Readers of this blog are all-too-familiar with December 2008’s catastrophic Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) fly ash spill that dumped a mind-boggling 5.4 million cubic yards—over one billion gallons—of toxic coal sludge into Tennessee’s Emory and Clinch rivers and the 300 acres surrounding the TVA Kingston plant. The spill ravaged the environment, the economy, and the lives and health of the families, wildlife, and aquatic life who live in the area.

Now, finally, the community that has been seriously inconvenienced, in many cases, displaced, is going to receive some $40 million dollars from the TVA—according to CNN, this country’s largest utility—for so-called economic development efforts. Critics argue that the money is doing little more than prettying up the county and will not cover environmental and medical issues, reported CNN. TVA spokeswoman Barbara Martocci said that the funding will go toward infrastructure and recreation, “so we can help improve quality of life,” quoted CNN.

The sheer massiveness of the spill is, by most accounts, incomprehensible. Consider these comparisons by CNN: The toxic sludge spilled in December could fill about 800 Olympic-sized swimming pools and the 300 acres on which the sludge spilled accounted for an area larger than the historic Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989.

Kingston’s mayor, Troy Beets, speaking through the utility said, “This foundation offers an important opportunity for achieving local projects for the benefit of local citizens. As the foundation board, we will begin our work together by first considering the projects that our communities have identified as priorities,” quoted CNN.

Not everyone agrees, and residents have some valid and serious concerns regarding the heavy metals that were released with the spill—arsenic, lead, selenium, and radioactive products such as chromium and barium, reported CNN. Some of these toxins and chemicals have been known to cause cancer, as we have long been reporting.

Not only will residents not personally receive any of the monies, they also complain that fly ash can still be seen in the atmosphere and some are suffering ill effects from the myriad pollutants released in December, said CNN. Some complain of respiratory problems and headaches.

Resident Sarah McCoin was quoted by CNN as saying, “Initially, it looks like a good deal…. In reality, you have a situation that will only be politically correct…. Our environment is damaged, and there are people here who are really, really sick…. We are continually fighting respiratory problems.” McCoin lives about a mile from the spill.

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Earlier this year, we wrote about how information pointing to “significantly higher cancer risks” for those living near coal-fired power plant ash dumps was allegedly covered up by the recent Bush Administration, citing a report by EnvironmentalIntegrity.org.

Numerous studies have concluded that coal dumps leach dangerous toxins into the environment that can cause cancer, birth defects, and other serious health outcomes in water and wildlife populations, including frightening guarantees of developing cancer from drinking contaminated water and suffering damage to the liver, kidney, lungs and other organs from toxic metal exposure, such as cadmium, cobalt, lead, and other pollutants far above levels that are considered safe,” said Environmental Integrity, previously. The group also noted that the danger to wildlife and ecosystems is “off the charts, with one contaminant—boron—expected to leach into the environment at levels two thousand times thresholds generally considered to be safe.”

We have long been covering issues surrounding the catastrophic Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) fly ash spill and have repeatedly expressed concern over the hazards to people and the environment left in the wake of last year’s spill. In December, the spill dumped a mind-boggling 5.4 million cubic yards—over one billion gallons—of toxic coal sludge into Tennessee’s Emory and Clinch rivers and the 300 acres surrounding the TVA Kingston plant.

In July, we wrote that the Associated Press (AP) reported that the TVA “significantly” increased the “hazard potential” for some of its ash sites under a self-assessment given to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Now, says the AP, it seems that toxins from coal burned for power—coal combustion waste—can be found in close to 600 sites in 35 states, citing an emerging federal survey. Of note, says the AP, spills have taken place at 34 of these sites in the past 10 years. (more…)

A former lawyer for Toyota has accused the automaker of concealing important information about rollover accidents that resulted in deaths and injuries. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, the accusations could ultimately result in hundreds of rollover accident lawsuits against Toyota being reopened.

According to the Times, the stunning allegations were made in a federal lawsuit filed by Dimitrios P. Biller, a former managing counsel for Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. His job involved defending the company in lawsuits filed by victims of injured in rollover accidents involving Toyota sport utility vehicles and trucks. Biller claims the automaker forced him to resign in 2007. The company gave him a $3.2 million severance payment, the Times said. (more…)

Readers of this column are all-to-familiar with last year’s historic fly ash spill that dumped a mind-boggling 5.4 million cubic yards—over one billion gallons—of toxic coal sludge into Tennessee’s Emory and Clinch rivers and the 300 acres surrounding the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Kingston plant.

We have long expressed concern over the hazards to people and the environment left in the wake of the catastrophic spill that involved a layer of unstable ash sludge—“slimes”—that went undetected, the “construction of retaining walls on top of the ash,” “saturation of the stored ash,” and “pressure exerted by rising stacks,” according to a prior KnoxNews report, citing a consultant’s findings. It took months, but the TVA finally increased the “hazard potential” for some of its ash sites under a self-assessment given to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Associated Press (AP) reported recently. (more…)

Following months of controversy since the catastrophic Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) fly ash spill, the TVA has finally announced plans to stop storing its coal-fired power plants’ ash in wet landfills, according to the Tennessean, citing an official.

We have long expressed concern over the hazards to people and the environment left in the wake of last year’s spill that dumped a mind-boggling 5.4 million cubic yards—over one billion gallons—of toxic coal sludge into Tennessee’s Emory and Clinch rivers and the 300 acres surrounding the TVA Kingston plant. Last month, the TVA “significantly” increased the “hazard potential” for some of its ash sites under a self-assessment given to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Associated Press (AP) previously reported. (more…)

While dangerous emissions were not found in the air surrounding the El Dorado Chemical plant in Bryan, Texas, thousands of residents were forced from their homes, reported the Associated Press (AP), citing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The evacuation was initiated because of the risk that ammonium nitrate—a chemical used in the manufacture of explosives—at the 11,216-square-foot plant could spark an explosion; the fire was still smoldering late last week. (more…)

The Honda Motor Company just announced that it expanded a previous recall from late last year and is now adding nearly a half-million—about 440,000—cars that could contain a dangerous and deadly airbag defect, CNN Money reported.

The affected Honda models include the 2001-2002 Honda Accord, the 2001 Civic, and the 2002-2003 Acura TL. According to CNN Money, the potential airbag defect has resulted in six injuries and one death, citing Chris Naughton, Honda spokesman. Acura is Honda’s luxury brand automobile, the Associated Press (AP) pointed out. (more…)

A fire at the El Dorado Chemical plant in Bryan, Texas, while under control, continued to smolder today. At least 1,000 people are still evacuated because of the risk that ammonium nitrate at the plant could spark an explosion.

The fire at the El Dorado Chemical Co. plant broke out around noon yesterday. Right now, it looks like a welding spark ignited the blaze. The fire produced a plume of smoke that extended up to 60 miles from the plant. Because of the toxicity of the chemicals involved, fire crews were forced to allow the blaze to burn itself out. (more…)

Following the Dow Chemical leak in Hahnville, Louisiana earlier this month, an investigator from the state’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has been a at the plant every day trying to determine what happened. According to a report in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, DEQ has been accused by an environmental group of ignoring problems at the Dow plant.

The Dow chemical spill, which involved the chemical ethyl acrylate, occurred early in the morning of July 7, and forced evacuation of the area around the Dow Chemical plant. Some residents were forced out of their homes until Wednesday afternoon. Because of winds and storms in the area, ethyl acrylate fumes were carried as far away as New Orleans, and St. Bernard’s Parish. Dozens of people were treated at the hospital for ethyl acrylate side effects. The foul-smelling chemical is known to cause nausea and headaches, and can irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat. (more…)

The federal National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) made a recommendation that cell phones not be used by drivers, except in cases of emergencies, because of their link to traffic accidents, said MSNBC. That recommendation included hands-free cell phone use.

Unfortunately, the recommendation, which was made about seven years ago—2002 and 2003—was not released to the public until now, said MSNBC. Two public interest groups finally publicized the proposal—The Center for Auto Safety and Public Citizen—, which obtained the documents via a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act, MSNBC noted. This, after The Center for Auto Safety unsuccessfully attempted to obtain the information in 2008, ABC News pointed out. (more…)