More than 400 people have filed a total of 55 lawsuits against the TVA. Several hundred more people are said to be waiting for possible class-action certification. One lawyer estimated it would take more than 170 years to litigate the case should the agency force separate trials for every claim either already filed or pending class-action status, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel. The spilled coal ash is being blamed for destroyed homes, damaged properties, and a litany of health problems.

Coal ash is currently not regulated by the federal government, which critics say caused lax standards among coal ash impoundment facilities like the east Tennessee TVA plant. One proposal the EPA is considering would regulate coal ash as hazardous material, which would then fall under federal oversight. Another proposal would keep coal ash as non-hazardous but would require enforcement through “citizen” lawsuits.

The EPA said in a statement that is does not know when regulations will be finalized.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Two years after spill EPA unsure how to classify toxic coal ash

As part of the oversight, TVA is required to perform a comprehensive cleanup from the Emory River and surrounding areas. The utility’s work will be subject to review and approval by the EPA, which will consult with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). Any remaining contamination will be assessed and determination will be made whether additional actions are needed.

The agreement was reached under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, or Superfund law, which gives the EPA the authority to step in and force responsible parties to take action at hazardous waste sites and ensure community involvement.

Residents near the damaged spill site say they see the move as positive. “I just don’t think the TVA has the know-how to do this work,” one resident said to WBIR-TV. “It’ll be better with the EPA taking over. I think they’ll do the right thing.”

“TDEC welcomes EPA’s action and the continued collaborative partnership between our agencies,” said TDEC Deputy Commissioner Paul Sloan. “This successful partnership is vital to the cleanup of the TVA ash spill and we will continue to work with EPA to ensure the cleanup in Roane County is thorough and protective of both public health and the environment.”

Source:
EPA

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › EPA to oversee TVA’s coal ash cleanup efforts

The coal ash spill is being touted as the worst environmental disaster in TVA’s history. Not only were homes destroyed and property damaged by the massive outpour, the material that was dumped on to the land and flowed into the river contains dangerous toxins that could pose a possible health hazard not only to animals and plants in the area, but also to humans.

A massive cleanup is underway, ringing in at about $1 million per day. Estimates on the total cost of the cleanup could be as high as $825 million. Some environmentalists say it is almost impossible to completely rid the area of toxins, suggesting the spill site be converted to an independent educational and research center. However, TVA officials say they would rather continue to follow the cleanup plan rather than consider turning the damaged land into a research site.

While the proposed legislation is a step in the right direction, activists say it doesn’t solve the whole problem. “The issue of keen importance is fly ash needs to be regulated at the federal level as a hazardous waste,” said Sarah McCoin, a member of the newly formed Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Congressional committee considers regulating coal ash ponds, landfills

Crops in the Southeast and Midwest are grown in soil that has been routinely supplemented with tons of fly ash. Some of the more common crops grown in this amended soil include a variety of vegetables and peanuts.

Fly ash is a fine powder that is recovered from gases created by the burning of coal. Supplementing soil with the fly ash increases crop yields and stabilizes soil, and lessens the burden on landfills. The fly ash also provides phosphorus, calcium and other nutrients that aide in crops’ growth. It also helps the soil retain water.

However, fly ash also contains toxins, including arsenic, that if used in high levels can soak into crops and become hazardous. Coal ash is not classified as a hazardous waste by the Environmental Protection Agency and thus is not federally supervised for use in agriculture. Some states do regulate it but guidelines vary from state to state and there is little to no monitoring of its use, according to the report. Environmentalists fear that inadequate monitoring could lead to overuse of fly ash and possible toxic accumulation, which may ultimately harm human health.

The U.S. currently produces 130 million tons of coal combustion waste each year. Experts say as more coal burning is needed to increase demand, that number could likely increase to 150 million tons in a decade.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Environmentalists worry about safety of fly ash supplementing crop soil