I am writing you about the cover up of the TVA Kingston Steam Plant's two million cubic yard spill of fly ash. This dwarfs Exxon Valdez and comes from the plant that more than any others killed the Smokey Mountain National Park.
It is a top three story on Google today with the San Francisco and New York papers having good coverage. Minimal coverage is available from the Tennessee press.
I care if TVA kills the Smokies and fish. This one really scares me as fly ash spills can kill people, shorten their lives, lessen quality of life. Please cover it.
The Times Free Press seems to be owned by TVA and the Tennessean is talking mostly about dead fish. This is a huge story. Let the public know how dangerous this is and make Gil Francis' management of this story a coverup issue.
Z. Cartter Patten lll
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The watershed concept is not fully understood by many. There seems to be a disconnect in understanding that toxins on the surface can infiltrate into ground water, and surface water and ground water are connected. Your knowledge level on this subject exceeds what is typical, and this is why you are justifiably concerned. Even people within the environmental regulatory agencies sometimes have trouble grasping this concept with ponds. To overcome the disconnect in the spill having regional impacts, verses a local spill, the concept of watershed is necessary.
I do know for a fact that TVA has the best and brightest environmental talent, that are working diligently to protect public health. They know that metals in coal sludge and by products of combustion are going to be substantial, and transported in water we have a problem. They get this, and your concerns are shared.
While it is true many are watching the news coverage and possibly thinking "zealot environmentalist; it is just coal,", there are local journalists at the newspaper that will pursue factual information and editors that will publish truth regardless, everyone is for public health. Journalists are not going to possess the watershed concept, so educate them and they will investigate. Your concern will prevail.
April Eidson
aae1049@comcast.net