The Brockovich Report

Erin,
I met you in San Diego with WATERKEEPER Alliance. I was the one with the shoulder to shoulder waterkeeper tattoo.
I have been to the site and seen it, photo-documented it and took samples of the sediment and water under threat of jail by TVA cops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmihsLzT7XQ

Donna Lisenby, Sandra Diaz and I paddled a canoe and kayak into the TVA Ash hole and took them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_fpiZpSJkU

I took these photos from the water and from the air using SouthWings pilots and planes.

http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/creekkeeper_2008/Harriman%20Coal%20ash%20spill/

http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/creekkeeper_2008/Harriman%20Ashole%20flyover%20with%20SouthWings/

This was, in my opinion. the worst man-made environmental disaster in American history.

Regardless of the toxicity of the contained products, the shear bulk of material that was callously and negligently allowed to escape into that river is a crime. It is a crime against the people of Tenn. and the people of the U.S. as a collective.

This WAS a waterway of the U.S.

John L. Wathen,
Hurricane Creekkeeper,
WATERKEEPER Alliance

Let us know when you are going. We are working on getting Bobby Kennedy there as well. What a day if both of you show up on the same day. Heck, maybe we could all get arrested or something

John L. Wathen,
Hurricane Creekkeeper,
WATERKEEPER Alliance.

"AP has already released an article talking about how the TVA won't have retention ponds on TVA property any longer"

My aerial photos show new pits being constructed directly on the river bank using the banks as foundation for the new dams.

JLW
HUrricane Creekkeeper

"AP has already released an article talking about how the TVA won't have retention ponds on TVA property any longer"

My aerial photos show new pits being constructed directly on the river bank using the banks as foundation for the new dams.

JLW
HUrricane Creekkeeper

All I can really say is THANK YOU! I live in Knoxville, but know a few people in Roane County and have seen how this disaster has effected the tiny town. I really hope that maybe your visit can open the eyes of TVA... even though it is such a huge task. If there is nothing that can be done...at least I hope that you can help give some local residents hope for a brighter tomorrow.

I and my family live due east of the spill near Kingston, TN. in a planned unit development named The Colonies [Knox County] and are concerned that W/SW winds whipping up this spring may bring airborne pollutants from the spill into our neighborhood. The affluent community of Farragut just outside Knoxville is even closer to the spill area.
Will there be air quality sampling along the potential plume from the spill area?
Please keep me/the community informed of meetings in this area that will discuss this issue.
Thanks.

Thank you for planning to come to East Tennessee. I have confidence in you to get to the bottom of the truth and to tell all of us in East Tennessee what kind of dangers we face.

Knoxville, TN

Thanks, Erin. I live in Knoxville near the river. We haven't been given a boil order or anything on our water. I've been boiling it all anyway. How could they not tell that the wall was weak? All we keep hearing is that it's being "investigated."

Thanks for your efforts to keep up with this story. There is a major water shortage in the South and this will not help the situation for states that are already experiencing low water levels.

Ms Brockovitch,
Great news for an area that has been under the reign of big power and pollution industries (TVA/DOE) for so long that it has forgotten how to voice it's concerns.

Maybe a few of us who have first hand knowledge of the way major concerns operate will speak out to you. Seeing that I am the only one thus far to post a comment worries me.

You must remember that East Tennessee is a far cry from Vermont, Maine and other States that have an actual belief that Green Power and conservation could help eliminate much of our concerns. I take pride in saying that I have been fired from both the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Department of Energy, working in the Environmental departments of each.

Again welcome to beautiful smoggy East Tennessee.

Joe Payne

This is the first time I have read The Brockovich Report and it brings to my mind something that I have been wondering about for quite awhile. It is: What is "clean coal" and is it REALLY clean?

I am 77 years old and had not heard of it until the "Green" business came up. SO, I am wondering.

Thank you for the job you are doing.

Erin,
I heard from someone in your office about my photos. By all means USE them if you can. As a budding photojournalist, I would like photo-credit but this is bigger than me or my photo ego. USE THEM IF YOU CAN.

BTW, I mentioned in my last message that I met you in San Diego. I was rather tired and not thinking clearly. It was San Francisco. Mr Goldman and you were our key-note speakers at the WATERKEEPER Conference.

I am a great follower of your work and admire you for all you have done to help the voiceless around the country.

Hope to see you again some day.

John L. Wathen
Hurricane Creekkeeper,
Friends of Hurricane Creek
www.hurricanecreek.org

Members of
WATERKEEPER Alliance
www.waterkeeper.org

Who has the authority to say someone else
is not being a good steward of the environment

Anyone who notices

Tennessee needs your help.Please do come.
TVA is never going to be able to completely fix this mess.It's a prime example of "the fox watching the hen house".
TVA , being a Government owned agency, has dodged the regulation bullet on this fly ash control system for 50 years .Retention ponds are probably the most economical as well as effective means of collecting the stuff but there is no limit as to how much can be concentrated in one area nor how long it can be held there.
Also lack of inspection of the earthen dam probably played a part in this catastrophe.
Those damaged are in for a long hard battle with one of the most corrupt,poorly run government agencies in existence .
Watch the video of the lady who lost her home at the bottom of the page in the newspaper.
Go to Chattanooga Times Free Press | Tennessee: Community awaits answers

Then look at this . I am 99% positive , this is the same house. I looked at it on Virtual Earth and after reading the article put 2 & 2 together. Also check out the gutter downspout and the Dish on the end of the house to farther identify the property.
Go to 148 swan pond circle rd harriman tn -in Google Maps enter the address and click on street view . Be prepared for a shock.

I think everyone in Roane County is worried about the area.We all have questions and fears.Can our kids go and play outside anymore? Should our entire county be relocated? I still drink bottled water because I just don't know who or what to believe. I know good people that work at TVA. I think it is upper management who is at fault here. I just want to be able to feel safe and I am just not sure that will ever happen again.

I live here where this spill happened. There were people out cleaning up the dead fish the other day. I wonder if this is anticipation of your coming here?

Thank you for coming and for the national attention this is getting. I am worried about our water! I have always been worried about our water.

The first thing I saw when I moved to this area nearly 15 years ago was a sign attesting that the water was safe to drink...??? I have lived all over this Country and this is the first time I have EVER seen a welcoming sign like that!

We have an extremely high rate of diabetes (especially juvenile} and cancer in this area already. I worry about buried waste from Oak Ridge that may be on old family farms from years and years ago (before accountability was in place). People desperate for money and uninformed years ago may have agreed to let the government buy toxic waste on their land.

We are a relatively poor area with the "few" that make the real money and contol the county. We are still operating under the "Good 'Ol Boys" concept. This is starting to change but at a snails pace.

I really mean THANK YOU for coming here! If we have someone like you helping to look out for us I will feel so much better for our children and grandchildren! Bless you Erin for all you have done for so many people!

For those of you scared about all of this "dangerous" ash, do you really think it would be stored outside, open-air, if it were that big of a threat? Of course not.

It's not as if TVA is sitting back doing nothing about this.

To John the "waterkeeper": Do you realize TVA is a federal organization and that TVA police are federal officers? If you were trespassing on federal grounds you should be arrested.

"Regardless of the toxicity of the contained products, the shear bulk of material that was callously and negligently allowed to escape into that river is a crime. It is a crime against the people of Tenn. and the people of the U.S. as a collective."

Negligently? Do you know how much rainfall this area has had the past month? Did TVA actually show gross negligence by "allowing" this to happen? Please quit with the uber-liberal comments about this being a crime to the river and residents of TN and the U.S.

It's organizations and people like this that blow things well out of proportion. Those displaced and affected by this are already going to be compensated tremendously from the government. But, of course, that's not enough to satisfy any of you. You're among the ranks of Stephen Smith and other extremists

Erin, I am really glad that you are coming to Knoxville. People here are scared and need help because they are afraid of something that they have never faced before: help from lawyers, TVA representatives, stressful noises from the cleanup, worring about health hazards to their families, etc.

I live on the Emory River across from the Kingston Steam Plant. I have live here for 43 years of my life. I remember when this lake was filled with lots of fish, and hardly any boats were on the lake except for a few fishermen. This area has always been beautiful except for looking at the Kingston Steam Plant smoke stacks.

When I had my home built, I was the only one living on this side of the lake across from the Steam Plant. Slowly the land was auctioned off and people have moved in. TVA should have bought the property directly across from the ash pond so that people, who did build there, would not be impacted by such a horrible spill. Now these people look at a horrible site across the lake and wonder about the health hazards they are facing in their future if they stay here.

I attended a neighborhood meeting Sunday, Jan. 4, with TVA representatives there. I handed out a paper I had written referring the people to a research paper written by Alex Gabbard from ORNL, Oak Ridge, called "Coal Combustion" - ORNL Review Bol. 26, No 3&4, 1993. It can be viewed at (http//www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview26-34/text/colmain.html) I handed out that paper, because I knew that the TVA representatives would try to make everything look wonderful and hunkey dorry for the future. These people represent the ones who let this tragic incident happen through negligance and greed. How can we even begin to listen to them?

This particular paper by Alex Gabbard explains that during combustion, the volume of coal is reduced by over 85%, which increases the concentration of the metals originally in the coal. Although significant quantities of ash are retained by precipitators, heavy metals such as uranium tend to concentrate on the tiny glass spheres (cenospheres) and make up the bulk of the fly ash. The retained ash is enriched in uranium several times over the original uranium concentration in the coal, because the uranium and thorium content is not decreased as the volume of coal is reduced.

The article also states that another unrecoginzed problem is the gradual production of plutonium-239 through the exposure of uranium-238 in coal waste to neutrons from the air. The neutrons are produced primarily by bombardment of oxygen and nitrogen nuclei in the atmosphere by cosmic rays and from spontaneous fussion of natural isotopes in soil. Because plutonium-239 is reportedly toxic in minute quantities, this process, however slow, is potentially worrisome. The radiotoxicity of plutonium-239 is 340 billion times that of uranium-238.

I know this sounds like a big nightmare, and it truly is. The same article I mentioned above states that there are ways to stop this type contamination from getting into our environment, but it will be expensive. I presume that some of the TVA big wheels will have to give up their million dollar bonuses.

DOE sites work under strong guidelines and I don't see why coal plants are not under them also. I can see why people would freak at paying higher electricity bills, but we have all been spoiled and don't want to spend money on alternative methods, i.e, solar, natural gas, etc. Something is going to have to give with these coal plants getting away with letting contaminates into the atmosphere and into our waterways.

Please understand that people in this area have been impacted by something that affects their lives in a very emotional way.

Erin, I am worried about the flyash in the air. They have been in the lake behind our home in Roane County cleaning muck from the edge of the water. Yesterday, they had 2 swamp boats in the water. I have a disabled child who has ceberal palsy and has had a stroke. I am concerned about how the airborne flyash will affect her. I also have COPD and am afraid. I feel for the folks who live next to the spill area. I know one family and I worry they will be most affected. I know about the flyash and how when it gets in your lungs you cough up black and blow you nose and black stuff comes out. This can cause Cancer and brain problems. A glass of water being drank does not prove anything. It is the constant everyday exposer that causes the problem. I live in Rockwood and would like to talk with you when you come. Please let us know where you will be have a news session or a question and answer, I would like to be there. Thank you.

I completely agree with Ryan above. You guys are a bunch of extremeists, but you are humorous. Believe it or not, you can not power the needs of 7 states on solar panels and wind turbines. The sun doesn't always shine, and everybody loves the idea of wind mills--but not in their front yard! The power demands of the poor, pitiful, and oppressed people of the Tennessee valley leave no other option than use cheap and reliable coal for power production. Perhaps the TVA should turn off all their coal plants for a week to remind everyone how thankful we are to have heat on a cold winter night, life saving electronic machinery in the hospitals, or electricity to power our computers and our environmental-government hating-imaginary scanal web blogs. I can assure you that the affected individuals in this spill will be "made whole" and "made happy" to quote the TVA CEO Tom Kilgore. Finally, this was an ACCIDENT not negligence. The dike was inpected in Oct 2008 by the U.S. Inspector General, which is not affiliated with the TVA. You can read the inspector general's report on www.tva.gov .

And, to JLW with WATERKEEPER. If you were walking around in an area that could have potential dangers hidden under mud, I don't blame the TVA police for escorting you away. You could have been seriously injured.

"If you were trespassing on federal grounds you should be arrested."
We were in waters of the United States. At no time did anyone in our party touch TVA land. We remained buoyant in waters of the U.S.

"Regardless of the toxicity of the contained products, the shear bulk of material that was callously and negligently allowed to escape into that river is a crime. It is a crime against the people of Tenn. and the people of the U.S. as a collective."
Negligently? Do you know how much rainfall this area has had the past month?"

Yes, I know how much rain there was. It is sheer stupidity to call this an act of God. The material was "wet stacked" 50 feet above the river and had several warnings of the breach. Reports of "wet spots", "weeps", piping, and even water standing at the bottom of the dam were all warnings of impending disaster. It could have been prevented, It should have been prevented and it was not. That is, in my opinion, a criminal act of negligence and Tom Kilgore should go to jail for it along with any of his staff who were aware of it as well as any EPA officials who did not take action when it began to show signs of failure.

The Emory, Clinch, and Tennessee Rivers have all been compromised. The levels of toxicity is unknown at this time. My photos and test results clearly show that three waterways of the U.S. have been compromised needlessly and that is a crime against the people of the Unites States.

Someone should go to jail and it is not the ones seeking truth but those who seek truth but those who use deceit and half truths that allow TVA to permit reckless endangerment of entire communities.

I was there, I saw it, where were you?

Thank you for the comparison to Steven. I consider that a compliment of the highest degree coming from someone of your ilk.

Horray for citizen active groups that have brought this disaster to the world's attention. If you go you need to also be aware that Fly Ash has been considered by state and federal agencies as nothing more toxic than household garbage. Beware of fly ash as it contains more concentrations of heavy metals than years past as a result of stricter pollution controls at power plants. Officials from Va and Maryland are eyeing disposal rules due to polluted groundwater by fly ash. Also be aware that new controls have created a cottage industry for fy ash for Portland cement which we now know creates indoor pollution and toxic releases by the cement that contains this toxic brew. Fly ash in cement kilns has increased from 1 million tons in 2001 to over 4 million in 2006. This year the EPA has admitted they have underestimated mercury pollution from cement plants. So beware of pushing the TVA to shipping its fly ash to yet another source of mercury pollution, cement kilns.

"Erin, I am worried about the flyash in the air. "

You should be worried. Right now there has been ample rain to hold this muck in a semi liquid form. When it stops raining, this will dry, becoming air-borne coal waste dust. Any number of pollutants found in the sludge will be available for breathing.

United Mountain Defense is taking donations to provide dust masks to residents in the effected area. PLease consider making a donation to "United Mountain Defense" www.unitedmountaindefense.org Mark donations to TVA ash disaster.

Hurricane Creekkeeper

As a resident of Swan Pond, I have been journaling this event. This journal is my way of keeping my family aware of what is going on, as well as a way to vent. I wasn't aware of the impact of what I was writing until a friend did a web search on TVA coal ash and my blog came up.

As a resident of swan pond, I know that we need to keep this disaster on the front page... keep TVA accountable, and have accurate information in order to determine how we proceed with our lives.

Thank You.

http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/

The only good thing to come from this incredible disaster is the focus that it brings to industries such as big coal.
With the stellar efforts of Waterkeepers like John Wathen, Donna Lisenby and Sandra Diaz, and now joined by Erin, maybe the rest of the country will get the picture as to the full impact of this catastrophic event.
Too bad things have to get this bad before actions are taken. How many other potential disasters are out there waiting for conditions to result in more water bodies being destroyed?
You are all heros in our eyes!!!
In response to the above comment by Ryan L, I don't know where you get the idea that because a disaster of this magnitude was committed by a "federal organization" that it makes it OK. Obviously the TVA doesn't know what they are doing or there would not have been such a disaster, regardless of the amount of precipitation.
It's time to stop giving these agencies and industries a free pass.
And yes, I happen to be a Riverkeeper myself, and the group of Riverkeeprs who are working on this issue are some of the best and most dedicated in the business. This country should be darn proud to have such dedicated people watching our waterways.
You call them uber-liberals..I call them heroes of the environment.

Thanks Larry.
We are beginning, next week flying with SouthWIngs to survey every coal burner in Alabama. We just found out that TVA controls three in Bama and one was recently cited $100,000.00 for a similar incident here in Alabama.

Coal is Dirty, Dangerous, and Depleting!

PROOF THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS CLEAN COAL!

The Dirty Coal saga continues. Independently obtained test sample results are coming in proving toxic levels of arsenic and many other heavy metals …..and to think TVA officials told local residents on Dec. 26 that their water was perfectly safe if they just boiled it first. They have also allowed residents and their families to walk around in this stuff without warning them of the dangers or toxicity of the sludge.

The national news media is only just beginning to grasp what all this means - there is NO such thing as clean coal. The finished product may be scrubbed and clean, but all that scrubbing leaves this toxic mess behind, which the coal industry has been using to fill up mountain valleys for years.

Just like Katrina ‘outed’ New Orleans’ dirty little secret about the lower Wards – the dirty secrets about Coal are now finally being given national attention.

I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, far from this disaster, but I am a Waterkeeper and protector of our waterways. I continue to forward this information to my local elected officials and local media as it comes to me from other Waterkeepers because while this is happening in a watershed far from our own, we on the Delmarva peninsula must work towards new sources of power for our electricity and begin the process of weaning ourselves off coal powered electric plants.

I am extremely proud to be a part of the Waterkeeper movement and proud that it was Waterkeepers who were among the first to warn local residents of the dangers, bring bottled water to those in need, and put their boats upon U.S. waters to gather the proof that was needed to expose this disaster.

This just came in from United Mountain Defense, on site in Harriman...
"**PLEASE FORWARD OUT FAR AND WIDE TO ALL LIST, EMAILS, FACEBOOKS, MYSPACES**

We (UMD) found out from the expert that we had come speak to last weekends community meeting that there is a window. After around 27 days the arsenic leaves urine. A lab said they could do this an other heavy metal testing. At first the cost was 700 per person--but they brought it down to 500 to help.

We had 50 people sign up for testing.

One of our volunteers (Bonnie) just called me in tears. She said "look, I am calling and people are sick, some are so sick that their families are there and answering the phone for them. The ones that know us are telling us the truth--they just lost their land value, there health and some of them everything and there is no way they can come up with that kind of cash.

We have sick families who cannot pay for the medical testing they need. People who drank out of wells and springs for DAYS while TVA told them to just boil their water.

If anyone happens to have 500 bucks we can get at least some of the sickest tested. We don't want to touch a dime you can pay the clinic doing the testing directly. They are taking blood, urine, nail clippings, fecal, hair follicle for heavy metal and arsenic screening.
"

Many Roane County residents have lost a way of life. This is a tragic situation. Prior to this accident several TVA employees working at this plant lost even more, they lost their life due to cancer. It would be valuable to see if there is a connection between exposure to the coal/energy process and cancer rates. Does TVA track this data?

I live in the Knoxville area and have family living near the plant. One relative, several years ago, died from a rare cancer at an early age while working at this plant. We suspect it was due to exposure to toxic airborne particles inside the plant....but no investigation was ever done.

I live in Loudon County and rumor is, they are bringing the waste from the pond breach to the landfill in my neighborhood. I am concerned about the longterm effects this may have on my family's health. I've also been told that it is happening at night and from what I understand, that practice is not allowed. Why would they be allowed to simply dispose of this waste in a common county landfill?

Well, I'm going to have to agree with Ryan L.
Why is the coal fly ash being stored in ponds? Are you kidding me? TO KEEP IT OUT OF THE AIR. Clean air act ring a bell?
Why did the retention wall give way? East Tennessee has seen an UNBELIEVABLE amount of rainfall over the past couple of weeks. These retention ponds are made of EARTHEN walls. TVA found a weakness in one of these ponds and fixed it. The wall that gave way was NOT one of the "weak" spots found earlier.
My fiancee is working out there. Do you think that I'd be siding with TVA if I thought they were putting him in danger? Do you realize that TVA is taking every step necessary to get this cleaned up? My fiancee had to miss CHRISTMAS with his ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER to work TWELVE HOURS. That's right. They are ALL working 12 hour shifts 7 days per week to make this right. The people that are already sueing TVA are sueing for insane amounts. One man said he owned "lakefront property" that is now ruined. Tell me, do you call a dried up inlet "lakefront property"? He is in bankruptcy, that is why he is lining up like a hungry lion to get his pound of flesh. Vultures. TVA is willing to cooperate ONE ON ONE with all the residents affected by the spill and has been. There was no need for you to come to Knoxville, and there is no need for anyone to sue until they even find out how TVA will be compensating them. In the instance that TVA falls short with their compensation, THAT is when they need to think about sueing. Publicity for you and your lawfirm. That's all this is. Otherwise, why would you have this blog in the first place?

This will really help the people of Kingston and surrounding area for you to come talk with us.I am so concerned about our air ,water,do we all have cancer of some type to look forward to because of this disaster the largest of its type in the USA.I know I need answers and lots of them!Thanks for coming here Erin Brockovich

I can understand you apologist attitude since you and beaux are connected at the pocket book to TVA.

Here is some reading material for you. This was no accident and no amount of money thrown at the effected people will change that.

Coal is Dirty, Dangerous, and Depleting

"The nonprofit Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) today said that nearly 100 largely unregulated "wet dumps" across the United States that are comparable to the Tennessee Valley Authority's breached site in Harriman, Tennessee, for the storage of toxic pollution from coal-fired power plants have a place on one or more of the "worst site" lists for six toxic metals, including arsenic and lead.
In fact, many of the toxic coal ash "wet dump" sites around the U.S. appear to pose a greater potential danger than the Tennessee site that is now in the headlines, EIP warned, citing new data analysis.
Using industry-reported data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxic Reporting Inventory (TRI) data system for 2000-2006 (the latter being the most recent year for which complete data is available), EIP looked at the presence of arsenic, chromium, lead, nickel, selenium and thallium in the waste at Tennessee-style pollution dumping sites across the nation.
The EPA has determined that these "surface impoundment" ponds (also known as "wet dumps") are the most likely storage sites to leak pollution into groundwater and surface water, even without a catastrophic failure such as the one before Christmas at the TVA's Kingston Steam Plant coal ash retention pond, which burst and covered the nearby area with more than a billion gallons of toxic-laden sludge.
In the case of deadly arsenic, which has been detected in water polluted by the TVA site disaster in Tennessee, EIP charges that the Stanton Energy Facility in Orlando, FL., has reported dumping roughly 10 times more of the carcinogen in its site between 2000-2006 than the TVA did over the same period in its now ruptured Harriman storage pond site.
The TVA's pollution storage site in Tennessee was found by EIP to be on five of the six toxic chemical lists for the 50 worst coal-fired power plant pollution "wet dumps." A total of five comparable disposal sites showed up on all six of the six worst-site lists for the toxic metals: TVA Widows Creek Fossil Plant, Jackson, AL; Duke Energy Gibson Generating Station, Gibson, IN; Georgia Power Scherer Steam Electric Generating Plant, Juliette, GA; Kentucky Utilities Co Ghent Station, Ghent, KY.; and Louisville Gas & Electric Co. - Mill Creek Station, Louisville, KY.
The EIP analysis shows that a total of 13 states were found to have at least three coal-fired power plant "surface impoundment" dumping sites on the six 50-worst toxic chemical lists: Indiana, 11 dumps; Ohio, eight dumps; Kentucky, seven dumps; Alabama, seven dumps; Georgia, six dumps; North Carolina, six dumps; West Virginia, four dumps; Tennessee, four dumps; Illinois, three dumps; Michigan, three dumps; Pennsylvania, three dumps; Florida, three dumps; and Wyoming, three dumps.
The full EIP report is available www.environmentalintegrity.org.
The Environmental Integrity Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established in March of 2002 by former EPA enforcement attorneys to advocate for effective enforcement of environmental laws.
Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@jeraone.com
"

"I can understand you apologist attitude since you and beaux are connected at the pocket book to TVA."
By the way... I'm sure you meant YOUR.

Some people's lives don't revolve around money. If I thought he was in danger at all whatsoever, I wouldn't want him working out there. His life and health are more important to me than my "pocket book".

If you want someone to blame, blame the government and mother nature. If it hadn't rained like cats and dogs for weeks on end we wouldn't even be discussing this. Tell the Government to give TVA more funds so that they CAN develop a "better way".
The people of East Tennessee would probably agree with me on saying: You want to take our coal away? Find us something just as effective and cheap and we'll be glad to do away with coal.

I'm not sure what you mean by "apologist attitude". It's called perspective. I know that TVA SHOULD reimburse these people but not for 165 MILLION dollars when ALL OF ROANE COUNTY is not worth that much. That's what the man with the "lakefront property" is asking for.
For the people that HAVE been affected... yes, they deserve compensation. But every Tom, Dick, and Harry doesn't... and I'm hoping they won't capatilize on the heating costs of millions of East Tennesseeans.... especially in this economy. But hey, you're probably still living off Mommy and Daddy's money while you're on your crusade so you wouldn't know what it's like to choose between your power bill or groceries.....

Bravo! You've made your "point".. but it still doesn't make sueing for something you're not entitled to appropriate. It doesn't make it ok that no one's even giving TVA a chance to compensate before they start with their lawsuits.

My fiancee couldn't even do his job today because news crews got in his way. If you want it cleaned up - WHY ARE YOU GETTING IN THE WAY OF THE FREAKING CLEAN UP!!!???

After seeing the local news tonight I felt compelled to come to your blog. I used to think you were a decent person but now I think you are a publicity hound who loves to keep trouble stirred up.
This was a terrible accident and time will tell whether it could have been prevented or not. No one is happy this happened and no one wants fly ash in their backyard. But people, please give TVA time to get it cleaned up. I could understand your visit and the outcry on this blog if it had been two months, two years, whatever, but it's only been two weeks. Let them get it cleaned up and give them a chance to properly care for the families. Have they not been good to them so far? I'm talking about the actual people who were affected by this, not the crowd that rushes in to claim distress to get a dime. Before you say that is mean, you all know there are people out there who take advantage of every situation.
It is so easy to want to kick a big company when they're down and seize an "opening" to push an agenda against coal. But before everyone gets carried away let's stop and think about the good TVA has done. Having lived around the world I know that our rates are lower than most. Is TVA perfect? No. But do they help us? Yes. I am glad we have TVA and I fully support them in their cleanup efforts. No part of me believes the fly ash is dangerous. It's the amount of fly ash that is the problem. Let's consider that in years past many people heated their homes with coal. Also, during my childhood the ash just used to blow out of the stacks. Now we have ash piles. No one has mentioned the half a billion dollars TVA has spent at this steam plant to build a scrubber which will make the air even cleaner. Give them time. They are working on this.
Let's not let our country be completely taken over by the environmentalist folk. There are definetely cases where they are needed, but this is not one of them.
Imagine for a moment if they suceeded in shutting down the coal fired plants. How many people would that put out of work? Roane County is not a rich county and TVA people spend a lot of money in that county. Would they miss it? You bet and fast. Now let's also consider that we need the plants for electricity. I often wonder if all the people who are against TVA and that are "ready for a fight" are willing to go without electicity and really live an eco friendly life. I bet as soon as a hospital was needed or maybe a little warmth on a cold night--their opinion would change pretty fast. People we have to be logical and pick our battles correctly. Let's don't destroy this country by putting regulations on everyone that will put them out of business. Our country is already on the downhill slide so why add to the dismal job market by wanting to put people out of business?
I know this is long but I feel so strongly about this I wanted to let you know the other side of the story. Out of curiosity I have to ask why no one ever comes to protest the nuclear and goodness knows what else goes on at Oak Ridge which is a few miles down the road. That area is so hot that the flowers bloom year round. Someone earlier mentioned dead fish. Well anyone that knows anything around here knows not to eat fish in this area. Look it up people, there are a lot more dangerous areas around here than the Kingston Steam Plant. Leave it alone. I'm sure it will be a nice vacation for Ms. Erin though. I hope she sees we are a nice loving people and we would like to keep TVA because we need them. Don't stir up any trouble. Let us be.

I live on Swan Pond Cir and I've had three asthma attacks since this has happened. Even had to go to my allergy Dr. and have a breathing treatment and new medicine. Not had any problems since last May 2008. Now tell me something isn't in the air.

What used to be pretty out here on the circle and around the lake is ugly!!!

Thanks for taking your time to come to see this mess.

My question for you Erin is where is all the sludge there pulling out of the Swan Pond area going to on all these numerous trucks leaving there full with this crap...Ive seen the trucks leaving this area with the stuff so my question is where in the world are they dumping it to get it out of the Swan Pond area? Thanks so much for all your concerns and with your help for these people they really need a strong voice and i fell they have found one in you...God Bless...

in reference to the last sentence. "WHY ARE YOU GETTING IN THE WAY OF THE FREAKING CLEAN UP!!!???"

TVA police wouldn't let anyone within a 40 yard radius of the workers and the actual spill. We were not in the way of any crews.

Please don't accuse me of exaggerating or getting in the way.

First things first...
Thanks from everybody here to SouthWings! Those folks really came through. Thanks to South Wings, you are seeing the first photos from the Widow Creek spill. (I have them in Hi-res if needed contact me) I flew an hour or so over Kingston to re-shoot the ask flow there and mix lines in the Emory, Clinch, and Tennessee. We saw a clear line of ash leaving the Watts Bar dam over 20 miles by water from the Kingston site.

Widow Creek is nothing in comparison to Kingston in terms of bulk but still the same in that it is another TVA failure.
TVA claims it was a leaky pipe. I offer you my pictures and you can decide. This too was preventable.

This same facility was fined by ADEM in recent months, $100,000.00 for similar discharges. Tom Kilgore told the senate hearing committee YESTERDAY that all TVA ponds and dams had been inspected and were found to be safe.

http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/creekkeeper_2008/Widow%20Creek%20Ash%20Spill/

The spill was not the same as Kingston. There was no dam failure. From the air it appears that there was some sort of pipe in the middle of the ash / gypsum pond buried deep in the waste material. It appears as a hole in the photos. In the hi-res images, I can blow them up and see an opening in bottom of the hole that looks like an open pipe. I do not know the gypsum process so I am not sure of it's purpose. NY-Times reporter told me that TVA stated that there were some old pipes under there that were not in use any more. (?)

Does anyone have a clue why this gaping hole would be there unless it is some sort of failed pipe. Look closely at the photos of slope between the upper and lower pond. There is a
drain pipe of some sort there that is in bad repair. Somehow the sludge from the top pond wound up in the lower pond causing it to over top the outer wall where it flowed quite freely into Widow Creek. The gray sludge can be seen in the photos flowing down the bank and into the creek. There is an ash / gypsum layer all around the banks and flowing down the creek into the Tennessee River and can be seen at least 1.5 miles downstream.

There is a mix-line of very turbid water leaving Widow Creek and entering the Tennessee. The Tennessee was fairly turbid above the site but it was clearly creating a line of contaminated water in the river.

The sediment basin that over-topped was supposed to act as a retention pond. It is now full of waste and not able to serve that capacity any longer. There is a pipe that leaves it and drains directly into Widow Creek. This should be considered a violation of the permit.

Many problems could be seen and need to be addressed but the biggest thing that struck me was the size of this thing. The ash pond for Widow Creek PLant is larger than Kingston and exactly the same engineering.

The light was bad so the photos are not the best but will tell the story I think.

I will organize them and caption some tomorrow. I have to sleep now.

Coal is Dirty, Dangerous, and Depleting.

This comment is for "Chessa" and others - Speaking as someone whose family lives on the ashtray, let me assure you, Erin is not "stirring up trouble." And I am so pissed that you would even say that. She was ASKED to come. So don't get in the way of the people who want her there and NEED her there. I suggest you go to Blockbuster, rent the movie that has Erin's name on it, watch it, and pay attention. Really, pay attention.

Erin, I know you've been getting some crap about your visit. I guess the best way to explain the local area's relationship with TVA is to compare it to that of an abusive boyfriend. On the surface, he's real charming. And boy, you love him. You'll defend him to anyone. So when he tells you he loves you, you believe it. And when he tells you you need him, you believe it. And when he buys you that ring because you have bruises up and down your body and he tells you he's sooo sorry, you believe it.

Because what other choice do you have?

People, don't be so quick to give TVA a pass, they haven't earned it. I'm going to be posting a new video in the next day or so...maybe that will open your eyes a little bit.

Just want to let Molly know that I have seen "Erin's" movie. And since you bring it up I have to say that I enjoyed it although I could do without the sexy wardrobe, etc. Enough said about that. Don't pile on me for bringing up the movie, I didn't.
As for your movie on fly ash I could watch it a thousand times and not change my mind. Fly ash is not a great toxic chemcial. You want me to pay attention to the movie, I want you to pay attention to what I wrote. I don't fault Erin for helping where it is needed. I fault her for jumping in too fast at a place she is probably not even needed. I repeat that if it had been two months, two years, etc. then yeah she should be here stirring up trouble. But I ask you, has TVA not been trying to clean this up? Are they not treating the victims well? Please give them a little time. Erin's movie and this situation are not the same. This company is a different company and they are admitting there are problems.
Like you I have also lived here most of my life. I have also traveled extensively and have always been glad to come back home. I'm sorry that you see us as poor misguided locals who like to hang on to an old boyfriend. I will tell you I would be the first to kick him out if I thought he was doing me wrong.
I will refer to my earlier post about coal. I will say again I don't understand why the environmentalist hate it so. Is it an easy target? Is Oak Ridge not? You state you live here. Don't you ever consider the danger that could happen there? I just don't understand everyone's rush to judgement on TVA. Give them a chance to do the right thing.
As for Erin and all the other people ready to file lawsuits--and maybe Erin can answer this for me--does she or her lawyers from New York get a cut (or fee) from the winning money in a lawsuit? They're surely not doing all this for free are they? Are all these groups rushing here doing this for free? Will it still be free in 2 years? This is purely out of the goodness of their souls? How does one afford a nice office, a nice living, etc. if doing everything for free?
I appreciate your efforts, Molly, to inform me. But I am pretty informed myself and I will always stand on the side of common sense especially when it comes to fighting for what's right. I repeat give them a chance to do the right thing. Has anyone stopped to realize that our rates will have to be raised more and more with each lawsuit that is filed? I strongly feel any money should go directly to the people affected, not someone from out of state or any enviro group. Don't let them get one cent out of this. I didn't serve in this country for it to be torn apart by misguided people. I say again, I am not against Erin I just want her to be where she is needed and this is not it.

Chessa - At this moment, it is the quantity of fly ash that has me most concerned. If someone poured a quarter cup of arsenic into the middle of the ocean, I'm still going to live. If someone poured a quarter cup of arsenic into my coffee, it's lights-out, Molly.

I don't think people are against TVA. They provide a necessary service and employ thousands. What people have a problem with is irresponsible management. And that's what we're talking about in this case. As Representative Wamp said, if this could be attributed to rain, FEMA money could be involved. If this is attributed to poor engineering or poor management decisions, well, it ain't good for the TVA. And it certainly isn't good for TVA customers.

But we're talking about a wet-ash pond located in East Tennesee, where, as you know, it rains alot. There are inspection reports and engineers who have pointed out the problem and, according to them, the problem went ignored.

If you live in East Tennessee, you have to take into account that it rains 5 or 6 inches or more in a month. You have to take into account that the temperatures dip below freezing. You have to take into account that the freezes and thaws known in the area will cause the earth to crack. TVA had options. These options were pointed out to them years before. They chose to take the cheap way out.

Did you watch the senate hearings with Mr. Kilgore? I found that pretty enlightening.

I'm sure you know by now that Mr. Kilgore's $3 million plus salary is tied to performance bonuses. If he can make the numbers look good, he gets paid more - hundreds of thousands more. Now, I don't know Mr. Kilgore. I know he's a husband, a father, a grandfather; he may be a lovely man. But this was no accident. This was no act of god. This was an unlined, toxic ash pile that dumped into my parents backyard. This was a disaster that never should have happened. Never would have happened had they taken the proper precautions that were suggested to TVA years prior.

On Tuesday, my dad is going to the doctor because he's having difficulty breathing. Now, my dad is not one to complain. He's retired military (and I see you have served as well). He's not looking for lawyers to get him money. He doesn't want helicopters flying over his house and barges cruising past his windows. And sludge and ash in his river. He wants things back to the way they were. But that's never going to happen in his lifetime. Never. I don't know if his breathing difficulties are a result of this disaster. But I sure want to find out and get them out of there. Because, contrary to what TVA has said not everyone was evacuated. Many neighbors didn't hear from TVA until a week later. Some still haven't. And I'm talking about people right there at the site.

TVA said they are looking to Martins Creek for answers and possible solutions. Martins Creek took 7 months and $37,000,000 to cleanup. The Kingston steam plant dumped 63 times as much ash into the Emory River. How does that math work out?

TVA told people they would have it cleaned up in 4-6 weeks. In what fantasy world will that happen?

We may have to agree to disagree on this one but no, I don't think TVA has handled this well. They haven't taken care of the people, not by any stretch of the imagination. If they had, they would have had a lined pond or they would have switched to some other kind of storage or they would have sold the stuff and got it out of here since they seem to think it's so valuable. They wouldn't have allowed children to climb in the 'mud' and pets to eat the dead fish they say didn't exist. They would have issued an official precaution statement on day one. They wouldn't have issued an all-clear from day one because that's supremely irresponsible since water sampling takes 7 to 10 days for the FIRST set of results and should be conducted in a grid pattern with specific testing instruments. I can go on and on. TVA management has zero credibility with me. ZILCH.

Is it appropriate for Erin to step in two months or two years later? No! Do we just wait to let the cancer metastasize? Do we call her in when my niece has reproductive problems or my nephew's kidneys are failing? We are talking about the largest TOXIC ash spill in the HISTORY of the United States. How can anyone possibly assert that a spill of this magnitude is nothing to worry about. Yet that's exactly what TVA is saying.

Do some people take advantage of disaster? Of course, you can find opportunists everywhere. But, in this neighborhood, people have been reluctant to jump on the attorney bandwagon. Why? Because they do trust the TVA. Or, at least, they did. These people called in experts, like Erin, for education and assistance. They called in attorneys to see what could be done, what should be done to clean up the mess. They called in experts in environmental sciences to educate them on the potential dangers. IF a lawsuit is a result of TVA's negligence, then so be it. And the experts who came and provided assistance and information should be paid. Don't get frustrated with the people CALLED IN TO HELP if your electric bills get jacked up, get frustrated, hell, get pissed off at the people who did a risk assessment on people's lives and thought it just wasn't worth it to do the job right.

This comment is specifically for Molly...I would like to address the fact that as you disputed chessa's points you used unneccessary language such as "pissed" "hell" and "jacked". While reading your arguments this word usage only points to immaturity and does not incline me to agree with you at all. Chessa wrote professionally and refrained from offensive language and I am grateful for that. If you were trying to persuade anyone that what you believe is the right thing you failed dismally in my case. TVA is doing everything they can and are taking full resposibility, a fact you seem to ignore. Also, I too live in East Tennessee and I have to wonder if you honestly believe we get 5-6 inches of rain a month? Were you present while our community experienced a drought last two years? Just a few things I wanted to let you know.

Molly, I wish only the best for your family along with all the others affected. What a terrible time for them. I understand your frustration. I can understand your fear for your father. I too have a father that is made of steel and never complains. He worked hard his whole life in the coal business. Before anyone jumps on me for that-he no longer works it in and I am not just "taking up for coal." But he knows a thing or two about coal dust and ashes. Many of the people I grew up around heated their homes with coal. Some people still do by the way.
My prayer is that this mess gets cleaned up properly and the people affected get taken care of and no one profits from this that shouldn't. I truly hope all the outsiders coming in have the very best interest of the people in mind. Just as you want TVA to be checked out and monitored I would like these enviro folks to be monitored also. We can't just give them all a free pass either now can we?

Here are the most recent fly-over photos, thanks to SouthWings, from Kingston to the Watts Bar dam.
You can follow the mud and ash plume from Kingston over the Watts Bar Dam.

http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/creekkeeper_2008/TVA%20Ash%20Flyover%2001_09_09/

In my opinion, every drinking water source in the Tennessee River below Kingston Fossil Fuel Plant is in jeopardy of contamination.

This video report from Donna Lisenby, Upper Watauga RIVERKEEPER...
"We spent all day Jan 8 and Jan 9 on the Emory and Clinch Rivers collecting more water, sediment and solid samples. We also electroshocked for fish. When we electroshocked on January 8 in the ashberg zone we found very small silversides, pumpkinseed sunfish, bluegill, channel catfish and a green sunfish. The only fish we found in the ashberg zone the next day on January 9th were channel catfish and one spotted sucker. The channel catfish collected on January 8th weighed 439 grams. His stomach and intestines were full of coal ash that weighed 34.38 grams. So 8% of his body weight was coal ash. You should see the pictures."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykwcQPf_9fc

JLW,
Hurricane CREEKKEEPER

Chessa,
Thank you.

Alexis,
When I'm emotionally hit, I'm not always the most level-headed person. My father's health has been endangered (as the TN Department of Health informed him) and my family's life has been put on hold. Their property has been irreparably damaged - an oasis that they shared with their children and their grandchildren. A home my mother designed herself and helped build.

Let me ask you, Alexis, how proper, how "professional" would you be if your parents health had been endangered and their finacial security as retirees went washing down the polluted river?

When you walk a mile in the shoes of ANY of the people directly affected, THEN you have the right to reprimand me!

Oh, and by the way...

AVERAGE Precipitation for area code 37748
Jan 5.75"
Feb 4.90"
Mar 6.12"
Apr 4.58"
May 5.62"
June 5.15"
July 5.53"
Aug 4.27"
Sept 3.93"
Oct 3.49"
Nov 5.17"
Dec 5.73"

That's from the weather station.

I'm going to step away from the computer now, you're bringing on my Tourettes.

Thanks molly-THE END

In reference to my comment about not getting in the way and Erin's response:

Yes, the NEWS CREWS did get in the way. YOU are part of the REASON for all that NEWS COVERAGE.

My fiancee could not turn his truck around so that he could get to where he needed to be because news crews were parked in the only turn around spot. THAT IS getting in the way. Thank you.

Erin & Robin - Terrific article in the Huffington Post. Appreciate it!

For those who want a birds eye view of the Kingston Disaster go to Wansoo has generously offered to set up such a page at any disaster we face in the future using this as a template.
http://www.imrivers.com/tvaash/ve

You can even go in for a "Birds Eye View" from Google from before the disaster.

With this we can update the maps instantly then send out links for anyone in the world to follow with a simple click.
Check out the blog that comes with it.
http://creekkeeper.wordpress.com/

Dr Wansoo Im and I have created a model mapping page to cover the disaster and update with video, photos, and data.

Using sample points we can list and post data as it comes in for individual location. I can set a password for someone on the ground or up load from here.

John L. Wathen
Hurricane Creekkeeper

Coal is Dirty, Dangerous, and Depleting

it is now jan 17th nothing has been done for all residents out on pond swan circle most of us are still waiting to hear from tva. even some of the ones by the main spill. i just hope and pray that tva does the right thing. this hasn't just affected our community it has affected the whole county. thank you erin for coming and talking to us you guys gave us alot of information, i am one of the person's you talked to after the meeting i could tell you really cared about us and you are so down to earth those who didn't want you here heck with them hope you come again. thanks so much god bless

OK, let's look at the harmful toxins in fly ash, with some comments:

Arsenic: Deadly! Will accumulate in the body.
Beryllium: Dangerous in both the air & in water. Can cause intestinal lesions from drinking water with it. Breathing BeO2 can cause lung cancer.
Cadmium: Very toxic, accumulates in the body.
Chromium: Can be toxic in large amounts.
Chromium VI: Erin knows LOTS about this one! A carcinogen, etc, etc.
Cobalt: May be mutagenic in large amounts and may damage the heart.
Copper: Toxic in large amounts.
Lead: A well known toxic, especially for children.
Manganese: May be neurotoxic.
Mercury: Very toxic! The Methyl form is real nasty.
Selenium: Yes, it's needed for nutrition in small amounts, but it becomes toxic in larger amounts.
Thallium: Toxic, but hard to detect in the body without special tests.

Quite a Witches brew! If any of you doubt this, see:
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html#inorganic

and also check out the MSDS reports for each of these. The local water supplier is supposed to check for these elements/chemicals, but those of you on well water around there will need to get your water tested, I hope TVA foots the bill for it. Note that the concentration will change as the plume of this seeps into the soil. And, boiling the water won't help for these contaminates. The dried out fly ash is also bad to breath, the Silicon Dioxide can cause Silicosis, for example.

Some years back, there was a retaining pond of liquid Uranium mining waste that failed on an Indian Reservation, and at least one pond at the Stringfellow Acid Pits site near Riverside CA almost failed in the early '80's. So, pond storage may not a long term good solution.

Sorry Erin, but I the pattern of having a disaster to find/require better ways of doing things repeated many time in both Safety & Environmental history. I've got plenty of examples I could share. Thanks.

I did not put my last name because I am currently employed by a Power Company and as you already know it is a dangerous endevor to put too much information out there in a public forum like this. Anyway not far south from the the current disaster with the retaining ponds of course there are more sites similar to that of the TVA, just an accident waiting to happen. The retaining pond is very near a major river and I couldn't guess how many millions of cubic feet of this fly ash just sitting there waiting for the next accident to happen. As we have been made aware the fly ash contains heavy metals such as mercury, and "trace amounts of Arsenic" which I am not exactly sure just exactly trace amounts are and by who's standards these are considered to be trace amounts. All the TVA episode did was bring to the forefront just how many of these holding ponds exist and how no one seems to assume the direct responsibility of monitoring the condition or the design of these potential disastors. I'm afraid we will see more of these disastors and the long term health and welfare that these will cause before anything gets done about the problem. How they have gotten by for so many years of storing this waste without it being considered Hazardous Waste I am sure is Political and hopefully with a Democratic White House maybe some of these issues will be taken a little more seriously. Erin your involvment can do nothing but help to bring the focus on these potential disastors and maybe just maybe we can avoid more disastors of these types in the near future because I believe from my 30+ years of working aroung the country in different Power Plant Settings That there are many potential disastors just waiting to happen.

Thank You For All That you do,
George

Erin, just posted this on my blog. Thought you might want to see it...

This article was found on WBIR. Dated July 23, 2008.

Here are some excerpts...
The Tennessee Valley Authority skirted environmental regulations when upgrading its coal plants, causing it to illegally emit a million tons of pollutants over the past two decades, according to a former EPA official.

The Environmental Protection Agency cracked down on other utilities that tried the same maneuvers, but in TVA's case, the EPA stopped short of suing because of a longstanding practice of not taking other federal agencies to court, said Bruce C. Buckheit, EPA air enforcement director from 1996 to 2003.

While some utilities were taken to court, the U.S. Department of Justice wouldn't prosecute (TVA) because of its federal status.

HELLOOOOO! What's wrong with this picture?!!!!!

And how do you like this gem from a 2003 Supreme Court ruling...

"There is no case or controversy between TVA and EPA. This case fits comfortably within the general rule that a dispute between two government agencies whose heads serve at the pleasure of the President does not result in a justiciable "case or controversy." Indeed, the court of appeals accepted that "both EPA's Administrator and TVA's board serve at the pleasure of the President." Pet. App. 85a. EPA is a government agency, whose Administrator serves an indefinite term by appointment of the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. See Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1970, § 1(b), 5 U.S.C. App. at 184. TVA, a government corporation, is headed by a three-person board whose members serve fixed, nine-year terms by appointment of the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. 16 U.S.C. 831a(a) and (b). As this Court has explained, "[i]n the absence of specific provision to the contrary, the power of removal from office is incident to the power of appointment." Keim v. United States, 177 U.S. 290, 293 (1900). Because there is no such "specific provision to the contrary" in TVA's charter, the members of TVA's Board accordingly may be removed by the President at will. See Morgan v. TVA, 115 F.2d 990 (6th Cir. 1940), cert. denied, 312 U.S. 701 (1941).

Isn't it well PAST time that TVA became a private utility like other utilities in the nation?

The EPA having any say whatsoever over TVA is a JOKE!!!

There is NO regulation. There is NO accountability.

Since the head of TVA serves at the "pleasure of the president" if it please, President Obama, it's time Kilgore and the entire TVA board, left the building!

It's time TVA ceased to be a government corporation.

So, 4,000 gallon of fly ash sludge got into the Potomac River this week from a pipeline rupture. It's obvious the handling problems of this junk won't go away.

I grew up in the Emory Heights and Swan Pond areas; and would like to make some comments about items that have been mentioned in the above posts. I was in the Swan Pond area in February, 2009. We took pictures from the church yard that overlooks the spill area. Yes there are trucks hauling something out of there, but the trucks have a cover over their load and you cannot see what is in the trucks. A couple of the trucks were going south on 27 Hwy. and then we didn't see the trucks after Spring City, TN. Another blogger talked about the signs that welcomed him to the area about safe drinking water. We have camped in campgrounds in Kingston. Yes there were signs telling everyone, "that is was not safe to eat the fish" "If you do eat the fish, the sign told how many you could eat in one month". I have pictures of these signs because I could not believe people eat the fish they catch from the waters around Kingston, Tn. (These signs were there in the 90s).
Everyone is worried about the spill. What about how many years this retention pond has been on Swan Pond Road? Could this be the reason the County (Roane), put a water system around Swan Pond Road? A lot of the homes on Swan Pond Road had wells. Residents could hook up on the new water line or stay on well water. My parents stayed on well water. I have tasted the water when it smelled so bad it would make you sick. I think everyone that had wells, should be concerned also.
After reading some of the information about the toxins that have been dumped, this might explain why a certain area on Woolsey Road smells like iron at different times. You could actually taste iron in your mouth.
Concerned citizen
Judy S.

So, what is happening now?

I live in Chatt, TN and my family in New England called me today telling me that they heard a news story about how bad the situation really is here. I live here and I have heard nothing! I am scared for the safety of my family and I'm considering having us all tested for levels of arsenic and other toxins... am I crazy???

Please post some info---Thank you for all of the informative postings--- I know this requires a lot of work and it is much appreciated!

Jen

The inspector general DOES work for TVA... pay + bonus money....

here is the link:

http://oig.tva.gov/

May 12, 2009
Hi Erin: With yesterday's EPA announcement that they will 'supervise' this clean up as a toxic waste site, wonder what that means?
I am a long time supporter of UMD, the ONLY group that got involved on 12/23 and began daily legitimate testing, with proper testing of air and water. They put their lives at risk trying to get help for victims and survivors and are STILL there.
Some friends and I are sponsoring a fund raising event (the first of several), the Art From The Ashes Art Exhibit and Silent Auction to be held at the Knoxville Museum of Art, beginning Sunday, May 17 and ending June 28 with the Auction. We have had tremendous success in getting wonderful donations from around the country from folks who care! These guys need help and also support for all they do for our neighbors in Roane County.

If you are in the Knoxville area on Sunday, stop by!

Now I see that coal ash sludge storage sites are being made secret, due to the treat they pose to the environment.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31327223//ns/us_news-environmentwid=18298287

As someone who pioneered the utilization and recycling of cenospheres back in the 70's and 80's , I can tell you that they constuite a small percetange (1-2%) of the total ash released at Kingston. I have been to Kingston many times and quite franklly I thought most coal fired plants had changed to "dry" disposal tecquines years ago. Responsible utilization of fly ash is something we should encourage.

The EPA has relented, and has disclosed the locations of 44 high risk to the environment coal ash sites:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20090629/sc_mcclatchy/3262660

You know, Erin, if you really want to get involved, you have to go to the source. Sure the Kingston spill was a disaster of epic proportions and I am really concerned as an East Tennessee resident. But the sludge ponds created by these power plants are just a portion of the bigger problem of coal as an energy source. In the mountains of Southwest Virginia, Southeast Kentucky, and Southern West Virginia coal mining companies are blasting away the tops of the beautiful Appalachain Mountains to get to the coal and then dumping all this blasted away earth, rock and dirt into the nearby valleys and streams, causing a host of environmental problems for the area. Not to mention all the sludge ponds that are being created in these areas by the washing of the mined coal. It's really sad and from what I can tell, only a small portion of the population in these areas actually know what is going on. If you want to see this for yourself, just look at the area on Google Earth; or you can go to the website ilovemountains.org for more information. It's a much bigger problem than just the spill in Kingston, TN.

Hi Erin,

Thanks for crusading for the "regular folks" and the environment once again. I've been following this issue as a member of Earthjustice (www.earthjustice.org) since it happened.

To be certain, coal ash IS an environmental and, therefore, a human health hazard, most specifically because it contains heavy metals that can cause short-term sickness and also, more importantly, much more serious long-term chronic illnesses like cancer.

Unfortunately, for the past 8 years under the Bush administration and a Republican-controlled Congress, a LOT of damage was done to our environment through consistent and deliberate attempts to relax or completely undo environmental regulations that had been in place for years to protect our air, water, and soil. And now we're reaping the results of those disastrous policies.

But we have to focus on today, so what people need to realize is that they need to educate themselves about these issues (through sites like Earthjustice, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Environmental Defense Fund, to name a few) and then put consistent pressure on their Congressional delegation to put strong enough laws and regulations back in place that will protect their environment and the health of those who live there.

People also need to realize that the fossil fuel industry (coal, oil, gas) had undue influence on the previous administration's policies through their deep pockets, and they are still lobbying the current Congress to the tune of $1.5 million a DAY to weaken the new clean energy bill that's currently working its way through the Senate.

Folks, forget partisan politics... we're fighting for our very LIVES against giant corporations who care nothing for them or for the environment -- only for their own short-term profits, whatever the cost. And they're doing everything to keep our legislators and the EPA in their deep pockets. So, our only hope is to learn & admit the truth of what's happening, band together, and fight like hell to save our planet and ourselves.

Erin, please keep speaking out about this issue and contact Earthjustice, which is an environmental law firm. I believe they are litigating this case on behalf of the people who live in the TN Valley.

silicon dioxide and calcium oxide = Sand and Limestone
Flyash is the unburned or non fuel portion of coal, mostly made up of the inert soild around coal mine or seams being mined. Volitale metals escape the stack burn the burning of coal. Flyash is truely inert.

I suggest you go to a national park near you, find the most undisturbed area and get a ground sample. In fact take several. Send them to an EPA certified or better yet independent lab. Have them tested. Guess what? You will find naturally occurring:
Arsenic: Deadly! Will accumulate in the body.
Beryllium: Dangerous in both the air & in water. Can cause intestinal lesions from drinking water with it. Breathing BeO2 can cause lung cancer.
Cadmium: Very toxic, accumulates in the body.
Chromium: Can be toxic in large amounts.
Chromium VI: Erin knows LOTS about this one! A carcinogen, etc, etc.
Cobalt: May be mutagenic in large amounts and may damage the heart.
Copper: Toxic in large amounts.
Lead: A well known toxic, especially for children.
Manganese: May be neurotoxic.
Mercury: Very toxic! The Methyl form is real nasty.
Selenium: Yes, it's needed for nutrition in small amounts, but it becomes toxic in larger amounts.
Thallium: Toxic, but hard to detect in the body without special tests.
All in the PPM or PPB range. To say Flyash contains these compounds is one thing to say they at dangerous levels is a real stretch. Junk science sells, fear sells, and lawyers get rich.

yes i understand that 6,000 cubic yard of soil that contains CESIUM-137and detectable levels of STRONTIUM-90 and PLUTONIUM-239/240 are to be excavated from NEW-YORK site starting in mid October, according to a DOE-briefing. this will Equivalent of some 200 DRUMP TRUCKS OF WASTE which come from NISKAYUNA,NY off of a 30 acre site at the separations process research unit in NISKAYUNA,NY which the site was shut down in 1953and this waste is going to the CHESTNUT RIDGE SITE WHICH IS IN KNOX CO & ANDERSON CO LINE. and i live right below the chestnut landfill , and i feel that this is not right and im sure there be more peoples whom will feel the same. we already having problem with rats, mices, racoons,coyotes,and now we even hear about somes black bears go to the landfills and feeding also, plus all kinds of buzzards (birds). all i know is there is something needs to be done about this waste coming to tn , plus there more sites in tn sites as of: landfills in HAWKINS, SHELBY COUNTIES. why can't they keep there waste up there in NISKAYUNA , NY it been there since 1953 why bring it here in tn . if there more peoples out there fills the same way as i do please contact Erin Brockovich like i did and trying to get her to come back here to heiskell tn like she did went she came to knoxville tn. here her email address : erin@brockovich.com also her website erin brockovich. thanks.

First, fly ash was mixed with oil & gas production sludge in one area of Texas:

http://rancholoslosmalulos.blogspot.com/2010/01/texacos-pit-abandonment-program.html

The chemical concentrations in the resulting mixture are list in one of the documents linked to.

Then, the EPA may have caved into Industry pressure on fly ash:

http://www.truthout.org/the-coal-ash-industry-manipulated-epa-data56485