The Fallout Continues From Tennessee Coal Ash Spill

Water samples near last week’s massive spill of coal ash in eastern Tennessee reveal high levels of arsenic, and officials are warning residents who use wells or springs to stop drinking the water. The spill occurred on Dec. 22 when a dam broke at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston power plant, causing an estimated 5.4 million tons of wet ash to burst from the impoundment and cover 300 acres of nearby farms, homes, and waterways. Local officials are concerned that risks to residents could grow when the sludge dries out, and authorities have begun air monitoring and are recommending that children be kept away from affected areas. In recent years, environmental advocates have been urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to classify coal-fired power plant ash as hazardous, a move that could lead to tougher restrictions on its storage and disposal.