TVA coal ash spill in Emory River not being cleaned up

The real problem in this case is not lack of high-tech or green-tech, but a matter of not using technology that has been around over 100 years. It's called trains and barges. These are used to haul coal to the power plants to burn. Certainly, they could be used to haul the relatively small fraction of ash to proper disposal sites or industrial uses. If ash were disposed of as fast as it's produced, it might mean hauling away one train or barge full of ash for every 10 loads of coal coming in, in the worst case. Rather than do this, TVA just let it pile up for many years. The problem is not lack of technology, but lack of will to use it.

"...sorry my son, but you're too late in askin'...Mr. Peabody's coal train done hauled it away..." John P...

As long as coal is big money, the powers that be will do anything to protect the 'clean coal' myth... let's hope this whole affair sheds new light on the matter for the whole world to see and know...forcing the complicit parties to clean up their mess...

Also, we need to make sure our campaign contribuutions go toward alternative energy advocates...

This is clipped from Representative Geoff Davis (R) KY;

http://geoffdavis.house.gov/Issues.aspx?Section=22

We must use new, cutting-edge technology to diversify our energy resources, keep costs down and alleviate our dependence on foreign countries. I support increasing incentives for efficiency and conservation, developing our alternative resources like Cellulosic Ethanol and Coal-to-Liquids technologies, increasing the number of nuclear, coal-fired and natural gas power plants, and exploring the potential of solar and wind power plants.
Open our deep water ocean resources, which could provide an additional 3 million barrels of oil per day, as well as 76 trillion cubic feet of natural gas;
Open the Arctic coastal plain, which could provide an additional 1 million barrels of oil per day;
Allow development of our nation’s shale oil resources, which could provide an additional 2.5 million barrels of oil per day; and
Increase the supply of gas at the pump by cutting bureaucratic red tape that hinders the construction of new refineries.
Spur the development of alternative fuels through government contracting, the repeal of the "Section 526" prohibition on government purchasing of alternative energy and promotion of coal-to-liquids technology; and
Eliminate barriers to the expansion of emission-free nuclear power production
The Coal-to-Liquids Fuel Promotion Act of 2007 (H.R. 370)

Congressman Nick Rahall [D-WV] and I introduced H.R. 370, the Coal-to-Liquids Fuel Promotion Act of 2007. The legislation would promote construction of coal-to-liquids plants.

Coal-to-liquids fuel presents an exciting opportunity for American energy independence and economic development in Kentucky. Using the Fischer-Tropsch process, coal can be converted into an ultra-clean, high-grade liquid fuel. Today, the Fischer-Tropsch method is used to supply South Africa with 30% of its transportation fuels.

The Coal-to-Liquids Fuel Promotion Act of 2007 is a three-part, comprehensive bill that will promote construction of coal-to-liquids plants. The bill offers tax incentives for investment and production and would strengthen our domestic energy security by providing for the use of coal-to-liquids fuels in the military and as a component of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Notice all renewable energy language came in the form of research and studies, no actual action is expressed except for his excitement about "clean" coal-to-liquid technology, and emmissions-free nuclear. Unfortunately Lincoln Davis of TN supports this nuclear BS in spite of his district having a radioactive lake (Watts-Barr) complete with emmissions free nuclear facility. The other 3 aforementioned TN Representatives also like nuclear power, and coal-to-liquid refineries.

Links to representative websites where you can watch the "clean coal" montra of ignorance repeated over and over.
http://www.cooper.house.gov/
http://www.house.gov/wamp/
http://daviddavis.house.gov/
http://www.house.gov/duncan/
Duncan and Davis are my favorite clips. However the other 2 tell a good lie also. Note; all 4 are Republicans whose districts are effected by the spill.

“Coal is the liver of Mother Earth, keep it in the ground, keep her alive and healthy!"

http://blackmesais.org/2008/10/stop-peabody/

http://nativetimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=779&...

Peabody Coal commits genocide.

Until corporations are held to the same civil & criminal codes that the rest of us are, it's painfully obvious they're calling the shots with our environment to maximize profits & realize that the only thing that will stop them is an unlikely revolution. Its so sad watching thousands of years of ecological activity wiped out so quickly by the insensitive hand of man. At some point, our payback is going to be a real bitch.

You mean to tell me that this post was at #2, and in less than two minutes it went to 6332? Don' t tell me posts aren't manipulated by staff here. What is in this post they don't want at the top? Unbelievable.

damn, that 's pathetic.

onechance:

Thanks for the contact information. My mail is going out.

On it onechance. Collecting video on representatives in KY and TN spouting clean coal BS on the house floor.
I wonder if the people around Kingston would be willing to gather 5 gallon buckets of this shit and dump it on some political lawns. Or maybe State capitol steps.

I agree! Let the head of TVA Mr. Kilgore go on national tv, dip a mug into the Tennessee or Emory River and take a nice long drink of it for the cameras. If it were safe the fish wouldn't be dying. I looked at the TVA website and they are doing a good job of telling people the water is safe. I want to know how big their sample was and if they were done in alternate locations instead of the one place where they figured it wouldn't be as bad. I am also sure the coal companies are lobbying them hard to not give away the fact that coal ash is toxic.

No shit! Where the hell is Erin Brokovich?

Doesn't this fall under "Crimes against humanity"

If the water is so safe, let the TVA drink it, for the rest of their lives.

Just a note from the TVA site:

http://www.tva.gov/emergency/ashslide_kingston.htm

so they company itself is not gonna use any of it money to help clean it up? i assume the coal company's have money for resources for fast action? at this logic its like they do it on purpose...

What are the likes of those such as TVA and their public relations companions going to do when they've used up and desecrated the whole planet? (they are well on their way) What is wrong with their brain function that they can't think past a minute from now and figure out toxins = toxins? I'm thinking they are really automotons from another planet sent here to oversee the sucking of our world's natural resources dry and purposefully causing the slow agonizing death of its inhabitants... and they surely don't have human children, do they?
I thought we only had one of these gems called "earth"... "they" act as though world's like this are a dime a dozen and they obviously don't drink, breathe or eat the same things the rest of us do.....

Wind and Solar energy.... its simple.... comes under the heading of "renewable".....

Really appreciate you tracking this story Jan....

E-Mail TVA
Send your questions or comments to tvainfo@tva.com.

Corporate Headquarters
Tennessee Valley Authority
400 W. Summit Hill Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37902-1499
865-632-2101
Note: This operator can connect you to any TVA facility.

Chattanooga
Tennessee Valley Authority
1101 Market St.
Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
423-751-0011

Nashville
Tennessee Valley Authority
P.O. Box 292409
Nashville, TN 37229-2409
615-232-6000

Muscle Shoals
TVA Reservation
P.O. Box 1010
Muscle Shoals, AL 35662-1010
256-386-2601

DISGUSTED.

Armed and ready, combat veteran waiting for support from other Americans fed up with Fascist rule that passes for democracy. Jesse Ventura , navy SEAL, "Don't start the revolution without me."

Face it, we need a revolution in this country.

when the 300 million gallon spill happened in 2000 on the Big Sandy River, all the same things went on afterward. "It's ok , the water is safe, we will clean it up." 2 years later Massey Energy was fined $5,000 and cleanup was abandoned. There are no more fish, and the well water is contaminated and brown. The media coverage was vertually non existant and those who spoke out were ridiculed and harrassed. Welcome to the Fascist States of America. Corporate profit before human survival.
I wonder if assassinating a few coal execs would save some of my community from slow poisoning?