"Honey, Don't Forget to Take Out the Coal Ash"

I've been meaning to give more updates related to the December 2008 spill of coal ash sludge in Tennessee--but oh well. However, the latest good news is that the EPA is going to study--again--how coal ash is stored and draft regulations by the end of this year.

As I understand it, coal ash is a by-product of burning coal, and we have tons of this toxic goo due to our reliance on coal-based electrical power. What I didn't know is no one pays any attention to how this stuff is stored (at least not at the federal level).

I did a little research on my own and discovered that there are ZERO federal regulations or standards for it's disposal. The sludge is sometimes stored in "ponds" that are left unlined--allowing the goo to seep into the ground and potentially poison the water supply. States are left to do their own thing, which I'm never too comfortable with because it's such a patchwork often based on money rather than concerns about public health.

Eight years ago, the EPA wanted to set a national standard for coal ash as it does household trash--but the Bush Administration nixed that. So, not only is this goo not considered "hazardous waste," but your kitchen scraps and other trash are considered more dangerous. WTF? The government doesn't even track which utility companies have this stuff and what they do with it! But the EPA is waking up to the problem and is implementing better tracking procedures in order to prevent future spills like the one in Tennessee and better monitor clean-up. Speaking of clean-up, it's going to cost us up to $850 million to tidy up Tennessee after its recent spill!

And on the heels of this comes a quasi-related lawsuit by neighboring North Carolina against the Tennessee Valley Authority, the utility responsible for the coal ash spill. In January 2009, a federal judge ordered the TVA to install pollution controls on four of its power plants and "substantially" reduce pollutants causing respiratory problems and a whitish haze that hangs over the NC mountains. I say "quasi-related lawsuit" because it's all connected.

And there is a class-action lawsuit against the TVA on behalf of those residents affected by the December 08 spill.

Yay, clean coal rocks!

"Honey, Don't Forget to Take Out the Coal Ash"

I've been meaning to give more updates related to the December 2008 spill of coal ash sludge in Tennessee--but oh well. However, the latest good news is that the EPA is going to study--again--how coal ash is stored and draft regulations by the end of this year.

As I understand it, coal ash is a by-product of burning coal, and we have tons of this toxic goo due to our reliance on coal-based electrical power. What I didn't know is no one pays any attention to how this stuff is stored (at least not at the federal level).

I did a little research on my own and discovered that there are ZERO federal regulations or standards for it's disposal. The sludge is sometimes stored in "ponds" that are left unlined--allowing the goo to seep into the ground and potentially poison the water supply. States are left to do their own thing, which I'm never too comfortable with because it's such a patchwork often based on money rather than concerns about public health.

Eight years ago, the EPA wanted to set a national standard for coal ash as it does household trash--but the Bush Administration nixed that. So, not only is this goo not considered "hazardous waste," but your kitchen scraps and other trash are considered more dangerous. WTF? The government doesn't even track which utility companies have this stuff and what they do with it! But the EPA is waking up to the problem and is implementing better tracking procedures in order to prevent future spills like the one in Tennessee and better monitor clean-up. Speaking of clean-up, it's going to cost us up to $850 million to tidy up Tennessee after its recent spill!

And on the heels of this comes a quasi-related lawsuit by neighboring North Carolina against the Tennessee Valley Authority, the utility responsible for the coal ash spill. In January 2009, a federal judge ordered the TVA to install pollution controls on four of its power plants and "substantially" reduce pollutants causing respiratory problems and a whitish haze that hangs over the NC mountains. I say "quasi-related lawsuit" because it's all connected.

And there is a class-action lawsuit against the TVA on behalf of those residents affected by the December 08 spill.

Yay, clean coal rocks!

Tennessee Coal Sludge Spill Estimated at More Than a BILLION Gallons!

A BILLION gallons! That's a whole helluva lot of icky, sticky, poisonous goo. Have you heard about this? Maybe I've been sick and out of touch, but I've heard barely a peep about this incident which happened a few days ago near Knoxville, Tennessee. A pond to hold coal ash burst, sending all the goo flowing over hundreds of acres of land. People had to be evacuated and a few homes were destroyed. It's like "The Blob!"

And to think this is the end-result of all that nice, warm, convenient electricity we use. How are they going to clean up this mess? What about the people who lost their homes? What about the environmental impact on the area? No one's talking about this. Instead, we're inundated with reports of people falling overboard from cruise ships, "Barack the Magic Negro" and other piffle. Sorry--those stories may have some merit, but this coal thing affects ALL of us.

And so much for "clean" coal.

Tennessee Coal Sludge Spill Estimated at More Than a BILLION Gallons!

A BILLION gallons! That's a whole helluva lot of icky, sticky, poisonous goo. Have you heard about this? Maybe I've been sick and out of touch, but I've heard barely a peep about this incident which happened a few days ago near Knoxville, Tennessee. A pond to hold coal ash burst, sending all the goo flowing over hundreds of acres of land. People had to be evacuated and a few homes were destroyed. It's like "The Blob!"

And to think this is the end-result of all that nice, warm, convenient electricity we use. How are they going to clean up this mess? What about the people who lost their homes? What about the environmental impact on the area? No one's talking about this. Instead, we're inundated with reports of people falling overboard from cruise ships, "Barack the Magic Negro" and other piffle. Sorry--those stories may have some merit, but this coal thing affects ALL of us.

And so much for "clean" coal.

Virginia Roadtrip Leads to Mountaintop Removal

Over the Labor Day weekend, my partner and I visited areas around Fancy Gap and Hillsville, Virginia. The rolling Appalachian mountains and their beauty always stir a deep ache and longing in my heart. I grew up not that far away, and visiting the mountains was always a favorite way to spend time. I was happy to see that the main road into these communities is still 2 lanes and provides plenty of great views--no interstates yet!

While meditating on the beauty of these mountains as well as my recent shamanic workshop in a local state park, I was reminded of a friend's email about mountaintop removal.

To save money and time, many electricity companies are simply removing the tops of entire mountains to get at the coal. Basically they strip it of all vegetation, blast the hell out of it and then dump the waste in the valleys. No, there isn't any mountaintop removal in that part of Virginia as far as I'm aware, but it disturbs me nonetheless.

Our insatiable appetite for coal and energy leads us to do irreversible things to our planet. Not only are we exhausting irreplaceable resources but we are damaging its beauty. Maybe Fancy Gap and Hillsville are safe now but for how long? If we keep on this current track, is anything off limits?

Check out ILoveMountains.org to learn more on moutaintop removal. You can enter your ZIP code to see the closest coal-fired power plant to where you live ("What's My Connection?") and whether it receives coal taken by moutaintop removal. You can educate yourself about how this process works and its environmental effects, plus legislation that hopes to end this damaging practice.

Image of mountaintop removal in West Virginia.

Virginia Roadtrip Leads to Mountaintop Removal

Over the Labor Day weekend, my partner and I visited areas around Fancy Gap and Hillsville, Virginia. The rolling Appalachian mountains and their beauty always stir a deep ache and longing in my heart. I grew up not that far away, and visiting the mountains was always a favorite way to spend time. I was happy to see that the main road into these communities is still 2 lanes and provides plenty of great views--no interstates yet!

While meditating on the beauty of these mountains as well as my recent shamanic workshop in a local state park, I was reminded of a friend's email about mountaintop removal.

To save money and time, many electricity companies are simply removing the tops of entire mountains to get at the coal. Basically they strip it of all vegetation, blast the hell out of it and then dump the waste in the valleys. No, there isn't any mountaintop removal in that part of Virginia as far as I'm aware, but it disturbs me nonetheless.

Our insatiable appetite for coal and energy leads us to do irreversible things to our planet. Not only are we exhausting irreplaceable resources but we are damaging its beauty. Maybe Fancy Gap and Hillsville are safe now but for how long? If we keep on this current track, is anything off limits?

Check out ILoveMountains.org to learn more on moutaintop removal. You can enter your ZIP code to see the closest coal-fired power plant to where you live ("What's My Connection?") and whether it receives coal taken by moutaintop removal. You can educate yourself about how this process works and its environmental effects, plus legislation that hopes to end this damaging practice.

Image of mountaintop removal in West Virginia.