From Open Left: An Environmental 9/11 in Tennessee

[madfloridian]

Run time: 01:57 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGmVCABMRRQ   Posted on YouTube: December 23, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 24, 2008 By DU Member: madfloridian Views on DU: 1252

 
Matt Stoller at Open Left posts about this spill of toxic materials into the drinking water source of several states.

500 million gallons of toxic coal ash spilling into the drinking water of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama

According to local news reports millions of yards of ashy toxic sludge broke through a dike at TVA's Kingston coal-fired plant Monday, covering hundreds of acres, knocking one home off its foundation. Coal ash can carry toxic substances that include mercury, arsenic and lead, according to a federal study.

Greenpeace is calling today for there to be a criminal investigation into the matter. "Every facility like this is supposed to have a spill contingency plan to prevent this kind of disaster," said Rick Hind, Greenpeace Legislative Director.

As Matt further says... "This is not an ordinary environmental disaster; 500 million gallons of toxic coal ash spilling into the drinking water of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama is going to kill a lot of people. Eastern Kentucky saw a similar spill in 2000 due to negligence from coal companies, and the Bush administration covered it up."


J. MILES CARY / KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL

The aftermath of a retention wall collapse is seen Monday in Harriman, Tenn. A retention pond wall collapsed early Monday morning at a power plant run by the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation’s largest public utility, releasing a frigid mix of water and ash that flooded 15 homes nearby.

[sam sarrha]

1. get used to it... it's what "Clean Coal" is all about,,, similar thing happened in Italy, took out a

town

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9901E7DA1538F933A15754C0A963948260

different industry.. same structure.. no regulations

page 7
http://books.google.com/books?id=q1FdhT7ba2EC&pg=PA136&lpg=PA136&dq=switzerland+mining+dam+disaster&source=web&ots=BdTjdxpAtJ&sig=3BrvGOh3QNQyqSEtGOdbnb6zd8U&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result

[Hulk]

2. Welcome to Tennessee......red state and proud of it.

I haven't met too many folks from Tennessee, but I have met several that have lived in that state; and everyone I have met and talked to about how they liked it all had the same answer. Not a good report.

I'm not surprised that a red state like TN wouldn't give a rat's ass about pollution or regulation; so it's no wonder that crap like this happens without any consequences. It's a way of life.

I pity the good people of TN that deserve so much better.

[Elidor]

3. Anger and sorrow here

Once you get off the main drag in Harriman, it's a very pretty area. I used to look out over it coming down off the Cumberland Plateau in the mornings, and it looked like all those famous shots of the Blue Ridge Mtns.

Somewhere there's a bureaucrat who certified that place as safe. I hope he goes to prison.

[madfloridian]

6. It's tragic.

Yes, someone had to say it was safe.

[IndyOp]

4. Kick!

[Xipe Totec]

5. K&R

[pansypoo53219]

7. my aunt + cousins used to live their while unc jeff

got a professorship at cookeville 'college'. very pretty state fucked up by the stupid inhabitants.

[Nihil]

8. K & R for "clean coal"

Hope no-one's thinking of growing anything edible on that land
ever again ...

[YankeyMCC]

9. k & r

This is how our society 'relates' to the natural world, we need to find a new way.