Kentucky environmental attorney Sanders says EPA has opened the public comment period on cleanup of failed dredge cell at Kingston TVA plant.

US EPA announced an Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis (EE/CA) Report for the non-time-critical cleanup alternatives for restoration of the Swan Pond embayment area impacted by spilled fly ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston site in Roane County, Tenn.


The EE/CA Report also addresses stabilization and closure of the failed dredge cell. Public comments on the proposed alternatives in the document are being solicited now through Feb. 18, 2010, so they may be factored into the final decision.  Step up and comment or keep quiet on your opinions.

The purpose of this EE/CA Report is to describe the objectives of the removal action in the embayment and dredge cell areas, as well as to describe and evaluate available alternatives for restoration of the environment impacted by the spilled fly ash. A separate EE/CA Report for the residual ash in the river system, after time critical dredging is finished, will be prepared at a later date.


Three restoration alternatives are evaluated in the EE/CA Report:
• excavate embayment and dispose material off site (2.8 million cubic yards of material), grade and close dredge cell;

• excavate embayment and portions of dredge cell and dispose material off site (6.8 million cubic yards of material), grade and close the remainder of dredge cell; and

• excavate embayment and dispose material on site (2.5 million cubic yards of material), and close the dredge cell.

All three alternatives restore the embayment to pre-spill conditions and have different levels of foundation treatment so the perimeter dike containment system will be protective and stable over the long-term. Several other options were considered, but not retained as alternatives, as explained in the EE/CA work plan.

The EE/CA Report and other important site documents have been placed in the Administrative Record and are available for public review and comment. All interested persons are encouraged to review the documents and provide comments.

Site documents can be read and reviewed at the following locations:

TVA Outreach Center
509 N. Kentucky Street
Kingston, Tennessee
865-632-1700

Kingston Public Library
1004 Bradford Way
Kingston, Tennessee
865-376-9905

These same documents are available on computer disk at:
Harriman Public Library
601 Walden Street
Harriman, Tennessee
865-882-3195

The Administrative Record is also available online at: www.epakingstontva.com and www.tva.com/kingston

Comments should be submitted by mail or e-mail to:

TVA
P.O. Box 40
Kingston, TN 37763-0400
Attn: Kingston Public Comments

E-mail: kingstoncomm@tva.gov

At the end of the 30-day comment period, a written response to all pertinent comments will be prepared in a responsiveness summary and placed in the Administrative Record. The final decision on the type of removal action needed will be a balance of engineering effectiveness, implementation concerns, cost, regulatory requirements, and public comment.