Kingston Fossil Plant, TN, Oct.1954

The earthen walls surrounding the coal-powered Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County, Tennessee failed last Dec. 22, spilling over a billion gallons of coal ash sludge over a 3,000-acre area, in what may be the largest environmental disaster in United States history.

Luckily, there was no cost in human life. But now, residents have huge worries on their minds:

* What long-term effects on health will happen, considering the harmful toxic substances contained in the ashy sludge such as arsenic, lead and thallium?

* What will happen to property values, the local economy and culture, in a territory long known for its picturesque waterways?

The Kingston plant is located near a point where three river meet — Emory River, Clinch River and Tennessee River. Decades ago, the area suffered frequent flooding.

The Tennessee Valley Authority, which owns and operates the Kingston power plant, built a dam nearby which helped to tame the once-deadly floods and converted the area into a popular fishing and boating destination. In recent years, real estate developments along the waterfront mushroomed, bringing in many retirees from all over the country.

As the end of 2008 came, state and federal officials were still waiting for laboratory results on soil samples taken from various points in the disaster area. Air samples tested soon after the coal-ash containment ponds failed yielded clean results, but the air quality could change if strong winds blow.

However, water samples from sources near the ash piles showed high levels of arsenic and other contaminants well in excess of standards for drinking water. For the present, at least, drinking water in municipal water systems is still safe — but things could change.

It is not yet clear what caused the earthen walls to burst. Officials of the power plant also cannot say how long it will take to clean up the area. The company has already deployed about 200 workers for the cleanup. It also erected an underwater wall – called a rock weir – to prevent any sunken ash from being carried downstream.

The governor of Tennessee said no one know the possible long-term environmental impact of a disaster this size, particularly since there has never been anything like it in the past.

On a policy level, the disaster will add fuel to the debate on whether coal power is efficient and clean, and on the government’s (particularly the Environmental Protection Agency) role in regulating the storage and disposal of waste products from coal power plants.

Coal-fired power plants produce at least 50 percent of all electrical power in the country, consuming about 1 billion tons of coal annually and disposing about 125 million tons of waste. Coal waste can be recycled into building materials such as bricks or wallboard, or as backfill. Currently, only about 45 percent of coal waste gets recycled.

There are about 600 coal power plants in the country, but only 60 percent of them have the capability to recycle coal waste. Old plants like Kingston are not designed for recycling waste.

Safety Tips:

* Keep well away from coal ash piles.

* Wash hands very thoroughly with clean water and soap if you cannot avoid contact with the ash.