One Hundred Days Since TVA’s Kingston Plant Coal Ash Disaster

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Day 91: UMD Volunteer Cleared of All Charges

Mar 23, 2009

The judge dismisses all charges brought by TVA against the United Mountain Defense volunteer Matt Landon, who was arrested on March 5, 2009 for alleged trespass while giving a local resident a ride...

Day 88: TVA Dredges Emory River

Mar 20, 2009

TVA begins dredging operations to remove ash from the navigation channel of the Emory River. Independent scientists observed a ten-fold increase in turbidity measurements on the first day of dredgi...

Day 78: Another Coal Ash Spill, This Time in Maryland

Mar 9, 2009 5 PM

A pipeline from a paper mill in Luke, Maryland breaks, releasing 4,000 gallons of coal ash onto West Virginia shoreline and into the North Branch Potomac River.

Day 78:Earthjustice Leads Call for Health Impact Assessment

Mar 9, 2009

Dr. Gregory Button and Earthjustice, joined by six groups including the Tennessee Clean Water Network, and numerous scientists and citizens, petitioned the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease R...

Day 78: EPA Vows to Regulate Coal Ash

Mar 9, 2009

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announces it will propose regulations governing the toxic waste generated by coal-fired power plants by the end of 2009

Day 74: UMD Volunteer Arrested

Mar 5, 2009

United Mountain Defense volunteer Matt Landon is arrested by TVA police for driving local resident, 65-year old Eva Hewitt back to her home. Hewitt, who is blind in one eye and cannot drive, was at...

Day 74: Tennessee Department of Health Tells Residents that Eating and Breathing the Coal Ash is Not Hazardous to Health

Mar 5, 2009

In a public meeting held on March 5, 2009, the TN Dept of Health erroneously told residents that "ingestion of ash should not pose a hazard," despite the high arsenic content of the ash. The Depar...

Day 73: Senate to EPA: Regulate Coal Ash

Mar 4, 2009

Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Thomas Carper (D-DE) introduce Senate Resolution 64 calling upon the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to finally regulate coal ash waste disposal and storage. The...

Day 72: Over 100 Enviro Groups Tell EPA to Regulate Coal Ash

Mar 3, 2009

Spearheaded by Environmental Integrity Project and Earthjustice, the presidents of over 100 environmental groups including the Sierra Club, National Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council...

Day 60: Class Action Lawsuit Filed

Feb 19, 2009

Attorneys working with environmental activist Erin Brokovich filed a class action lawsuit against TVA on behalf of over 100 residents in areas affected by the Kingston coal ash spill.

Day 53: More Action from Congress

Feb 12, 2009

TVA officials state that the final cost of cleanup for the Kingston spill is estimated between $525 million and $825 million, with the possibility to greatly exceed $825 million depending on fines ...

Day 45: EPA to TVA: Spill Violates Clean Water Act

Feb 4, 2009

EPA Region 4 acting administrator Stanley Meiburg sends a letter to TVA stating that EPA considers the Kingston spill to be “an unpermitted discharge of a pollutant in contravention of the Clean Wa...

Day 43: Water Testing Shows Frequent Exceedances

Feb 2, 2009

The Environmental Integrity Project in conjunction with United Mountain Defense release a report detailing the findings of water quality testing on 24 samples taken from 22 locations near the Kings...

Day 41: Federal Judge Orders TVA to "Preserve Evidence"

Jan 31, 2009

Federal judge orders TVA to preserve evidence in its December 22 ash spill and to allow plaintiffs’ experts access to the disaster site. An attorney who filed a class action lawsuit against TVA on ...

Day 38: Duke Unversity Study Cites "Severe Health Implications"

Jan 28, 2009

Duke University scientists release results of self-funded sample testing finding that “exposure to radium- and arsenic-containing particulates in the ash could have severe health implications” for ...