But if Crossville Coal Company and Smith Mountain Solutions have their way and are allowed to reclaim a surface mine on top of Smith Mountain to store coal ash recovered from the east Tennessee site of a massive coal ash spill, the narrow roadway where the Nicholsons walk will become even more treacherous with heavy trucks carrying tons of coal ash.

Smith Mountain Solutions says it will make safety improvements to the road and enforce low speed limits with GPS tracking, which would ultimately be a benefit to residents in the area. But few locals find the promise reassuring. Their concerns go beyond traffic issues. They are worried about their property and their health.

Coal ash is not categorized a hazardous material and thus does not fall under federal regulations. Last year, when a coal ash impoundment pond at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston, Tenn., site breached and sent a wave of toxic material onto a rural community, the government and environmental groups took a closer look at coal ash and realized just how dangerous the material can be.

Tests have determined that coal ash has become more and more toxic over the years, as technological advances have improved the quality of smoke that is released into the air. The coal ash left behind has been shown to contain toxins such as arsenic, lead, chromium, manganese and barium, which have been linked to serious health concerns such as cancer, liver damage and neurological complications, to name a few. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency has been inspecting coal ash impoundments nationwide and is expected to provide guidelines by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the TVA is undergoing a years-long, $1.2 billion cleanup effort at the site of the massive coal ash spill in east Tennessee. That cleanup includes removing the spilled coal ash and shipping it to other landfills for storage. One landfill that is currently receiving the reclaimed coal ash is in Alabama.

TVA is eyeing the Smith Mountain landfill as another storage site but residents are fighting the plan. Not only will the traffic along Smith Mountain Road be heavier, thanks to trucks hauling tons of recovered coal ash, but there is the threat of the coal ash leaching into the soil and contaminating the land and drinking water. And then there’s the risk of another breach like that in Kingston, which toppled houses, damaged property and displaced numerous residents.

Proponents of the Smith Mountain landfill plan say it would be a win-win for the community. Not only would it ensure improvements of Smith Mountain Road, it will create jobs and generate millions of dollars in fees for the community. The companies have also promised to ensure the safety of the landfill with synthetic liners to cut down on leaching.

But arguments for the landfill have fallen on deaf ears. “This has been sold to us as a win-win proposition, which it clearly is not unless you are one of a couple of groups,” says Smith Mountain resident Earl Tyler.

Source: Crossville Chronicle

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Smith Mountain residents fight coal ash landfill

TVA has been involved in a massive cleanup effort ever since its Kingston, Tennessee coal ash impoundment pond burst last December and dumped more than a billion gallons of toxic coal ash on to 300 acres of a neighboring community and into the Emory River. No end seems to be in the near future for the country’s largest public utility, which says it expects to pay upwards of $975 million restoring the property.

That cleanup process has involved locating landfills and storage sites in neighboring states to store the coal ash removed from the spill site. However, residents of those sites have expressed concerns over having toxic coal ash in their backyards. Coal ash has been found to contain dangerous material such as arsenic, lead, chromium, manganese and barium, which have been associated with serious health concerns such as cancer, liver damage and neurological complications.

Smith Mountain Solutions, LLC, says it has an option on a 300-acre site owned by Crossville Coal Inc., located in a remote corner of Cumberland County near the Morgan County line that would accommodate the recovered coal ash. According to the proposal, TVA would pay Cumberland County between $7.5 million and $8.5 million over three years to hold the coal ash. Part of that cost would cover improvements to Smith Mountain Road. The project would also create about 100 jobs for local residents.

Members of Smith Mountain met with residents earlier this week to discuss the proposal, which was met with both support and objections.

While TVA has been told about the proposal, no agreement ha been signed. The plan also would have to be approved by the Cumberland County Commission, and Smith Mountain would have to obtain a state permit.

Source: Knoxville.biz

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Proposal to store coal ash could bring jobs to Cumberland County