Tennessee governor, other officials to tour site of major coal ash spill from power plant
December 31st, 2008 by Helen Taylor
December 31, 2008
Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen and other state officials plan to tour the site of a major spill of coal ash from a power plant.
The officials were scheduled Wednesday to walk through the area in rural eastern Tennessee where a billion gallons of sludge covered more than 300 acres and spilled into a river.
Bredesen is also expected to discuss steps being taken to protect the health and safety of area residents.
The Dec. 22 deluge from a Tennessee Valley Authority power plant destroyed three houses, displaced a dozen families and damaged 42 parcels of land, but there were no serious injuries.
Federal officials have cautioned residents who use private wells or springs to stop drinking the water pending more tests because of high levels of arsenic.
Source Associated Press