Sen. Benjamin Cardin

The spill caught the attention of lawmakers and environmentalists alike, who are debating how such coal ash ponds should be regulated by the government after the disastrous coal ash spill at a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) plant in Kingston, Tennessee last December. That spill dumped more than a billion gallons of the toxic sludge onto a rural neighborhood, destroying homes and damaging property in its wake.

The TVA continues to clean up that mess, which could cost the utility between $525 million and $825 million. The effects on wildlife and humans are yet to be played. Coal ash may contain high concentrations of selenium, sulfate, arsenic, iron and manganese which can lead to serious health problems such as cancer, liver damage and neurological complications.

Environmental activists and lawmakers are pushing the government to step up regulation of coal ash plants. In a letter to the Cumberland Times-News, Joy M. Oakes with the National Parks Conservation Association in Arlington, Virginia wrote, “There are about 300 coal waste storage sites in the U.S., many much larger than the ones operated by the New Page Corporation, which currently are not subject to any meaningful federal regulation. New regulations to manage coal waste must avert risks to our health, and the health of our national parks, so that our children and our grandchildren may continue to enjoy these treasured places.”

Sources:
MSNBC
Cumberland Times-News

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Senator asks for more regulation of coal-burning plants

The spill originated from a small hole in one of NewPage Corp.’s pipelines that cross the Potomac. The leak began about 8 p.m. Sunday night and continued to leak until 6 a.m. Monday morning.

The spill is just a fraction of the size of the one caused when the Tennessee Valley Authority impoundment pond failed and oozed toxic coal ash into a rural Tennessee neighborhood and into the nearby Emory River. But Maryland state regulators are still concerned of the potential environmental problems the leak may cause.

Coal ash could contain high concentrations of selenium, sulfate, arsenic, iron and manganese, which can contribute to serious health problems such as cancer, liver damage and neurological complications. The Tennessee spill has already caused many locals to complain of respiratory problems, and a young child in the area recently tested positive for heavy metals.

The storage and disposal of coal ash is not currently regulated, but Environmental Protection Agency officials have vowed since the TVA spill to draft rules for coal ash storage and disposal.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › 4,000 gallons of coal ash pour into Potomac River