EPA to Oversee Cleanup of TVA Kingston Coal Ash Spill

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday signed an enforceable agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to oversee the removal of coal ash at the TVA Kingston Fossil Fuel Plant in Roane County, Tenn., where more than 5 million cubic yards of coal ash spilled last December.

Under the Administrative Order and Agreement on Consent, which was entered into under the Superfund law, the EPA will oversee the cleanup and the TVA will reimburse EPA for its oversight costs.

The order requires that the TVA perform a comprehensive cleanup of coal ash from the Emory River and surrounding areas. On Dec. 22, 2008, a dike at an impoundment for coal ash failed, releasing approximately 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash into a branch of the Emory River and its tributaries as well as onto almost 300 acres of adjacent land.

The TVA’s work will be subject to review and approval by the EPA, in consultation with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), to ensure full compliance with the Superfund law. Once the removal of the ash is complete, The TVA will be required to assess any remaining contamination to determine whether additional actions may be needed.

Coal ash at the site contains arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc, the EPA said, adding that these are hazardous substances as defined under the Superfund law. The terms of the order require that the disposal of coal ash from the spill meet specific protective disposal standards for landfills, such as synthetic liners, leachate collection systems, and groundwater monitoring.

Source: EPA