a complicated relationship with its predominantly Black demographic of residents since the Great Migration during the 1910’s-1920’s. Initially settling here for better economic opportunity, Black people were forced to create a community from the ground up due to redlining, racism, and fear. As you walk in North Omaha, you can visibly see the lack of priority that the city of Omaha has carried out for this area, regarding its development.   

Once a bright, bustling community, North Omaha is now just flagged as a “trashy” area of town, shadowed with waste, air pollutants, and ignorant assumptions. North Omaha – a predominantly Blackcommunity – has been underserved since its inception: there are few opportunities of environmental education for its residents, insultingly run-down houses & a vast amount of graffitied businesses, poverty-stricken systems, and invisible gases that have undoubtedly poisoned families of the area for decades. 

The Omaha Public Power District’s (OPPD) coal plant has been pumping harmful toxins into the air of surrounding communities since 1954. To name a few, from the exhaustingly long list of the impacts that this cash grab has had onto its residents, there is a huge health disparity between residents of this area compared to any other community in Omaha for asthma-related deaths and diagnosis, significantly more cardiovascular issues, and prominent cancer findings. Its impact on the environment is even more horrifying, as the plant have been accused from multiple sources of dumping the ash produced from the plant into the Missouri River – yes, you read that right… the same water supply that millions of Nebraskan’s consume both their fish and faucet water.  

With all of these safety concerns, I think it is safe to assume that one would hope that OPPD would shut down this plant and/or implement a new way to safely provide its services.  

Unfortunately, there has been excuse after excuse for its termination being delayed. The earliest documented protest was held outside of OPPD headquarters in December of 2013. Over the past 11 years, OPPD has cited multiple reasons for not fulfilling their 2014 promise of “swiftly” transferring to natural gas for the plant: grid issues, changes in company customers, delays in votes, and more.  

Towards the latter half of 2025, things started to look up for the North Omaha community as the company showed more signs of retiring the 70-year-old plant, switching coal in for natural gas. The final round of voting was interrupted by a lawsuit filed against OPPD from the Attorney General of Nebraska, Mike Hilgers. Consequently, the past-due voting has been pushed back to December. 

Within the 46-page lawsuit, Hilgers alleges that these changes “prioritize other considerations over cost and reliability are contrary to the public policy of the State.” The lawsuit continues, “OPPD has adopted policies and is undertaking (or planning to implement) actions that are driven by considerations other than cost and reliability.” 

This is true. OPPD is not only acknowledging but finally prioritizing its environmental impact on public health… which, as they rightfully should. Residents in proximity of this coal plant have been disproportionately diagnosed with health conditions and died from correlated concerns. It almost feels like a spit in the face to those who unknowingly suffered from simply breathing in the air that this coal plant polluted.  

Furthermore, I find it convenient that this lawsuit practically ignores OPPD’s potential effect it has on the public health of residents but constantly mentions its potential economic impact.  

It is not just word of mouth, or rumors… there have been several studies conducted over the years with significant evidence of a correlation between nearby neighbor’s health and the coal plant. As the state attorney general, public health should be a high concern for legal action. 

To not mention the deep impact that this coal plant has on its residents for decades shows where Hilger’s priorities lies – which is not with the public health of North Omaha. To file a 46-page lawsuit, with its main concerns being economic reasons, is absolutely disgusting, to say the least. 

This lawsuit is not for the “benefit” of Nebraska residents. It is clearly to stall.  

Nebraska has shown its true colors towards Black residents time and time again throughout history. This instance is no different.  

The fact that Hilgers did not have the decency to at least reach out to the senate representatives of North Omaha to gather their thoughts or brief them in preparation for the lawsuit is highly unprofessional. These senator’s sole purpose is to amplify the voices of those that they vowed to protect – but how can they do that, when they have no say in an overreach of power handed by the state attorney general? 

In a letter addressed to Hilgers, senators across 10 districts of Omaha come together to write their concerns, “It’s concerning to see your decision to pursue litigation against OPPD, which seems to divert focus from the well-being of Nebraskans.” The letter continues, “Instead of fostering transparency and safeguarding public health, this lawsuit feels more like a publicity stunt than a genuine legal effort.” 

I truly do wonder if an interruption of closure would of came if it was in any other area of town, specifically without a high concentration of Black residents. 

Hilgers is not concerned about the safety of the impacted people, only with the hypothetical, what-if, non-tangible, unrealistic possibility of his power bill going up.  

Let me be clear, economic concerns are important. But there are other resolutions that can be in favor of securing affordable power bills and ensuring that the plant’s environmental impact is not putting neighbors’ health in harm’s way. Your area code should not dictate your life expectancy. 

Words cannot express how disappointed I am in Hilgers, as an elected official. When sworn in, he vowed to “Support the U.S. and Nebraska Constitutions” He is misinterpreting this principle and molding it to fit his values of prioritizing money of thousands of lives.  

For his position, Hilgers is required to uphold federal laws. He has a legal duty to enforce implied governmental powers, which include the protection of public health. 

Even with all of the adversity that this community continues to face, they have found a way to persevere during times like these. North Omaha does not need a hero to save the day. Maybe, the unsung heroes are in the resilient hearts of the residents in this area.  

One day, a change will come for this underserved community. One day, children like myself will not have to hesitantly open the news to hear about another occurrence of systematic racism. Until then, we, the unsung heroes, shall continue to fight the fight that few care about.