TVA Fly Ash Spill Evaluation, Cost Analysis Ready for Comment

  • Jan 22, 2010

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the 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., is now available for public review and comment.

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 through Feb. 18, so they may be factored into the final decision.

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 report:

      1. Excavate embayment and dispose material off site (2.8 million cubic yards of material), grade and close dredge cell;

      2. Excavate embayment and portions of dredge cell and dispose material off site (6.8 million cubic yards of material), grade and close remainder of dredge cell; and

      3. 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.

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 St., Kingston, Tenn., 865.632.1700;
  • Kingston Public Library, 1004 Bradford Way, Kingston, Tenn., 865.376.9905;
  • Harriman Public Library, 601 Walden St., Harriman, Tenn., 865.882.3195 (on computer disk); or
  • 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 or 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.

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