Coal ash is not classified as a hazardous material and thus did not fall under federal regulations, but that changed in December 2008 when an impoundment pond at the east Tennessee TVA plant breached. The EPA has spent the past year inspecting coal ash storage facilities and utilities throughout the country and developing guidelines for safe storage. Those guidelines were expected to be announced by the end of 2009, but the EPA said it needed more time. That extra time may help the EPA identify and close loopholes that would otherwise leave customers of those plants footing the bill for any problems that arise.

The east Tennessee coal ash spill is a prime example. That disaster sent more than a billion gallons of toxic coal ash on to a neighboring community. The TVA is expected to spend more than a billion dollars over three years cleaning up that mess. Who is footing the cost of that cleanup? Millions of TVA customers every month in their utility bills.

TVA will soon begin negotiating with insurance companies, hoping to offset the cost of the spill for its customers. According to the South Carolina Post and Courier, many industries that handle hazardous materials must obtain bonds and other forms of insurance to cover potential toxic waste cleanups; however, power plants, chemical manufacturers and oil refineries in many cases were excluded from these requirements.

With any luck, when the EPA unveils its proposed guidelines, plants that store toxic materials will be required to hold money aside for such disasters so that their customers don’t have to pay for their problems.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › EPA guidelines may require coal-firing plants to plan for disasters

“I’m not crazy about it,” said Hank James in an interview with the Tuscaloosa News. “From what I’ve read, it doesn’t sound like a great thing for any community to deal with.”

Coal ash is not classified as a hazardous material by the Environmental Protection Agency, but since 2000, improved pollution controls have kept toxins from leaving smokestacks and thus have increased the amount of toxins in coal ash. The material may contain arsenic, lead, chromium, manganese and barium, which can contribute to serious health complications such as cancer, liver damage and neurological complications.

When the coal ash spill occurred last December, more than a billion gallons poured over 300 acres of a nearby community, knocking homes off their foundations and piling as high as nine feet in some areas. Numerous people have been displaced, some have suffered medical complications, and despite TVA’s claims to fully restore the property, some say it will always hold traces of dangerous materials that can harm wildlife and plant life that live off the land and in the waterways.

More than half of the recovered coal ash is expected to be stored in the rural Alabama town. A breach similar to that at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) plant in Kingston, Tennessee, could devastate the impoverished Perry County.

Perry County officials contend that the Arrowhead Landfill, where the recovered coal ash will be stored, was built to modern standards and is in full compliance with ADEM regulations. The landfill is lined with a heavy plastic to keep toxins from seeping into the ground and a purification system is capable of cleaning the fluids to a level clean enough to dump into nearby streams. A series of wells will help monitor to ensure hazardous toxins don’t get into drinking water.

But those reassurances aren’t enough to sway some concerned citizens. “As far as making any kind of benefit for this community, I don’t see any,” says John Osemer, 87, a lifelong resident of Uniontown.

Image courtesy Tuscaloosa News

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Recovered toxic coal ash to be stored in rural Alabama

The sludge quickly surrounded her home and pushed her sunroom from her house. She was devastated and called her husband Perry for help. “It does make you realize that you’re not in control and how fast things can happen,” he said.

The sludge was part of the 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash that had broken loose from an impoundment pond at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) coal-firing plant in Kingston, Tennessee, last December. The James’ home was just one of several that was destroyed when the sludge poured over 300 acres of the rural neighborhood and into the Emory River. They were told that rebuilding on the property would be impossible, so they packed up their belongings and left. The TVA put them up in a temporary rental home. Earlier this year the couple sold its property to the TVA, and says they are currently looking for a house in Knoxville.

Meanwhile, the TVA is involved in a massive cleanup to remove the toxic material from property in the area. Estimates put the cost of the cleanup at approximately $975 million.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Family recovers after losing home in coal ash spill

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in a financial report submitted last week, estimated the cleanup costs to be as much as $975 million, up from a previous estimate of $525 million to $825 million. The utility said those costs may continue to climb as the environmental damage is assessed.

The spill dumped 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash onto a community and into the Emory River. In some areas the sludge stood 9 feet high. It knocked homes off foundations and destroyed property in its wake as it poured from a breached impoundment. The utility already has spent more than $77 million buying up properties and cleaning up the area. Some environmentalists argue it is impossible to completely restore the land.

Coal ash contains dangerous toxins such as arsenic, lead, chromium, manganese and barium that can cause serious health complications such as cancer, liver damage and neurological problems. Some residents in the area say they have experienced respiratory problems as a result of the fly ash in the air. At least one young child has tested positive for heavy metal in his blood.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing independent air monitoring and oversight of the area and is inspecting coal ash storage plants in hopes of preventing future spills.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › TVA ups coal ash cleanup costs to $975 million

The utility claims its responsibility is to clean up the spill. It also says it has a financial responsibility to its 9 million customers.

To date, the TVA has spent more than $68 million to clean up the area. The utility estimates it will spend between $525 million and $825 million before the effort is complete. That total doesn’t take into consideration the money the utility will shell out for related fines and damages from lawsuits.

The TVA has purchased more than 70 properties at a cost of about $20 million, and is considering more offers from homeowners. The TVA already has turned down several more offers.

In a statement released by the TVA, the utility said it “is making meaningful progress to restore conditions near the Kingston site. We are working as quickly and safely as possible to do this while maintaining public health and safety.”

A plaintiff’s attorney responded to the statement by saying the TVA’s claim “is a slap in the face of people who have suffered for four months. … Clearly, TVA has delayed taking responsibility with respect to the many residents and how they’ve suffered.”

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › TVA asks federal judge to dismiss lawsuits

Yet, an October 2008 inspection deemed the Kingston Fossil Plant structurally sound. And life went on as normal for the residents of Kingston. Until December 22, 2008, when the walls of the impoundment pond broke down and poured 1.1 billion gallons of toxic material on to 300 acres of property and into the Emory River.

“The coal ash spill has both immediate and long-term impacts for Kingston residents whose land and homes have been affected by the spill,” says Rhon Jones, Toxic Torts Section Head with Beasley Allen Law Firm. As the sludge poured out from the impoundment pond as high as nine feet tall in some areas, it destroyed multiple homes and knocked some completely off their foundations. Several homes were left uninhabitable. “Aside from the immediate impacts of losing one’s home and use of property, other impacts include diminished property values and increased health risks,” Jones says.

The toxins found in coal ash include arsenic, lead, chromium, manganese, and barium. According to news reports, potential health problems associated with these toxic substances include cancer, liver damage and neurological complications, among other health problems.

While cleanup efforts are underway, there is little to stop the dust particles that fly into the air as the sludge dries, which is likely to aggravate the problem, Jones adds.

“In a recent public meeting with Kingston residents, health officials warned that the dust associated with the spill will pose an increasing challenge as the slurry dries and spring winds arrive,” he says. The fine particulate matter also is linked to respiratory illness. “There are reports of residents complaining of increased illness already,” Jones says. “A recent survey by the Tennessee Department of Health found that one-third of residents living near the spill reported breathing problems and one-half reported increased stress and anxiety.”

Those dust particles may also pose a threat to individuals living farther away from the spill site. “From diminished property value to loss of recreational opportunities, residents throughout the Kingston area are affected by the spill regardless of whether their property suffered directly,” Jones says. “Property values may be diminished due to the proximity of the spill. Dust particles may blow into surrounding areas as the sludge dries. Clean-up activities will be disruptive to the area, because the enormous task of cleaning up the spill is similar to a massive construction project. Dredging of the Emory River began in March, and crews are working 20 hours a day. The clean-up involves trucking the dredged sludge to a yet determined location, and the truck traffic not only will be noisy but also has the potential to spread dust along the travel route.”

Recreational opportunities may be lost due to the dredging activities, because fishing, swimming, and other recreation near the site are no longer appealing, he adds. “The impact of the spill will be long-lasting and the entire community will be affected either directly or indirectly.”

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Coal ash disaster affects those not directly affected by spill