HARRIMAN, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Children's health. It's so important it brought the state's top health official to Roane County to observe the school's "Tasty Tuesday" program. The school's just two and a half miles from the Kingston ash spill site. But when we asked her your questions about the spill.

"We have a lot of people here in Roane County that are getting medical screenings, more than 200, for coal ash possible related illnesses. Is this something that you guys support and recommend people to do? Again we're here today to celebrate what's going on at Midtown Elementary with the fruits and vegetables and you know I certainly believe that there are adequate processes in place and people need to consult with their health care providers and those discussions should be made on a personal relationship," Commissioner Susan Cooper of the Tennessee Department of Health told WVLT.

Not what we expected to hear. Commissioner Cooper also didn't want to talk about Leslie Stalh's story on 60 Minutes.

"I can't comment on the 60 Minutes report because I didn't see it. Our role is to protect the health of the public."

You don't have to search long to find coal ash related information on the state Health Department's website. But clearly the Commissioner wasn't prepared to speak about specifics today. Instead, handing to ball to other agencies.

"We were intimately involved very early on but that has transitioned out of the department of health."

"You know one of the things that all of us who grew up in this area, we've been breathing fly ash for years."

Doctor Randy Denton works in a Roane County practice. And while he admits that more studies need to be done on the possible ill effects of breathing coal ash particles, Denton says history should be a guide.

"You mentioned asbestos and people worked in asbestos for a long time. It wasn't until 20 or 30 years later we finally realized, you know, this is a problem," said Denton.

Regarding coal ash, it's a problem that may have to be addressed by the federal government.

Cooper said "Certainly there's going to be attention paid to this and we would expect the highest standards and highest quality."