Community | January 23, 2009 | 4 comments

TVA Spin Doctors Accidentally Release Wrong Memo, Admit to Toxic Dangers

source: http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/pitw/2009/01/tva_spin_doctors_ash_slide_tal.php

Image
JackHerer
What began as a monumental public relations blunder became a wonderful and informative lesson on spinning environmental catastrophes when TVA accidentally released a draft of its ash slide talking points--replete with edits--to the Associated Press.

The document is dated the day after the slide, that whimsical period when the stuff in the fly ash was "inert," the amount TVA reported released was half of what it actually was, the toxins (scratch that) contaminants were only present in minute concentrations, and up was actually down.

It is truly a stunning example of flacks spewing irresponsible bullshit to downplay the severity of the spill and the very real health risks. Here are a few lowlights:
  1. groups:
    Community,   News and Politics,   Health
  2. tags:
    News,  News and Politics,  Health,  Change,  1 more
  3.     
    |

4 comments // TVA Spin Doctors Accidentally Release Wrong Memo, Admit to Toxic Dangers

  • dariusvons
    • 0
      dariusvons  

    • buisnessmen who cover up things like this should get the death penalty. even if nobody was harmed... they should pay with their lives for killing the enviroment and so EVERYTHING else.

    • 3 years ago
  • ras_menelik
    • 0
      ras_menelik  

    • wish I could spam this to .0065 trillion souls........

      "Because toxic metals contaminants were present in minute quantities, prompting TVA to promptly initiated water sampling to determine the level of these of these chemicals in the water assess in adverse impact from the ash slide.

      The sudden, accidental Catastrophic release of this large amount of material resulted in did cause cloudiness...

      TVA sampled the water downstream of the ash slide areas pond indicates that the concentration of toxic metals were below established levels established by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation representing an acute threat to protect fish and aquatic life from acute effects. One of the 11 sample stations showed an elevated level of zinc. [Does this mean zinc was above TDEC levels? If so, it confuses the message here and this needs to be re-worded]

      All samples for Mercury was not indicated not detected at any of the below detectable levels at all sample locations. [Mercury does show on the report from the lab. We assume the less than metric reported means below detectable levels but be prepared to explain this because it is likely that TVA will end up releasing this report]

      thank you JanforGore

    • 3 years ago
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  

    • This is typical.They have the money so they have the power to lie and get away with it as people suffer. Thanks for posting this.This is one story we don't see anywhere else. It is also amazing how politicians are still pushing for investment in non-existing "clean coal" in light of this disaster and may well still get it.

    • 3 years ago
  • ampersand
    • 0
      ampersand  

    • I've heard the argument that we need to concentrate on the "big" national problems like the financial melt-down and ending our disastrous foreign wars; cleaning house at rogue government agencies and belatedly applying the rule of law here at home, is equally critical to our survival.

    • 3 years ago
more from Community:
from the community

top videos