february 2009 appalachian voice newsletter

8/9/2019 February 2009 Appalachian Voice Newsletter

1/23

Feb / March 2009

TVA Coal Ash DsasteA billion gallon wave o toxic ash foods a

Tennessee River tributary, destroying a community

and sweeping away the myth o clean coal

Plus: Keeping the Appalachian Trail Green Toeing the Line at Coal River New Wind for North Carolina


2/23

Page 2 aPPalachian Voice

February / March 2008

Appalachian Voices Staff

APPALACHIAN VOICES191 Howard Street Boone, NC 28607

1-877-APP-VOICE

www.AppalachianVoices.org

InSIde thIS ISSue

A publication of

Appalachian Voices brings people together to solve the environmental

problems having the greatest impact on the central and southern

Appalachian Mountains. Our mission is to empower people to

defend our regions rich natural and cultural heritage by providing

them with tools and strategies for successful grassroots campaigns.

Appalachian Voices sponsors the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper and

is also a Member of the Waterkeeper Alliance.

Editor Bill KovarikManaging Editor Jamie Goodman

associatE Editor Sarah Vig

dirEctorof PrograMs Matt Wasson

caMPaign dirEctor Lenny Kohm

oPErations ManagEr Susan Congelosi

in-HousE counsEl Scott Gollwitzer

tEcHnologist Benji Burrell

lEgislativE associatE J.W. Randolph

national fiEld coordinator Sandra Diaz

va caMPaign coordinator

Tom Cormonsva fiEld organizEr Mike McCoy

it sPEcialist Jeff Deal

uPPEr Watauga rivErkEEPEr Donna Lisenby

coMMunications coordinator Jamie Goodman

adMinistrativE assistant Shay Boyd

nortH carolina fiEld organizEr Austin Hall

PrograMs assistant Jorge Esquivel

aMEricorPs landoWnEr outrEacH Amanda Lewis

MountaintoP rEMoval caMPaign intErn Marilyn Bailey

dEvEloPMEntand MEMbErsHiP intErn Renee Shulman

aPPalacHian trEasurEs outrEacH intErn Ben KincaidonlinE grassroots organizEr Work study Matthew Anthony

nc air PrograM assistant Sarah Percival

nc air PrograM assistant David Lane

At Large: Harvard Ayers, Brenda Boozer, Steve Ferguson, Mary AnneHitt, Brenda Huggins, Lamar Marshall, Kathy Selvage, Bunk Spann,Pat Watkins, Jim Webb, Dean Whitworth, Sarah Wootton

AppAlAchiAn Voice Distribution VoLuntEErs: Tom Cook, Kim Greene McClure, Harvard Ayers, Monica Randolph, Steve Moeller, Keisha and Chad,

Rose Koontz, Brenda and Larry Huggins, Dean Whitworth, Ruth Gutierrez, Frances Lamberts, Jere Bidwell, Jennifer Stertzer, Mike McKinney, Gary Greer, Ed

Clark, Steve Brooks, Gerry and Joe Scardo, Bill Wasserman, Catherine Murray, Gabrielle Zeiger, Colton Grifn, Dave Gilliam, Dave Patrick, Ray Vaughan, LowellDodge, Blue Smoke Coffee, Carol Rollman, Dennis Murphy, Linda Milt, Loy Lilley, Ray Zimmerman, Gail Marney, Dr. Emmanuel Mornings, Mark Kidd, Shay

Clayton, Bill and Joanne Bell, Charlie Bowles, Dave and Donna Muhley, Brad Wood, Chris Chanlett, Allen Johnson, April Crowe, Jennifer Honeycutt and Jim

Dentinger, Jane Branham, Kathy Selvage

APPALACHIANVOICE

Covr poo:A late afternoon sun near Swan Pond

Circle Road sharply silhouettes thedestruction caused by the coal ash disasterat the Kingston Fossil Plant in Tennessee

almost two weeks after a catastrophiccollapse of an earthen dam spilled a billion

gallons of toxic sludge into the EmoryRiver. Photo by Jamie Goodman

Appalachian Voices Boar of directors

Overview of the TVA Coal Ash Spill ................................................... p.6

The Human Side of an Environmental Disaster ................................ p.8

United Mountain Defense: On the Front Lines .................................. p.9

Cleanup Effort Comes in Phases ....................................................p.10

How TVA Could Lead Utilities Into the Future ..................................p.

11Dust to Dust: The Cycle of Coal .....................................................p.12

Chair ------------------------------------ Christina HoweViCe Chair ---------------------------------- Heidi BinkoTreasurer ------------------------------- Leigh DunstonseCreTary ---------- Matthew Anderson-Stembridge

Appalachiaplays host to

yet another

environmentaldisaster

Hiking the Highlands: Walk to a Waterfall .............p. 4Coal River Mountain: The Line in the Sand ......... p. 14Across Appalachia .................... ..................... .......... p. 16Editorials and letters .................... ...................... ...... p. 18Naturalists Notebook - The Emory River ............ p. 21Inside Appalachian Voices ..................... ................. p. 22

Also ths sse:

Photo by Sandra Diaz


3/23

aPPalachian Voice Page 3


The Appalachian Trail

Also on the way is a better under-standing of the trails problems throughthe AT Mega-Transect project.

These are only a few of the thingsthat are needed, experts say, to keep thebeloved trail from being loved to death.

New areas protectedLegislation protecting 53,000 acres

of land alongside the Appalachian Trailin southwestern Virginia passed the U.S.Senate in January 2009 and was expectedto pass the House.

The land would be accessible for hiking, hunting, sh-

ing and other recreational use, but is protected from devel-opment. The legislation was rst introduced in 2004.

Trail expansions neededMany walking trail expansions are shovel-ready,

and would be a welcome part of the economic stimuluspackage, according to Greenways Incorporated founderCharles Flink. Writing recently in the Raleigh News& Observer, Flink said that many trail and greenwayprojects could be developed quickly.

Such projects would provide jobs in construction

and in the manufacturing of materials such as con-crete, asphalt, bridges, boardwalks, signs, hand toolsand heavy equipment. One major suggestion is the

Mountains-to-Sea Trail across North Carolina,a 1,000-mile walking trail stretching from the

Great Smoky Mountains to Jockeys Ridge StatePark on the Outer Banks.

More walking trails would also providework along the Civilian Conservation Corpsmodel introduced by President Franklin D.Roosevelt 75 years ago.

Citizen science to

help monitoringBecause the Appalachian Trail is so close to

120 million Americans on the East Coast, it is

an ideal indicator for environmental problems,according to managers of a collaborative projectcalled the AT Mega-Transect.

For example, AT thru-hikers are currentlyexposed to high levels of ozone for weeks at a

time, and backcountry rangers in Great SmokyMountains National Park are not allowed togo in the eld on high ozone days, the Appa-lachian Trail Conservancy said, describing theneed for the project.

Additional help is needed to monitor birdsand other wildlife along the trail. The ATC notesthat up to 2,000 endangered species are foundalong the trail from Maine to Georgia.

The term mega-transect was coined byMichael Fay of National Geographic to describea way to examine a suite of environmentalvariables on a continental scale. A consortiumof groups, including the National Park Service,

the U.S. Geological Survey, the ATCand others serve on the AT Mega-Transect project.

Because of the magnitude ofthe project, volunteer engagementis vital to this effort, a recentMega-Transect report said. Citizen

scientists will play an active role,participating in monitoring activi-ties and providing policy-makers,scientists and land managers withthe data needed to further protectthe Trail.

Interested individuals andgroups can track progress and signup for volunteer opportunitiesvia the Appalachian Trail Conser-vancys web site www.appalachi-

antrail.org, or by contacting [email protected].

Keeping a National Landmark from Being Loved to Death

The Appalachian Trail

Th ntr, a thr m-

n nthuat chck

thr gar and prpar fr

prng n th Appaachan

Tra, th happ t

kn that mr prtctn

and an xpandd tra nt-

rk ar n th a.

New Books For Thru-Hikers

HoW To HiKe THe AppALACHiAN TRAiL:

Th ntty-grtty tals a lng-stanc trk

By Michelle Ray (Stackpole Books)

In a world full of mediated spaces and experiences,writes Michelle Ray, a trip to the back country allows anindividual the sort of autonomy he or she craves. As HenryD. Thoreau said, a person may rationalize hiking as goingto the woods to live deliberately.

Out in time for hiking season, this deliberate andlively book explains the why, the how and the where ofthe Appalachian Trail, offering advice on subjects ranging

from physical conditioning (three months of daily training)to packs for women (for narrower shoulders) to drying out wet shoes (take off

the laces, and/or stuff with newspaper).The book also describes some of the ATs traditions, such as trail names and the

Trail Days festival in Damascus, VA, held the weekend after Mothers Day, andalso covers the who of h iking with stories about some thru-hiker legends.

THe BARefooT SiSTeRS SouTHBouNd

by Lucy and Susan Letcher (Stackpole Books, 2009)

To be on the trail with Isis and Jackrabbit

(Lucy and Susan Letcher) is, rst of all, to ad-mire some down-home grit. After all, can youimagine these women setting out on a frostymorning, without hiking boots, or even so muchas a set of ip-ops?

The sisters prove that good set of calluseson the feet can compensate for a lot of gravel,and apparently a little bit of frost.

Like every thru-hiker on the AppalachianTrail, the Barefoot sisters run into a cast ofcharacters worthy of Jack Kerouac on the trail.

Theres Tuba Man, German Forest, Solid, andPlayfoot all described with insight and vivid writing.

Reviews by bill KovARiK

Continued on next page

T Fraa Rdg t nwhamsr st f t AT.

Photo by Paul Rago, used by permission underthe GNU Free Documentation License

Story by Bill Kovarik


4/23



By Joe Tennis

Come spring, long before treessee leaves sprout again, the watersow on Phillips Creek.

Blasting, gushing, pouringdown a stone embankment like ashower, the waterfall of the PhillipsCreek Recreation Area feeds therocky Phillips Creek as it coursesits way beyond the remnants of amoonshine still, the memories oflogging operations and the seem-

ingly eternal beauty of the rhodo-dendron thicket.

Come summer, when the sandybeach at the Phillips Creek Recre-ation Area smells of suntan lotionand hot dogs, this waterfall maybe gone. It may have reduced itselfto no more than a trickle, barelyseeping down that same rock walland looking like the well-worn rockcrevices are only leaking.

This is not a wet weatherstream, but Phillips Creek canseem that way as the heavy rains ofwinter and spring give way to summerdrought. Unfortunately, this also makesthe pleasures of hitting the lakesidebeach at the North Fork of the PoundReservoir a joy separate from chasingthis waterfall, which seems to nearlydisappear when the lake water rises.

Getting there is a mild challenge.The Phillips Creek Loop Trail beginsabout a mile from the entrance to therecreation area, which is actually oneof several recreation areas maintained by the Clinch Ranger District of theJefferson National Forest in southwest

Virginia. Then, it takes about anothermile of walking through the woods,across attractive footbridges, up stonestairs to nally nd the falls.

Turning back and slipping up anembankment, the trail makes a loop andchugs down a former railroad grade,used when this area was logged, near

Pound, VA in the early 1900s.Pound Reservoir is a winding,

skinny lake with 13.5 miles of woodedshoreline. Built by the U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers in 1966, the waterholespans 154 acres on the North Fork of the

Pound River.Located at the base of Pine

Mountain near the Virginia-Kentucky border, the lake is a no-wakezone for all boats, but gasoline motorsare allowed. This lake supports a varietyof sh - from bass and bluegill to crap-pie, gizzard shad and channel catsh.From late fall to spring, the lake is usu-ally drawn down about 10 feet from itsnormal summer pool.

Situated on a small cove

at the west end of the lake, asmall beach of beige-colored

sand forms the centerpiece ofthe Phillips Creek RecreationArea.

Here, beyond a grove ofpicnic shelters, the PhillipsCreek Loop Trail begins at aweathered sign that namesthis path Pine MountainTrail - a moniker that shouldnot be confused with thelonger Pine Mountain Trail, a28-mile-long trek that teeter-totters atop the Kentucky-Virginia border

The Phillips Creek LoopTrail passes the remnantsof an old homestead, wherefruit trees continue to grow,providing food for deer and

wild turkey. It also passes byan old Indian hunting camp.Most of the path is shaded and is

very clearly marked.Best of all, the hike is mostly easy,

requiring few elevation climbs, makingit a great family outing, especially ifyoure in the area visiting nearby insti-tutions like the University of VirginiasCollege at Wise or the Southwest Vir-ginia Museum Historical State Park in

Big Stone Gap.

Walk to a Waterfall in Southwest Virginia

Hiking the HighlandsJoe TeNNiS s th athr Southwest Virginia Crossroads:

An Almanac of Place Names and Places to See(The

ovrmntan prss), whch rls attractns n th

Jrsn Natnal frst.

HiKiNG LeNGTH: 1.3 miles

WHeRe To START: Pound, VA in Wise County

To GeT THeRe: From US-23 at Pound, turn

west on VA-671 and follow for 5.5 miles to

Phillips Creek Recreation Area (on the right).

The Phillips Creek Loop Trail starts beyond

the swimming beach and a pair of picnic

shelters. The trail crosses the log-clogged

Phillips Creek on a footbridge and scales up

a small portion of Pine Mountain. One short

spur dead-ends at a tiny and narrow, 15-foot

waterfall that streams down a moss-coveredrock wall. It is a one-mile (one way) hike to

reach the waterfall from the far end of the

recreation area parking lot.

duRATioN: About one hour if the recreation

area is open; or two hours if it is closed and

you must park at the gate

fee: Required

iNfo: (276) 328-293

The Barefoot Sisters Southbound

The determination of the sisters isastonishing. Co-author Susan Letcher(Jackrabbit) recounts the doubt shefelt after the rst few bare footsteps

on the trail; she turned to her sister,half expecting to see the same doubtmirrored in her face, she writes. Buther eyes were shining, and she smiledwith an almost feral intensity. It wasa look I would come to know all toowell over the next year and a half, andit meant I am going to do this and noone had better try to stop me.

Eventually, hiking in the moon-light, they begin to feel a connection

to a different culture, an older, no-madic way of life, as if they belongto the woods and stars.

Its a fun, refreshing read, just

right for packing in a daypack or leav-ing for friends along the trail.

Other recent AT books include:

-- T Aaaa Tra Data Bk,by Daniel D. Chazin; T Aa-

aa Tra Tru-hk par by David Lauterborn; and theAaaa Tra Tru-hkrscma, all published by theAppalachian Trail Conservancy

--Aw t Aaaa Tra byDavid Miller,Wingspan Press

-- T Aaaa Tra : hw tprar fr & hk it by Jan D.Curran, Rainbow Books

--A Wak t Wds: Rdsvr-g Amra t AaaaTraby Bill Bryson, Anchor, Re-issued 2006

PhilliPs Creek looP Trail

Continued from previous page


5/23




6/23



Story by Bill Kovarik

At rst, when a 55-foot wall of coaly ash sludge broke loose from an earth-

en dam early Dec. 22 near Kingston, TN,the nation barely paid attention.Initial reports from the Associated

Press said there had been an isolatedspill of inert material not harmful to theenvironment, according to TVA.

Within two days, as observers withenvironmental and science organizationsbegan to question reports about the sizeand toxic nature of the spill, at least veindependent toxicological test efforts were

launched. These included sampling by theU.S. EPA, Appalachian Voices in partner-ship with Appalachian State University,and United Mountain Defense workingwith the Environmental Integrity Project,Duke University, and others.

The disaster involved 5.4 millioncubic yards of material, or an estimatedone billion gallons of wet coal y ashsludge. It was, ofcially, the largest toxicspill on record, and compares to a 300

million gallon coal slurry sludge spillon Oct. 11, 2000 at Inez, Martin County,Kentucky and to the 11 million gallon oilspill from the Exxon Valdez on March24, 1989.

Using descriptions of toxic make-up of the sludge, it was possible toput together estimates of an enormousamount of carcinogens and neurotoxinsreleased into the river. These included awitches brew of 2.2 million pounds ofarsenic, 5.6 million pounds of chromiumVI, ve million pounds of lead, nearly amillion pounds of thallium and another

million of polycyclic aromatichydrocarbons.

Experts expected to nd evi-dence of contamination in the river,and they did.

Of the 17 compounds wetested, eight of them popped outas signicantly higher than theyshould have been, said Dr. Shea

R. Tuberty of Appalachian StateUniversity, who conducted testsalong with Dr. Carol Babyak.

Arsenic was quite hot, Tu-berty said, with levels at 3.06 parts permillion, or 300 times higher than EPAsdrinking water standard.

Testing by EPA, Duke Univer-sity and other independent groups alsoshowed a very high level of toxins in theriver. (See sidebar)

In rather sharp contrast, resultsfrom TVA itself showed a far differentpicture, with arsenic 20 to 40 times lower

than the drinking water standard orsometimes even below detection. TVAconceded that one sample from the rivernear the spill slightly exceeds drinkingwater standards.

Senate hearing grills TVA

chief KilgoreAs TVAs public relations effortscollapsed, the U.S. Senate Environmentcommittee called a hearing with TVA head

Tom Kilgore as its star witness. Kilgoreemphasized that TVA would do cleanupright, but did not explain how.

Senators repeatedly asked Kilgorefor a sign that he took TVAs leadershiprole in regards to environmental stew-ardship seriously.

With cleanup costs so high, one senatorasked whether there arent cheaper and

Tennessee CrudAppalachia plays hostto yet anotherenvironmental disaster

Dec. 22 1 am

A 55 oot wall ocoal y ash col-lapses into EmoryRiver near Harri-man, TN, knocking

one house oits oundationand damaging11 others. Noserious injuries arereported.

Dec. 23

First reports indicate that a1.7 million cubic yard spill15 homes and covered 300acres.

Dec. 24

New York Times describesthe spill as a vast amounto toxic coal sludge. TVAsays it has not encounteredany dead fsh, contrary toeyewitness reports.

A M O N T H I N T H E L I F E O F T V ADec. 25

TVA says yash consistso inert mate-rial not harmulto the environ-

ment.

-- AppalachianVoices yoverprovides pho-tos o the sizeo the disaster.

Dec. 26

TVA revisesspill size to5.4 million cu-bic yards, orabout one bil-

lion gallons.This makesthe spill thelargest toxicwaste event inUS history.

Dec. 27

Southern Alliance orClean Energy, said of-cials should more strong-ly encourage residentsto avoid the sludge that

surrounds their homes.Greenpeace asks or acriminal investigation.

-- Appalachian Voicesand Waterkeepers takecitizen samples

Dec. 29

-- TVAsays theirsamplesslightly ex-ceed drink-

ing waterstandards

Dec. 30

New York Times reportsthat in just one year, thecoal ash at Kingstonincluded 45,000 poundso arsenic, 49,000 pounds

o lead, 1.4 million poundso barium, 91,000 poundso chromium and 140,000pounds o manganese.-- A group o landownerssues or $165 million

Jan. 1, 2009

AppalachianVoices releasesresults o Appala-chian State Univer-sity toxicity tests

showing arseniclevels at 300 timesdrinking waterstandards. Resultsare reported in theNew York Times.

Jan. 2

At a news conerence, KingstonMayor Troy Beets drinks a cupo water that he said came romhis tap at home.

-- EPA water samples rom nearthe spill ound arsenic levelsin one sample 149 times themaximum allowable. Samplesnear the Kingston drinking wa-ter intake are within the ederallimits, except or thallium.

Jan. 5

TN politi-cians agreethat the spillis a wake-up call

or greaterenviron-mental andregulatoryoversight.


The December 22 coal y ash disaster cov-ered approximately 400 acres with a thicklayer of toxic muck. Aerial photo by DotGrifth Photography

On December 27, Watauga RiverkeeperDonna Lisenby paddled up the EmoryRiver to the site of the spill to obtain waterand soil samples, the results of which

contradicted TVAs test results. Photo byHurricane Creekkeeper John Wathen


7/23



safer ways to generate electricity. No, Kilg-ore said: Solar we dont have a lot of, andwind energy would cost 70 cents per kilo-watt hour. In fact, TVA itself charges greenpower consumers only 2.6 cents more forwind power than for coal power.

Asked about conservation, Kilgorecould only point to a feeble program thatTVA started within the last few years.

Repeated questions about TVAshonesty met with stony resistance. NewJersey senator Frank Lautenberg askedwhy TVA told people that coal ash is nottoxic, and not something to be alarmedabout. Kilgore had no response.

By acknowledging TVAs ash disas-ter problems with an evasive phrase --this is not a proud moment -- Kilgorecould not have given the senators less. Infrustration, Senator Barbara Boxer atlycommented on one Kilgore response:Thats not an answer.

A week later, two more TVA coal

sludge dams failed, a train fullof TVA coal fell into a river,and a federal court orderedit to quit stalling on air pol-lution control equipment in alawsuit brought by the stateof North Carolina.

Critics would say it lookslike the wheels are starting tofall off at TVA, observed theChattanooga Times Free Press

in an editorial describing theagencys leaderless drift.

Fly ash had already

been controversialEvery year, 120 million

tons of y ash make up theresidue of 1.1 billion tons ofcoal burned for electricity. Coalwaste is the second largest waste streamin America after municipal solid waste.

A train with cars full of a years y ashproduction would stretch 9,600 miles.Fly ash has often been used to make

grout, asphalt, Portland cement, roongtiles and ller for other products, butonly about 43 percent is stabilized that

way, according to the American Coal AshAssociation.

Fly ash disposal has become increas-

ingly controversial in recent years. Stud-ies from the 1980s said that y ash washarmless, but more recent scientic and

EPA assessments have sounded alarms.

Jan. 6

Mine saetyexpert Jack Spa-daro slams TVA:State regulationhas ailed. I think

there needs tobe ederal regu-lation o the yash and the con-struction o thesereservoirs.

Jan. 8

US Senate EPW-committee hearsTom Kilgore o TVAand Steven Smitho the Southern

Alliance or CleanEnergy. Commit-tee Democrats saythey want ederalregulation o allcoal waste dumps.

Jan. 9

Two more TVA incidents take place.Repairs on a dam on the OcoeeRiver in East TN released oul blacksediment into a ormer Olympic white-water run. A leaking pipe spi lled coal

combustion reuse into Widows Creektributary o the Tennessee in Alabama.TVA initially says the material is harm-less gypsum, but it turns out that itcontains a high level o toxic metalsand cannot be sold or wallboard.

-- TVA closes down incidentresponse center in Harri-man, saying: Air, water, soiland ash sampling resultsindicate that the air webreathe and the water we

drink meet all governmentsaety standards. Hopesaid. We will continue todo the sampling and we willcontinue to provide thoseresults as we receive them.

Jan 11

Press reports state distrust oTVA started with TVAs 20%rate increase and CEO TomKilgore pay raise o about$500,000.

Jan 13

Second round o AppalachianVoices tests shows ailing fshwith gills completely coated inash and large amounts o ashin their bellies.

Jan. 14

TVA loses ederal lawsuitover air pollution controlequipment to state oNorth Carolina. The suit,fled in 2006, alleged

that TVA was avoiding itsresponsibility under theclean air act and creatinga nuisance or NC citizens.

-- TVA reports spending$1 million/day on cleanup.

Jan. 22TVA settles raud investi-gation with nuclear powercontractor accused oailing to report injuries.

Jan. 28

Duke University releasesreport with fndings oAlarmingly high levels oarsenic ranging rom 32 to48 times primary drinkingwater standard in the river.

Jan. 16

TVAs Sequoyah nuclearpower plant hit with secu-rity violation by NuclearRegulatory Commission.

Jan. 21

EPA tells TVA it will be apotentially responsibleparty to toxic cleanup inthe Ocoee Gorge areaater the spill o Jan. 9.

Continued from previous page

Wildly differing results from heavy metalssampling downstream from the ash spill haveled to questions about the methods used bythe TVA.

University and environmental groups,such as Appalachian State University Ap-

palachian Voices (ASU-AV), the EnvironmentalIntegrity Project/United Mountain Defense(EIP-UMD), and Duke University, all had

signicantly higher results for arsenic. TheEnvironmental Protection Agency (USEPA)also had a higher result for arsenic than TVA.Here are the sample results for arsenic (totalmetals) in river water near the spill.

Note: Results are given in parts per million

(ppm), which is equivalent to milligrams perliter (mg/L). The EPA drinking water standardis no more than 0.010 ppm (mg/L). **

Water sampling shows variety of results

** Sometimes the results are reported as parts per billion (ug/L or micrograms per liter), in whichcase 3.06 ppm would be 3,060 ppb. For more information on drinking water standards for toxicchemicals, see http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html

OrgAnizATiOn DATESAMPLED

ArSEniCrESuLT

COMPArED TO DrnkingwATEr STAnDArD

USEPA Dec.23 1.49 149 times higher

ASU - AV Dec. 27 3.06 300 times higher

TVA Dec 29 .0005 20 times lower

EIP - UMD Dec 30 .084 8 times higherDuke Jan. 9 .095 9 times higher

TVA Jan. 14 .00025 40 times lower

Continued on page 15

A composite mapof the regionsurrounding theTVA coal ash spill,pictured in highresolution beforethe December 22disaster.


8/23



Story by Sarah Vig

When looking at photographs of theTVA coal ash disaster in Roane CountyTennessee, the enormity of the spillsenvironmental impact is immediatelyapparent.

According to some, the disastercould only be put into perspective fromthe air. But in other ways, the impactsare best seen on the ground. The hu-

man impact of this spill is part of thisstory, as people and their environmentsare intimately entangled. And, as withthe environmental side of the story, weare not sure what the full extent of theimpact will be.

Health is Primary

ConcernAt a community meeting on January

8, several hundred people gathered to

hold a forum on the impacts they werefeeling in the aftermath. Some of themhad come to see the real Erin Brock-ovich, some to hear the legal adviceoffered by the NY-based rm Weitz &Luxemburg. Others came to air their con-cerns, their grievances, and their angerin a public forum. One man who came tothe mic began by posing questions thatwere at the heart of many others askedthat night. Whats going to happen?

he asked. Am I going to die?Reports of acute health effects from

residents living on the lake were manyand varied from rashes to sudden andviolent asthma attacks. Penny Dodson,a part-time nurse who also takes careof her 18-month-old grandson, Evyn,wasnt able to attend the meeting, buther concerns about the y ash stem fromEvyns severe response.

Evyn was born prematureat 33 weeks. His early days werenot easy; he has several medicalconditions, among them a seizuredisorder, asthma, and a verysensitive digestive track. Hesa very high risk kid, Dodsonadmits.

After the spill, Evyn becameill and had to be rushed to the

Emergency Room. The doctor there in-formed Dodson that the problems Evynhad been experiencing were a result ofirritation from the y ash, specicallyfrom breathing in airborne particulates.

He advised them not to return home.Avoid it, relocate, dont breath it,Dodson cites.

Though TVA agreed to pay for hotelfees for Dodson and her grandson untilthey could be relocated, she feels TVA isnot being forthcoming with informa-tion about the ashs potential risks tohuman health.

Dodson says she couldnt get theMaterial Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on thecoal ash from TVA when she requested it,a complaint brought up by a number ofresidents at the January 8 meeting. Shesays that when she raised concerns about

breathing in the y ash to TVA represen-tatives both before and after Evyn beganexperiencing health effects, they told hernot to worry. The ash is wet, it wont bea problem, Dodson recounts.

But for Evyn it was; not only did theyhave to relocate immediately, they alsocould not bring any fabric or upholsteredfurniture with them to their new residence.This meant no rugs or carpets, no couchesor upholstered chairs, and no beds.

Dodson knows Evyn is more sensi-tive than most others, but her grand-

sons illness feels like a

warning, that the ashis harmful and it couldmake others sick. Evynwas the rst one that gotsick. Why wasnt thatshared? Dodson asks.

Jobs and

Homes LostThough only three

homes were lost com-

pletely due to the spill,42 pieces of propertywere damaged, and theeconomic impact fromdrops in property value,

decreased tourism dollars will surely befelt in the coming year. Beyond theseimmediate and direct impacts, thereare other, less obvious economic conse-quences. Speculations about potential

rate hikes due to the cost of cleanup,for instance, are widespread in the com-munity.

Richard Crass, Jr. and Teddy Argue,two men that work building docks onthe now devastated lake area, drovedown to Swan Pond Road to see howbadly their business would be hurt.They ruined it. The lake is ruined,Argue said, looking at the scene in utterdisbelief. Even a full 2.5 weeks after thedisaster occurred, the damage was stillhard to comprehend. Especially con-sidering the uncertainty of TVAs plansfor the coves and the lack of a concretetimeline for cleanup, business for thetwo men didnt look very good.

Changed PerceptionsSince the disaster, many peoples

viewpoints on TVA and the Kingstonplant have shifted dramatically. Both

Dodson and affected resident TravisCantrell say that they had some periph-eral idea of the risks presented by the

Above: Legal consultant Erin Brockovichspeaks to a crowd of Roane County resi-dents in Harriman, TN. Its your commu-nity--Take it back, she told the audience.

Right: Penny Dodson sits with her grand-son Evyn. The two had to leave their homeand relocate to a hotel after Evyn becameill from exposure to the y ash.

Photos by Jamie Goodman

Travis Cantrell has lived on theriver for eight years, but, sincethe disaster is looking to relocate.In the photo (right) he stands inwhat was once his backyard.

The human Side of an

environmenTal diSaSTer

AlteredLives


a V P 9


9/23



United Mountain Defense:On the Front Lines at TVA Spill Site

Shadowline Drive, Boone, North Carolina (828) 262-1250

Delicious Deli-Style

Sandwiches

Homemade Soups

Vegetarian Fare

and Much More!

91 Madison Ave., Whitesburg, Ky (606)633-0108 www.wmmtfm.org

Offering a diverse mix of

music and informative programming

for the diverse heart of Appalachia.

Your listener supported radio, WMMT.

MusicfromtheMountains

nearby coal-burning plant, neither hadany knowledge of the scale of possibledamage. We live here knowing thats itnot a good place to live, Cantrell sayslooking out at the water. The cancerrate around here has been high for years,youll see signs around saying do notconsume so much of this sh per year

we thought that was what we had tolive with from up there [the nearbyOak Ridge nuclear facility], and I guess

people have learned to deal with that,he explains. But few knew that an ashspill was even possible, Cantrell says,We didnt know this could happen atall, we didnt even really know what that[the coal ash pond] was.

A way of life taken awayCantrell lived on Swan Pond for

eight years. We used to party outhere until two or three in the morningin the summer, he says, pointing to a

crumble of aluminum siding partiallysubmerged in coal ash, which used to betheir boathouse. Cantrell says he cameoutside the morning after the spill to anunrecognizable sight. I was like whoa,whered it go?

With the river and coves inundatedwith ash and the environmental integ-rity of the area drawn into question,

many are questioning whether they willstay or go. Cantrell will leave as soonas he can, considering himself fortunate

to have been leasing when the disasteroccurred. Long as I am took care of, Imhappy, Cantrell says with a shrug, Ijust want out of here. Dodson feels dif-ferently. Everything we have is there,she says, referring to her rented home onSwan Pond Road. Right now, thats stillmy home irregardless [sic] if I own it ordont own it, thats my home.

Altered LivesContinued from previous page

Story by Sarah Vig

Call them the environmental move-ments equivalent of an emergency responseteam. Within only 14 hours of the dam failureat the Kingston Fossil Plant, United Moun-

tain Defense mobilized. Having gained yearsof experience organizing and conductingwater sampling in communities through-out Tennessee impacted by mountaintopremoval mining, and with headquarters innearby Knoxville, UMD was uniquely po-sitioned to be on the ground at the disastersite and to get there fast.

The rst thing UMD volunteers orga-nized were door-to-door listening projectsto determine the needs of the impacted

community. There was an overwhelmingresponse that people liked to be listened to,according to Bonnie Swinford, one of UMDslead organizers. Through these projects, theUMD volunteers found that people knewvery little about what was happening at theplant and what was in the y ash, Swinfordsaid.

Following the listening projects, UMD began anumber of efforts to address residents concerns. Theyprinted and distributed copies of informational mate-rial, which helped elucidate what materials the y ashcontains, they also began distributing bottled water,collected water samples at a number of sites around thespill area, and organized the rst community meetingon January 3, 2009. But that was just the beginning.

They are working now to train the residents them-

selves to take on the community orga-nizing that UMD initiated following thespill. Matt Landon, a full-time volunteerstaff person for UMD recounted giving a

documentation pep talk to a residentwho approached him with a concerning story followingone of the meetings UMD helped organize. If theresany way you can get out there with a camera and justdocument what youre seeing, that will be really im-portant, Landon told the man, who said he had seen

a dump truck washing the coal ash off into the frontyard of his relatives.

In late January, a neighborhood group, the Ten-nessee Coal Ash Survivors Network (TCASN) formedto continue organizing impacted residents, ensuring

accurate and continued air and water quality test-ing, and keeping the issue in regional and nationalnewspapers.

Currently, one of UMDs primary projects is ensur-ing accurate air quality monitoring is being conductedusing the proper equipment. Landon and members ofTCASN are training on how to construct and use low

volume air monitors that are housed insidea ve gallon plastic bucket (for moreinformation go to www.bucketbrigade.net). Landon says the greatest challenge

they have faced since coming to thearea is getting the regulators to takeup their responsibility in holding TVAresponsible to cleaning this disaster upin the best way.

In some ways the TVA coal ash disasterhas turned some residents into activists vir-tually overnight. What was once a sleepylittle community has become an epi-centerof the environmental justice movement,and its residents are ready to debunk the

myth of clean coal, according to Swinford.UMD says its plans are to continue work-

ing with the residents of Roane County as long as theycan. Weve made lots of relationships and friendships,Swinford says. This will just be one more coal impactedcommunity that we will continue working in.

United Mountain Defense volunteers arrived at the

disaster site within 14 hours to nd almost unimagi-nable destruction (above). Matt Landon (right), afull-time volunteer for UMD is shown here takingash samples to be tested, one of the many activitiesinitiated by the TN-based grassroots group. (Photoscourtesy of United Mountain Defense)



10/23



Story by Sarah Vig

A clean-up can either be doneright or it can be a ticking timebomb, California Senator BarbaraBoxer cautioned TVA CEO Tom

Kilgore during the Environmentand Public Works committees oversighthearing on the recent coal ash spill atthe Kingston Fossil Plant near Harri-man, TN.

In response, Kilgore promised arst-rate job of cleaning up the af-fected area. It is not a time when wehold our heads high, but it is a timewhen we will look our neighbors in theeye and say We will stay on the job until

its nished. We are going to do this anddo it right, Kilgore told the committeemembers.

At the time of the hearingheld onJanuary 8TVAs plans for cleanup werestill largely unformed. They were in theprocess of seeding the ash with hydro-seed and hay dropped from helicoptersin an attempt to prevent the ash frombecoming airborne. They knew that thenext step would be dredging the river,

but due to the possibility of deep-lyingradioactive sedimenthistoric pollutiondischarged from the Oak Ridge nuclearfacility upstreamtheir dredging planshad to be approved by the Watts BarInteragency Working Group. Accordingto a Knoxville News report, the workinggroup unanimously approved the plan,and it now awaits approval by the Ten-nessee Department of Environment andConservation (TDEC) and the U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers.TVAs proposal involves dredgingthe ash from the river channel using hy-draulic dredges. The proposal includespumping the material through a pipe tothe onsite sluice channel, allowing it todry, and then moving it to a temporarystorage location onsite.

Gil Francis, a TVA spokespersonindicated that TVA would not be ableto begin dredging until four to six

weeks after the permitting process is

complete. Their planestimates March 2 asan early start date.Even after the plan isapproved, both an ashrecovery and a temporary

ash storage area must be con-structed. There is no timelinefor the completion of dredg-ing at this time.

Until the dredging begins,coal ash is being retained bya 615-foot underwater rockweir built on the Emory River, just north of the existingplant intake skimmer wall.

The weir will allow water tocontinue owing and retainthe ash at the bottom of theriver channel.

Feelings on the speed oreffectiveness of TVAs cleanupplan are mixed among arearesidents. Travis Cantrell,who was living on one of therivers inlets before the spill,expressed some skepticism

about the plans for the coveTVA had outlined in theircorrespondence with him. Theyre go-ing to come in here [and] remove all thetrees theyre going to remove all thewaste out of here and pretty much comethrough, level it off, bring rock and sandin and sod it, Cantrell informed us.With appeal of lakefront property gone,Cantrell says he will be relocating.

Cantrells neighbor, Nancy Hall,

however, is more optimistic, and will bestaying put. We feel like TVA is goingto do it, she said. According to Hall,TVA has been excellent about keeping

in touch with them since the spill andkeeping them informed.

TVA Spokesman Francis could notofcially verify Cantrells statementsregarding TVAs plans for the coves, aseach step of the clean-up process mustbe reviewed according to National Envi-ronmental Policy Act (NEPA) standards.NEPA requires an Environmental Im-pact Assessment for all federal agencyactions. According to Francis, anythingbeyond the Phase I dredging is a planthat obviously hasnt been made yet.

Coal Ash Cleanup Effort Comes in Phases

A helicoptor drops a load of hay and hydroseed onto theash near Swan Pond Circle in an attempt to preventthe ash from becoming airborne. Both ash recovery andtemporary storage areas will have to be constructedbefore the ash can be removed from the Watts Bar Lakearea. Photo by Jamie Goodman



11/23



Story by Bill Kovark

Old fashioned utilities used to make money by sellingelectric power. In a bygone era, making money by NOTselling electric power seemed unthinkable.

A few weeks ago, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine stood the

old logic on its ear by saying that it just makes no sensenot to conserve.

Under current law, we guarantee a rate of return fora utility building a new coal plant, but not for investmentsthat promote conservation, Kaine said in a Jan. 14 Stateof the Commonwealth address.

As it turns out, Virginia is only catching up byrecognizing this new reality for electric production. Inmost states, conservation services have already becomea standard part of the utility business.

In contrast, conservation and renewable energy pro-

grams at TVA and most other utilities in the Appalachianregion have been half-hearted at best. But doesnt haveto be that way, many people are insisting.

TVA was born out of crippling economic times, saidSouthern Alliance for Clean Energy chair Steven Smith.As we nd ourselves again in difcult times, this is anopportunity to remake TVA as an effective utility in the21st century.

TVAs average electric rates are low. The agencys 6.96cents per kilowatt compares favorably with Californiasaverage 11.8 cents per kilowatt. Yet, California consum-ers use 50 percent less electricity, in effect, paying less

than TVA consumers for the same service, and with lesspollution.

The difference in approaches between TVA and moreprogressive utilities involves the idea of making moneyfrom saving energy as well as producing it.

Most utilities offer at least some token conservationincentives to consumers. TVA offers residents of SevierCounty, for example, $100 for buying an energy efcientwater heater or loans for heat pumps. Still, its a far cryfrom, say, the $5,000 of rebates per residence available inRiverside CA, or the Burbank, CA green building incen-tive of up to $30,000. These rebates avoid new power cost,and the value of this avoided cost can be high.

Conservation is valuableThe cost of new power plants has gone up by about

70 percent in three years, according to a May 27, 2008Wall Street Journal article, making the value of energyconservation all the greater.

The value of avoiding a kilowatt hour of productioncan vary from 5.3 cents to 15.7 cents, considering the costof emissions control as well as a portion of the nationalsecurity benet of reducing oil use, according to CharlesGicchetti of the University of Southern California.

For example, the Natural Resources Defense Councilestimated that the benet of saving energy from DukePower Companys controversial new Cliffside power

plant in North Carolina would be between 3 and 6.3 centsper kilowatt hour, considering the avoided cost minus

the actual expense of conservation efforts.In Virginia recently, a governors commission re-

ported that energy conservation measures could reduce

current electric consumption by at least 19 percent by2025, even with adjustments for population growth

Our long-term planning should recognize that con-servation is just as important an energy source as newconstruction, Kaine said. We should treat conservationinvestments at least as favorably as new generationinvestments, and my bill will do that.

TVA has a small wind energy program, and volun-tary purchases of green power are available at about 2.6cents extra per kilowatt hour. But in 43 states, RenewablePortfolio Standards mandate that utilities will produce

a portion of the states energy with wind, solar, biomassor other renewable energy sources.

Virginia and North Carolina both passed legislationlast year requiring 12 percent of energy production fromrenewable sources by 2022.

TVA doesnt need to wait for state legislation. As afederal agency, it has always been expected to lead. Or,at the very least, it doesnt need permission to follow.

TVA must be a living laboratory, modeling a cleanenergy future heavily invested in energy efciency,renewable energy and smart-grid technology, Smithsaid in his Senate hearing testimony.

How TVA Could Lead Utilities Into the Future


12/23

Coal-generated electricity maynever be a green commodity, but thathasnt stopped the coal industry fromtrying to add a verdant spin to theirproduct.

In an effort to combat the growingawareness among the general popu-lous that burning coal to generate pow-er is bad for our health, economy and

planet, public relations campaigns forthe coal industry have spent millionsof dollars of privateand taxpayer

monies to advertise what they call theviability of coal. From commercialson cable television to billboards inurban areas, the coal industry is tryinghard to convince people that coal is infact good for our world.

Increasingly, however, everydayindividuals are shocked, appalled,and even amused at the coal industrysPR antics. Take, for instance, the nowinfamous Clean Coal Carolers of this

past Christmas season. Lumps of coalsporting ear muffs and scarves withsang Christmas songs altered into coalpromotion ditties, including Frosty

the Coal Man, Clean Coal Night(sung to the tune of Silent Night),and Deck the Halls (With Clean

Coal). The publicity stunt was sopoorly received that the carolerspage was taken down from theAmericas Power website after only

a week, with a note:We had fun this week with the

Clean Coal Carolers and hope youenjoyed them. They did a nice job

singing about how coal has becomecleaner over the last few decades andabout all the clean coal technologyprojects taking place across the coun-

try. Now its time for them to headhome for the holidays.

Thats about as believable asclean coal.

Clean Coal? Thats a dirtylie. At least, thats the mes-

sage behind a new campaignorganized by Waterkeepers

Alliance meant to counter theclean coal hype coming fromthe coal industry.

The campaigns hub is

a website (www.thedirtylie.com) that will house videoand editorial content andprovide visitors with interac-tive tools to become anti-coal activists.At the core of the campaign is a list

of lies purportedly perpetuated inthe interest and by the interests of thecoal companies.

The site, which will be unveiledto the public Feb. 24, exposes the liesusing scientic and legal facts, videos

and graphics, revealing the shocking

truths about the destructiveness ofthe entire coal cyclefrom its rolein propping up an antiquated fossil-fuel-based economy to its adverseeffects on watersheds, health andcommunities.

According to a message from the

campaigns spokesperson, TheDirt-yLie.com is a fact-based online cam-paign that strives to debunk the cleancoal con.

From the mining process to the

disposal of ash after it is burned, thereis no part of the coal industry that isgood for the environment, good forwaterways or good for people, saidUpper Watauga Riverkeeper, DonnaLisenby. Lisenby is one of nine Wa-

terkeepers across the nation workingclosely on the project.

The site, with a carnival sideshowfeel and an impressive degree of inter-activity, promises to be a provocative

counter to coal-sponsored PR.

Dust to Dust The Greenwashing of Coal

TheDirtyLie.Com

Coal dominates the rails.In 2006, coal repre-sented 44 percent o

all railroad reight, butonly 20 percent o rail-road income. Serving

the coal industry divertsrailroads rom develop-ing economic and socially higher

value uses o rail transportation.Coal is also moved in the coal feldsby truck and in some cases through

coal slurry pipelines.

EnvironmEntal impacts

Trains derail fairly frequently,

spilling coal and other cargo. Araw coal spill is not as hazardousas a fy ash spill or a sludge spill,

but it is serious.

Coal trucks are a safety hazardin West Virginia and Kentucky,

and coal region residents are an-gry about poorly maintained and

overweight vehicles pre-senting serious saety hazards.

Coal slurry pipelines use scarcewater to move coal rom mines togenerating stations.

Worst offEndErPeabody Coal Co.s Black Mesa

project, a 273-mile pipeline thatmoved coal rom an Arizona mineto a generating station in Nevada.

The process used a billion gallonso scarce desert water a year untilit was stopped by a lawsuit in 2005.

The Bush administration approved are-start o the pipeline in December2008, but the Obama administration

is unlikely to allow it to go orward.

TransporTaTionMining is the extraction o coal rom the earth;however, all orms o mining are not created

equal. Mountaintop removal mining is the mostenvironmentally destructive orm.

EnvironmEntal impact

Irreversably changes the landscape, typically re -moving hundreds o eet o elevation

The common practive of valley lling, where the

overburden rom the blasting is dumped in the ad-jacent valleys, buries mountain rivers and streams

Further pollutes water with runoff of toxic heavy metals

such as arsenic, lead and selenium, and increases the instance o

catastrophic foods

Worst offEndEr

The Hobet mining complex near Mud, West Virginia is one of thelargest contiguous mountaintop removal mines, covering more than

10,000 acres (15 square miles).

Mining

In America today, hal our electricity is generated rom coal. Each

kilowatt hour o electricity we use requires about one pound o coal

to be burned. One kilowatt hour, or one pound o coal can run:

10 light bulbs for an hour

A refrigerator for half an hour

An air conditioner or water heater for 15 minutes.

The average American home burns 30 kilowatt hours in a single day.

Thats more than 900 kilowatt hours per month. In a single year, the

typical American home burns more than FIVE TONS o coal.

Inormationrom the flmdocumentary

Kilowatt Ours

As regulators attempted to curb air pollution caused by coal-red powerplant emissions, more and more coal fy ash is captured and stored.Though 48 percent of the ash is recycled into building materials such

as asphalt and dry wall, slightly more than hal is put either in landlls orkept in wet storage ponds.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTCoal contains trace elements o several potentially toxic heavy metals,which, being uncombustible, increase in concentration by approxi-

mately 10 times in fy ash as compared to the original coal. Concernsarise rom potential seepage o these metals into groundwater rom dryor wet coal ash storage facilities (many are unlined). In the instance of

spills, concerns o contamination and exposure to heavy metals, as wellas respitory dangers posed by the ashes crystalline silica content, obvi-ously increase.

WORST OFFENDERThe release of approximately 5.4 million cubic yards o f wet coal ash

(more than double the 2.6 million cubic yards initially said to be in thepond) from TVAs Kingston Fossil Plant coal ash storage facility in lateDecember 2008 is the worst industrial spill in U.S. history and the largest

environmental disaster ever recorded in the Southeast.From 2002 to 2006, the Kingston Fossil Plant was the 7th highest con-sumer o mountaintop removal coal; between 53 and 57 percent o the

plants coal came rom mountaintop removal mining operations.

wasTe and disposal

The CyCle of Coal

Coal-red power plants pro-duce enormous amounts o

sulur oxides and nitrogenoxides (which contributeto acid rain) as well as par -

ticulate matter, ozone, and

greenhouse gasses.Sulur oxide emissions are

down 33 percent since1983 due to early air pol-lution regulations, but

could have gonedown much urtheri the utility industry

had been willing to comply with the Clean AirAct o 1990. Sulur dioxide in the air causes se-rious breathing problems or people and is a

major cause o acid rain, which has impactedorests and wildlie in Appalachia.Nitrogen oxide emissions have also been re-

duced due to air pollution regulations, but alsocould have been urther reduced. Exposurecauses lung disunctionality and high atmo-

spheric concentrations contribute to acid rain.

EnvironmEntal impacts

The Cone of Death -- Small particle pol-

lution, along with sulur and nitrogen com-pounds, have been shown to have detrimen-tal health eects on those living in the area

near coal-red electric power plants. Those

who live within a 30-mile radiuso smokestacks are at a three to

our times higher risk o death rompollution-related causes, accordingto a study by the Harvard School of

Public Health and others. The tech-

nology to cut down on particulateemissions is expensive, and coal

utilities have been reluctant toemploy it.

Acid rain Sulfur and ni-trogen compounds released

by coal-red electric powerplants can create rainall that

is more acid than vinegar. Animals and plant

lie regularly exposed to acid rain do not sur-vive.

Global Warming - Coal-red power plants

are Americas single largest source o green-house gas emissions.

Worst offEndErs

TVAs 11 coal-red power plants failed to ta keappropriate action to mitigate air pollution.according to a lawsuit led by the state o

North Carolina in 2006. The suit was decidedin North Carolinas avor early in 2009, say-ing TVA has engaged in conduct that un-

reasonably intereres with or obstructs [the]rights [o] citizens o North Carolina.

power planTs

Coal beneciation is the process o cleaning and sizingcoal so that it can be used in coal red power plants.

Sometimes it is described as environmentally positive,since it removes up to hal the sulur that can producesulfur dioxide in air emissions. However, it also leads to

enormous water pollution and public saety problems.


Sludge dams More than 600 in Appalachia, at least 45

considered at high risk o ailure.

Contamination -- High levels of arsenic, mercury, lead,copper, chromium and other contaminants in drinking wa-

ter supplies

Historical risk The worst dam breech in history oc -curred at Bualo Creek in West Virginia in 1972 that killed

125 people. Another was the sludge dam breach in MartinCounty, Kentucky in 2000, that resulted in the release o300 million gallons o sludge without death or injury.

Worst offEndErs

Brushy Fork sludge dam At 900 feet, holding over 8 billiongallons, Brushy Fork coal slurry impoundment in Raleigh

County, WV, is one o the tallest and most dangerous damsin the World. The Shumate sludge dam, also in RaleighCounty, has 2.8 billion gallons o sludge, and is 15th down

the list in terms o dam sizes; but Shumate has the specialdistinction of its extraordinary proximity to Marsh Fork el-ementary school.

Cleaning

AppAlAchiAnVoice pAge13

FebruAry / MArch 2008

Electricity. Its one o the biggest reasons this cycle

started, and Americas demand or energy eedsits continuation. Over 90 percent o the coal

used in the U.S. is us ed to generate electricity.


Electricitys illusion o cleanliness

means consumers are sometimes un-aware o where their energy comes

rom or how energy ecient (or ine-

cient) their usage is.

WORST OFFENDER

According to 2005 data, Wyoming con-

sumes the most electricity per person oany state in the nation, using 27,787 kilowatt

hours (Kwh) per person per year. Appala-chian states ollow close behind; Kentucky

(21,414 Kwh), Tennessee (17,446 Kwh), West Virginia (16,621 Kwh),

North Carolina (14,798 Kwh), and Virginia (14,390 Kwh) rank second,sixth, 11th, 16th and 22nd respectively. To give some perspective, themost ecient state per capita, Caliornia, used only 7,032 Kwh per capita.

Georgia (14,483 Kwh/capita) and North Carolina rank rst a nd second inusage o mountaintop removal coal in the nation.

ConsuMpTion

FebruAry / MArch 2008



13/23



Story and photos by Jamie Goodman

For those who support alternativeenergy and oppose mountaintop removal,a line has been drawn in the proverbialsand. That line is at Coal River Mountain,West Virginia.

Bulldozers have continued to cleartrees and topsoil from Coal River Moun-tain, a peak that could potentially providesome of the best wind power in the entirestate of West Virginia. In late November2008, a permit was issued to MarforkCoal Company, a subsidary of Massey

Energy, to proceed with mountaintopremoval coal mining on the top of CoalRiver Mountain.

Simultaneously, non-prot organizationCoal River Mountain Watch (CRMW) hiredscientic consultants Downstream Strate-gies to conduct wind and economic feasibil-ity studies on the mountain, releasing theirndings on December 9, 2008. The ndingsserved to cement what CRMW and manylocal residents had been saying all along

Coal River Mountain is an almost perfectlocation for setting up a wind farm.West Virginia residents and conser-

vationists alike ooded the ofce of stateGovernor Manchin with phone calls,emails and letters begging him to inter-vene and rescind the permit and to allowfurther studies of the wind potential ofthe mountain. But the Governor ignoredpublic opinion in support of a Coal RiverMountain wind farm, and the West Vir-

ginia Department of Environment Protec-tion pointedly excluded public commenton the mining permits.

Though pro-mining entities would sayotherwise, Coal River Mountain Watchcreated when a group of local residentsteamed up with environmentalists oppos-ing mountaintop removalis not opposed

to coal mining in general. The overarchingmessage of this organization is to encour-age the mining company to mine coal

responsibly while pursing alternative en-ergy possibilities. For CRMW, this meansunderground mining, which creates more

job opportunities for local residents thanmountaintop removal mining while leav-ing the mountains relatively unspoiled.Combined with a wind farm, their pro-posal would create even more jobs forlocal residents as well as provide anotherrevenue source for Massey Energy.

This is one of the most progres-

sive environmental movements Iveever seen, said Jeff Deal, IT special-ist with Appalachian Voices. It is amovement that is under-recognizednationally, and it is poised, it isready.

But blasting for the rst partof the operation could begin at anytime, very close to a nine-billion-gallon toxic coal waste sludge damcalled the Brushy Fork impound-ment. Local residents have expressedconcerns about the possibility of blastingcausing a catastrophic dam failure at thesludge impoundment. In 1972, a sludgedam operated by Pittston Coal Companyfailed and killed 125 people in BuffaloCreek, WV. And in 2000, a sludge damoperated by Massey Energy in MartinCounty, KY released approximately 300million gallons of coal waste that broke

through into underground mines.The Brushy Fork impoundment onCoal River Mountain also rests above oldunderground mine chambers. I fear for myfriends and all the people living below thiscoal sludge dam, said Gary Anderson, wholives on the mountain near the site. Blast-ing beside the dam, over underground

mines, could decimate the valley for m iles.The experts said that the Buffalo Creeksludge dam was safe, but it failed. They saidthat the TVA sludge dam [near Harriman,TN] was safe, but it failed. Massey is settingup an even greater catastrophe here.

If theyre going to keep coal here,Anderson continued, theyre going tohave to mine responsibly. Who gives any-one the right to blow up the mountains tomine the coal?

On February 3, 2009, members of thelocal community, regional citizens, andconcerned environmentalists crossed theinvisible line in two separate displays ofnon-violent protest. In the rst, ve peoplechained themselves to a bulldozer and an ex-cavator near the mountaintop removal site on

Coal River Mountain in the early morninghours. Beside them in the snow lay a largebanner that said Save Coal River Moun-tain, and another one saying Windmills,Not Toxic Spills hung across the excavator

beside a windmill prop. All ve individuals,plus a videographer, were arrested, cited formisdemeanor trespassing, and released.

During the second event that sameday, several dozen people from the regionconverged at the mines main gate, bear-

ing signs and a letter intended for MasseyEnergy CEO Don Blankenship which in-sisted that Massey cease the mountaintopremoval operation on Coal River Moun-tain. A representative of Marfork CoalCompany, accompanied by state police,met the protesters at the linein actual-

The Line in the Sand for Mountaintop Removal?

Coal rve Mota


Coal River resident Lorelei Scarbro(above, center) reads a letter intended forMassey Energy CEO Don Blankenshipto a representative from Marfolk CoalCompany. The letter insists that MasseyEnergy cease preparations to blast CoalRiver Mountain and consider the windpotential of the mountain as an alterna-tive to mountaintop removal mining.



14/23February / March 2008

ity a set of railroad tracksand listenedto Coal River resident Lorelei Scarbroread the letter intended for Blankenship.Scarbro and seven other protesters thenstepped over the line and were arrested formisdemeanor trespassing. The violationcarries a ne of up to $100.

Massey Energy company had no of-cial reaction to the protests or to the blast-

ing safety issue, but told the West VirginiaGazette that if environmental groupsthink wind projects are such a good idea,they should buy land, obtain permits andbuild such projects themselves.

According to Sergeant Michael Smithof the West Virginia State Police, [The pro-testers] just wanted to voice their opinion.Some of them indicated to me that with the

new president they felt like they could geta bigger voice in the public, and so thats

what they were doing. As long as theyrenot violating any laws, they have the rightto a peaceful protest. The tresspassing issue,we have to stop that immediately, its justbreaking the law.

We hope this action will reach na-tional media to bring attention to whatshappening in Appalachia, said local resi-dent Judy Bonds. Its going to take action

from the federal government. Its going totake national regulations and the Obama

administration stepping in.If Massey Energy wanted to do the

right thing, Bonds continued, theywould withdraw those permits and helpus put the wind farm up.

We need to go with the better energyoption, and thats a wind farm, which isperfect for Coal River Mountain. saidGary Anderson. We could have a green

energy future for the country, startingright here.

Environmental groups have beenalarmed at the groundwater contaminationby heavy metals from coal y ash. Incidentshave taken place all over the country whereold fly ash deposits have broken loose,contaminating neighborhoods, threatening

health and reducing property values. Fishand other species die quickly when directlyexposed to y ash, and those exposed in-directly accumulate heavy metals in their

bodies, harming the ecosystem and posinga serious health risk to anglers.

Undeterred, the coal and utility indus-tries kept insisting that y ash was harm-less. Yet in 2003, EPA identied over 70sites nationwide where y ash and similarcoal power plant waste has contaminated

surface and groundwater. The next year,130 environmental groups petitioned thefederal government to stop allowing yash to be dumped where it could come intocontact with drinking water supplies.

At the time, EPA put off a decision on newregulations for 18 months. Five years later,regulations have yet to be written, althoughtwo years ago, a National Science Foundation

report urged EPA to begin regulation.In the summer of 2007, the EPA releaseda national risk assessment on coal y ashdisposal. One of the m ost important factorsinvolved in risk was whether runoff couldcarry contaminants away from the site andinto groundwater.

Cancer risk from arsenic is one of thebiggest issues with y ash. People drinkinggroundwater contaminated by a coal wastelandll that did not use a plastic liner had

a 10,000 times greater than allowable riskof cancer, the EPA said. Other risks includehigh levels of mercury, lead and other heavymetal contaminants.

Communities in Indiana, Pennsylvaniaand Maryland have already experiencedsevere y ash problems. Water supplies hadto be shut down in 2004 in the town of Pines,Indiana, and families were provided with

bottled water after molybdenum showedup the towns drinking water.In September of 2007, the Boston-based

Clean Air Task Force and EarthJustice re-leased a report on the use of coal y ash toll in Pennsylvania mines. In 10 of 15 minesexamined across the state, groundwater andstreams near areas where coal ash (or coalcombustion waste) had been used as llmaterial contained high levels of arsenic,lead, cadmium, selenium and other pollut-

ants above safe standards.Also in 2007, residents of Giles County,

VA led a lawsuit over coal y ash landllsbeing placed by American Electric Poweradjacent to the New River. They said thatlandlls posed a danger to people and tothe recreational uses of the river.

In November 2008, residents of Gam- brills, Maryland, settled a class action

lawsuit against a power company for $45million after water supplies were contami-nated by a y ash landll.

Though a National Academy of Sci-ences report in 2007 said it would be safeto ll abandoned mines with coal y ash,the Clean Air Task Force and EarthJustice,which have been pushing for more regula-tions, disagreed: The public has been toldfor decades that these coal wastes are nothazardousits time to end that fraud.

The Tennessee CrudContinued from page 7

Coal River MountainContinued from previous page




Acrss Aalacha To keep up with the latest, see www.AppalachianVoices.orgwllam Blad, wte ad So of Bla Mota Leade, Des

Mourners wearing redneckerchiefs laid William Bliz-

zard to rest amid refrains of theold Union hymn, SolidarityForever and the sound of rievolleys from the Veterans ofForeign Wars echoing over aCharleston, WV cemetery.

Blizzard died in December2008 and was buried in January.

A writer and photographer,William Blizzard was the son ofBill Blizzard, the man who ledthe Red Neck Army in the1921 Battle of Blair Mountain.Although William was a child atthe time, he heard stories of thebattle while growing up and remembered events sur-

rounding his fathers trial for treason in 1922.The trial ended in acquittal.

Blizzards memories and research werepublished in a series of columns in 1952 andrepublished by Wess Harris in 2004 as the bookWhen Miners March. Blizzards work was theonly rst-hand account of the Union side of thebattle and subsequent treason trials. Blizzardwas a living link to one of Appalachias mostimportant and least known chapters of history,Harris said.

Bill Blizzard wrote the denitive storyabout the struggles of coal miners in SouthernWest Virginia to win justice for themselves andtheir families through the United Mine Work-ers Association, Cecil Roberts, president ofthe UMWA, told the Charleston Gazette. He

wasnt just a bystander, he was there.

William Blizzard on his 90thbirthday in 2006. Photo courtesyof The Charleston Gazette

Wess Harriss, publisher of Blizzards book When MinersMarch,Ross Ballard, Appalachian storyteller who teaches at JohnHopkins University, and Molly Louise Thompson during the memorialservice for Blizzard in January 2009. (Photo by Bill Kovarik)

Used,

Rare & Out

of Print BooksSpecializing in

Books about Black

Mountain College

Jean & Carl Franklin103 Cherry StreetBlack Mountain, NC 28711

(828) [email protected]

Powered

by (PV)Solar Cells

Story by Sarah Vig

People dont always associate doinggood things for the environment or be-ing green with business savvy. Accord-ing to Ged Moody, Appalachian StateUniversitys Entrepreneur-in-Residence,however, todays economy means thatgoing green is an important way for businesspeople to add value to theirproducts and potentially conserve re-sources while theyre at it. You can think

green and make green, Moody says.This mindset is what prompted theuniversitys Center for Entrepreneurshipto organize a Realizing Green BusinessOpportunities seminar and networkingevent, set to be held on Tuesday, Febru-ary 24 at 5:30p.m. on the ASU campus,located in Boone, N.C.

Moody will speak at the event,as will Scott Suddreth, the technicalprogram director with Building Perfor-

mance Engineering. There will also bepresentations by renewable energy andbusiness consulting experts. Followingthis, nearly 30 existing green businesses,business incubators and related commu-nity organizations from the Boone areawill be answering questions as part of acasual, networking event.

The intent of the event is to provideinterested community members withtwo important areas of information: a

solid understanding of the technologiesinvolved in this emerging area, and howa new or existing business could takepart in this green economy.

There is no cost to attend, but regis-tration is required. The event will takeplace in the Blue Ridge Ballroom in theASU Student Union, and food and bever-

ages will be provided for all attending.To register, or for questions, contact

Julia Rowland at [email protected] or at (828) 262-8325.

make Green By Thinking Green Green Business Seminar February 24at Appalachian State University




Story by Jamie Goodman

Harkening back to 1978, when thelittle town of Boone, NC was chosenas one of only 17 test sites for a NASA-sponsored wind experimentand thelocation of the largest of the wind genera-tors in that projectthe small mountainmetropolis will once again be on theforefront of wind energy developmentwhen the largest community-scale wind

turbine in the state is erected on the cam-pus of Appalachian State University.This time, however, research is a little

more advanced, and the turbine willpoint the right direction into the wind.

Standing 37 meters (121 ft) tall with a21 meter (68.9 ft) blade span, the North-wind 100 turbine, slated for installationin April, will be erected into a class two to

three wind zone and is projected to pro-duce 147,000 kilowatt hours of electricityper year. The purchase and installationwill cost an estimated $529,000, and theturbine will be erected adjacent to theBroyhill Inn and Conference Center,ASUs on-campus dining and publiclodging facility.

The project is overseen and fundedby the Renewable Energy Initiative, astudent-run, student-funded program atAppalachian State University. Accordingto Crystal Simmons, Chair of REI andcurrent project manager for the BroyhillWind Project, since REIs inception fouryears ago a community-scale wind tur-bine was always on the wish list.

A public educational forum andQ&A session is scheduled for March 4,

from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the Broyhill Innand Conference Center in Boone. Sim-mons stressed that anyone interested inthe project is welcome to attend, not justthe university or local communities.

The organization also plans to installa 36-panel solar thermal system on theroof of the universitys Student Union,which will use the suns energy to heat

water for two dining facilities locatedwithin the building. The system, whichwill provide up to 60 percent of the waterneeds for the dining facilities, will costan estimated $153,000 and is slated forinstallation by the end of April.

For more information on the ASURenewable Energy Initiative or theirprojects, visit rei.appstate.edu.

Acrss Aalacha To keep up with the latest, see www.AppalachianVoices.org

Send a message to President ObamaTODAY asking him to end

mountaintop removal coal mining.

www.iLoveMountains.org/obama

What canYOU doto help

stop this?

Largest Wind Turbine In NC to be Installed by ASUs Renewable Energy Initiative

Sierra Club members Carl andIva Lee Wolfe moved from Florida to

Mountain City, Tennessee, three yearsago, after Carl retired. Thats Carl at left,pictured, with granddaughter Mariah.

We were impressed with the beautyof the area, says Iva Lee. But the condi-tion of the road and the nearby Falls atFall Branch was a disgrace. For yearspeople had been tossing trash onto FallBranch Road and dumping garbage,tires, old appliances, gas tanks, and as-sorted junk into the branch, which ows

into Lake Watauga, a source of drinkingwater for the area.

After finishing work on the cou-ples mobile home, Carl, then 68, be-gan venturing out to bag trash alongthe road. But he soon deepened hiscommitmentliterallyrappelling

50 feet down into the creekto clean up trash at the base

of the falls. Some folks saidit couldnt be done, he says,but when someone tells meI cant do something, I wantto prove I can.

The pace picked up in2007 when Mariah movedto town and began helpingout, pulling up the trash byrope that her grandfatherhad bagged. Over the last

six months they have hauledmore than 60 large garbagebags out of the creek, embla-zoned with Carls handwrit-ten message.

Carl and Iva Lee speak at Kiwanisand Sierra Club meetings, encourag-

ing others to get involved. Carl alsovolunteers at the local recycling centerand transfer station. This fall he was

nominated by the mayor fora Governors Volunteer Award,

presented by Volunteer Ten-nessee to one person fromeach county in the state. Carlreceived his award on October27 in Nashville.

Carl is a humble man,says Iva Lee, but he hopes thiswill motivate more people tovolunteer and get involved inthe community. This isnt ourland; its provided for us. Were

the caretakers, and we could allbe better stewards.Reproduced with permission fromthe Sierra Club Grassroots Scrap-book website 2008 Sierra Club.

All Rights Reserved.

Teessee gadfathe Cleas up Cee, ws Voltee Aad




eiorial

Lrs o ior

MountaintopRemoval - Flyover Is

Worth 1000 WordsDear sir,

I am writing to voice my say regard-

ing banning mountaintop removal. I hope

efforts are under way to get President-

elect Obama to totally ban mountaintop

removal. If it has not been done I sug-

gest former V.P. Al Gore be contacted to

get it done before the affected area be-

comes a total waste land get Obama

to y over the area to see for himself the

destruction that is being done a picture

is worth a 1000 words, especially a per-

sonal eye ball picture.

Thank you for you efforts to keep our

mountains like God intended for them to be.Sincerely,

John Ferrill

Lenoir, NC

An Inclusive andDiverse Future

AppalachiaDear Appalachian Voices,

I salute Dr. Jeff Boyer who wrote on

the future of Appalachia in the last issue.Acknowledging that Appalachia is grow-

ing to be a very ethnically and racially

diverse region, Dr. Boyer called for a

broadening of the Appalachia we and

for building a new, more inclusive we.

How tting it would have been if

the visionaries chosen to share their

thoughts had reected this growing

diversity, this changing we. Accord-

ing to the Appalachian Regional Coun-

cil (ARC), well over 3 million Appala-

chians are people of color and I wouldvery much like to hear these voices

share their vision of Appalachias fu-

ture. I agree that we in Appalachia are

at a tipping point. This is all the more

reason to expand the circle of sharing,

visioning and planning.

Thanks for all you do!

andrea van gunst

The Third Raping ofAppalachia

Dear Editor:

This is in response to a letter to

the editor by Gerry Grantham, Range

Resources/Pine Mountain Gas and

Oil out of Texas. While it is true that

Southwest Virginia holds some of the

purest gas reserves in the nation, Mr.

Grantham is way off-target when writ-

ing of the benets of natural gas to the

residents of Appalachia.

Range Resources/Pine Mountain

Gas and Oil are one of several com-

panies that raced to Southwest Virginia

to explore and produce natural gas be-

cause in this area the gas industry only

has to pay $5 per acre to the land owner

for a gas lease for ve years (Dicken -

son County) and only $1 per acre for a

lease for ve years in Buchanan Coun-

ty. Also, the gas companies only have

to give the land/gas owner a small roy-

alty payment for their gas. Compared

with $20,000 plus, per leased acre and

up to 30% in royalties in other states,

doing business in Southwestern Vir-

ginia is a very sweet deal.

The gas industry is not held to

regular environmental protection stan-

dards as many other industries are.

While clearing land to accommodate

the well, holding tanks, pipelines, etc.,

the land is stripped bare and acres of

hardwood trees are dozed down the

mountainside to lie and rot. Supposed-

ly the land owner would get a payment

for his trees called a destruction pay-

ment; however, dozer operators place

the trees in inaccessible areas so the

land owner cannot get to them.There exists no regard for ecosys-

tems, roadways and waterways. At

one gas well in Dickenson County, fty

thousand gallons of a solution called

BRINE was spilled. Other gas wells

had numerous spills. Again there was

no ne or reprimand levied onto the of-

fending gas company.

When a land/surface owner also owns

the minerals (gas, oil, and coal) under his

surface and does not wish to have thegas company trespass upon his land, the

gas company that wants the gas under

the land then goes to the Virginia Gas

Appalachian Voice welcomes letters to the editor and comments on our website. We run

as many letters as possible, space permitting. The views expressed in these letters, and

in personal editor responses, are the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily the

views of the organization Appalachian Voices. Write to [email protected].

Citizens and Advocates:The New Newsmakers

TVA mst clea hoseRecent events clearly show the need for a clean

sweep of TVAs leadership.Its not just Tom Kilgore, the CEO of TVA, who

needs to be held accountable. The nine-memberboard of directors, entirely appointed by the BushAdministration as part of an old-school, old boynetwork, is directly responsible for the tragic anddisturbing atmosphere in the federal agency.

Until 2004, the TVA board consisted of three bipartisan presidential appointees. That govern-ing structure was swept away in the conservativeeuphoria over the 2004 election, when conservativespacked the TVA board and had the word biparti-san dropped from its enabling legislation.

Today, two seats are open on the board and twomore expire on May 18. Four new board memberswill not be enough to turn the agency around until2010 when a fth member term expires.

It is high time for Mr. Kilgore and the entireTVA board to take responsibility for the awful messthat has been created in the heart of the TennesseeValley.

They should all immediately offer PresidentObama their resignations. It would be the onlygraceful note in this whole disgraceful mess.

Opiio

By Bill Kovarik and Sarah Vig

From the standpoint of public information, theTVA Fly Ash Disaster was unlike any other environ-mental disaster in recent history.

Immediately following the spill, TVAs publicrelations department attempted to spin the cata-strophic failure of an earthen dam holding back abillion gallons of wet coal y ash as a sudden, ac-cidental release of inert material not harmful tothe environment. At the same time, they refusedto release material safety data sheets to the public(including affected residents), and underestimatedthe amount of ash that had been released by afactor of three.

But soon after the spill, pictures from residentson the ground showing the immensity of the dam-age up close, and aerial shots from Southwings (aconservation aviation non-prot) ights showingthe extent of the damage in hundreds of acres, keptthe issue alive. Quick responses from environmentalnon-prots like United Mountain Defense and Ap-palachian Voices among others led to independent

testing and analysis that showed elevated levelsof toxic heavy metals long before the EPA releasedtheir results from the immediate spill area, weeksafter the spill.

Continued on next pageContinued on next page




and Oil Board and asks the Board to issue a

forced pooling order. The Board never disal-

lows the request!

The owner is notied that he will be

force pooled and there is nothing he can

do about it. His right to negotiate a fair mar-ket price has been stripped from him. He

gets pennies or nothing for his minerals.

When Mr. Grantham referred to environ-

mental organizations such as Sierra Club

endorsing the cleanest burning fossil fuel

available, he was correct when speaking

only about coal bed methane or convention-

al gas. What Mr. Grantham failed to men-

tion was the despicable ways in which the

people are treated by the gas companies.

Sierra Club representatives were hereand witnessed the total destruction of moun-

taintops, ecosystems, waterways, road-

ways, and the demoralization of humanity

by gas companies attempting to get at the

vast rich reserves underground.

The people are poorer because of the

rich gas nds in the area. They are exploit-

ed, lied to, cheated, deceived, and simply

run over by gas companies.

There is a feeling of hopelessness and

helplessness among the people. Eleven

percent of the population of Dickenson and

Buchanan counties have ed. Suicide rates

have risen. When all you have left is a plot

of land and that, too, is taken, what is left?

This is the largest taking in the history

of the nation, endorsed and sanctioned by

the Virginia legislature.

Juanita Sneeuwjagt

Clintwood, Va

Cumberland Park FlyAsh, Giles Virginia

Dear Editor,

The Cumberland Park Fly Ash Project,

located on the 100-year ood plain of the

New River in the town of Narrows, Giles

County, Virginia is an environmental abomi-nation. Heres what this means.

Over 250,000 cubic yards of coal ash is

being dumped right next to the New River.

The heavy metals and toxins will leach out

when rain, highway runoff, and other water

comes in contact with the dump. At best,

ooding will leach toxic heavy metals into

the river and groundwater at some point in

the future. At worst, the contamination will

start to occur immediately.

American Electric Power (AppalachianPower Co.) and a not for prot school foun-

dation created the project. Under state envi-

ronmental regulations, this dump can avoid

stricter permitting requirements otherwise

required for hazardous waste sites (which

require more protections and oversight) be-

cause a benecial end use is proposed.

The project presumes that the y ash can

be used safely as a construction material,

and that, one day, some commercial en-

terprises would want to purchase the real

estate on top of the dump. Proposed prof-

its from this project are designated to go to

the Giles County School Board to benet

the local schools. This begs the question of

how future generations of children in Giles

County will actually benet when the project

promises to pollute their community and en-

danger their wellbeing.

One might ask the Giles County School

Board, since it is supposed to have signi -

cant oversight of the Foundations activities.

When such questions were presented at

numerous public meetings, the board ap-

parently had no answers, since theyd nev-

er heard of the project, and claimed not to

have any authority to do anything about it.

Though many may argue that if no laws

are being violated, and the majority of elect-

ed local ofcials appear to have granted

their tacit approval, and there is at least

some payment for the hazards to which the

community will be subjected, that there is

no foul. This avoids some of the serious

questions that surround the inception of this

project. Th

february 2009 appalachian voice newsletter

Documents