THE TVA KINGSTON COAL ASH SPILL--OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH UNDERWAY AND INITIAL EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

The December, 2008 coal ash spill at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant was unprecedented in scale. More than 5 million cubic yards of material spilled, completely filling an embayment and overflowing into the Emory River, completely blocking a 30-ft deep channel. This presentation provides an overview of the response to this spill and the authorities under which clean-up is occurring. It describes the multi-disciplinary monitoring and research underway to chemically and toxicologically characterize the spilled ash, investigate geochemical and hydrologic processes influencing movement of ash and ash contaminants, and evaluate potential ecological of this large-scale accidental release of coal combustion products to the Emory River. Initial results indicate some increased bioaccumulation of contaminants associated with ash, but observed ecological effects have been relatively small, considering the volume of material released. Continuing monitoring and research will focus on potential long-term environmental effects.