Environmental Release of Coal Fly Ash Sludge
Tennessee Valley Authority, Kingston Fossil Plant
At the end of 2008, the Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA) experienced an environmental release of historic
proportion. Over a billion gallons of waste sludge generated at a
coal-fueled power plant was discharged onto nearby land and into
nearby waterways, impacting hundreds of acres down stream. This
article provides a summary of the event, subsequent health and
environmental concerns, and resulting lawsuits.
The TVA owns and operates the Kingston Fossil
Plant, located about 40 miles west of Knoxville on the Emory River
were it meets the Clinch River. According to the TVA website, this
plant consumes about 14,000 tons of coal per day to produce
electricity for some 700,000 homes. A waste product of this energy
production is a fly ash sludge that TVA stores in waste retention
ponds. Fly ash is a fine-grained particle matter generated during
the coal combustion process and removed from the exhaust gas in
order to meet air quality standards. TVA reports that its fly ash is
primarily silica, aluminum, iron and calcium but also contains trace
amounts of metals, such as arsenic, that occur naturally in the
coal.
In the early morning of December 22, 2008, the wall of one storage
pond failed. Reports from TVA estimate that over a billion gallons
(5.4 million cubic yards) of sludge were released from the pond.
Much of the sludge flowed into Emory River and into the Clinch
River, a tributary to the Tennessee River. The flow also physically
damaged at least 15 homes and contaminated or prevented access to at
least 300 acres. Initially, environmental data indicated that river
water impacted by the sludge release was elevated in arsenic, lead,
and thallium concentrations.
The health and environmental concerns are primarily related to toxic
exposure to heavy metals in the fly ash sludge, but also irritation
of the respiratory system from prolonged exposure to fly ash dust.
The potential routes of heavy metals exposure are ingestion
(primarily from drinking water), inhalation (dust from dried
sludge), and dermal (skin contact with either wet or dry sludge).
Initial concerns related to the release were focused on drinking
water quality from nearby wells and at the Kingston Water Treatment
plant near the Clinch River outfall. Currently the US EPA is working
with Roane County, the Tennessee Department of Environment and
Conservation and the Agency for Toxic Substance Control to monitor
air, groundwater, and river water quality. Currently, there is no
indication that drinking water supplies have been impacted and air
quality remains normal. Monitoring efforts remain ongoing.
In the wake of the release, at least three lawsuits have surfaced.
The first suit was filed December 30,, 2008 against the TVA by
landowners for $165 million in damages. The claim is based on lost
income, a drop in property value, mental anguish, and possible
future health effects. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE),
an environmental group, announced its plans to file two lawsuits
alleging that the TVA has violated the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act and the Clean Water Act. For perspective, on December
31, 2008, Constellation Energy settled a fly ash contamination and
endangerment suit in Maryland that has damages estimated at $54
million.
The TVA stated that it carries insurance for environmental releases
but TVA does not know how much of the damage will be covered by
insurance. TVA officials currently estimate the cost for cleanup to
reach $1 billion. While, TVA is investigating the cause of the wall
failure, they will also undertake a conversion plan to switch from
wet ponds to dry-ash operations. This conversion is estimated by TVA
to cost an additional $2 billion dollars and take up to ten years to
complete.
As an alternative to landfill management of fly ash, the power
industry also sells fly ash for use by other industries. These uses
range from fill material in site grading projects to a cement
replacement in concrete products. The TVA release has highlighted
the potential health and environmental impact of fly ash, whether
from an accidental release or through intended incorporation. It is
still unclear how EPA will influence future management and reuse
practices of fly ash. However, it is clear that fly ash is being
examined for potential environmental impacts regardless of the
management choice.
For more information, please contact Paul
Nuti at (925) 403-6200.
In the early morning of December 22, 2008, the wall of one storage
pond failed. Reports from TVA estimate that over a billion gallons
(5.4 million cubic yards) of sludge were released from the pond.
Much of the sludge flowed into Emory River and into the Clinch
River, a tributary to the Tennessee River. The flow also physically
damaged at least 15 homes and contaminated or prevented access to at
least 300 acres. Initially, environmental data indicated that river
water impacted by the sludge release was elevated in arsenic, lead,
and thallium concentrations. 
In the wake of the release, at least three lawsuits have surfaced.
The first suit was filed December 30,, 2008 against the TVA by
landowners for $165 million in damages. The claim is based on lost
income, a drop in property value, mental anguish, and possible
future health effects. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE),
an environmental group, announced its plans to file two lawsuits
alleging that the TVA has violated the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act and the Clean Water Act. For perspective, on December
31, 2008, Constellation Energy settled a fly ash contamination and
endangerment suit in Maryland that has damages estimated at $54
million.
