May 19

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a plan for removal and cleanup of the December 2008 coal ash spill at Tennessee Valley Authority´s Kingston fossil fuel plant.

The plan approved by the EPA was one of three proposals given for public comment earlier this year.

In December 2008, a Tennessee Valley Authority containment pond in Kingston, Tenn. failed, sending 5 million cubic yards of water and coal fly ash of coal sludge into the surrounding area, destroying three homes and damaging nine others.

Cleanup costs for the spill have been estimated to be between $933 million and $1.2 billion.

The cleanup plan approved by the federal government will permanently bury coal ash removed from the surrounding area on TVA property within a dike that extends 60 or 70 feet below ground to the shale bedrock and 25 feet above ground. The pit will be lined with sand, gravel and geofabric, and dry coal ash will slowly be filled in to the new containment area, then covered with clay, soil and vegetation.

The plan is expected to cost approximately $268.2 million, which includes an estimated $686,000 in annual maintenance costs for the first 30 years once the cleanup is complete.

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Amanda Smith-Teutsch at 330-865-6166 or asmith-teutsch@crain.com

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