Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

A team of scientists involved in the testing and cleanup efforts in Kingston, Tennessee, following the massive coal ash spill at a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) impoundment pond, are proposing that the TVA turn the site into an independent educational and research center rather than try to clean up the sludge, according to the Knoxville Business News. The scientists say that spending $1 million per day to clean the site and restore it to its pre-spill condition is simply not practical.

Late last December the TVA coal ash pond spilled over, dumping 1.1 billion gallons of toxic material on to 300 acres of a rural neighborhood in east Tennessee, destroying homes and damaging property in its wake. Temporary dams were built to halt the ash’s flow into neighboring rivers, and grass seeds have been spread on the ground to keep the sludge at bay. But experts still don’t know how long clean-up efforts will take or how the dangerous toxins might affect animals and humans there.

Scientists say that turning the spill site into a educational and research center for the study of long-term effects of coal ash on the environment “could yield scientific dividends that could be used at power plants around the world,” according to the story. Scientists also say that if the fly ash is stabilized, it shouldn’t pose a risk to the health and safety of researchers or residents in the area.

The TVA and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation say despite the recommendation plans are to continue with clean-up efforts to remove the ash and restore the environment.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 6th, 2009 at 8:00 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.