The Associated Press

Last December, 1.1 billion gallons of toxic coal ash spilled out from an impoundment pond at the TVA’s Kingston, Tenn., plant and onto 300 acres of a neighboring community. The spill, piled as high as nine feet in some areas, knocked houses from their foundations, destroyed property and contaminated the nearby Emory River. The TVA launched a massive cleanup effort expected to take three years and cost more than $1 billion. The nation’s largest utility also shelled out millions to buy up homes and property damaged by the spill and is facing numerous lawsuits from residents and business owners in the area.

The coal ash spill not only created an eyesore in the once picturesque east Tennessee community, it also poses a health risk to those who live or have lived in the area. Aside from escalated anxiety, many residents have reported respiratory problems following the spill. Some residents, including a toddler, have tested positive for heavy metals in their blood. Coal ash contains dangerous toxins such as arsenic, lead, chromium, manganese and barium which have been linked to serious health complications such as cancer, liver damage and neurological problems.

Other events that generated significant news coverage in Tennessee in 2009 include the murder of Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair, the rise in the state’s unemployment rate, and the closing of the General Motors Saturn plant.

SOURCE: Coal Ash Spill › Coal ash spill among top news stories in Tennessee