Site Tour Report

From CAG Member Andy Avel:

I toured the site yesterday with Mike Scott and am passing on the following observations:

1. The trains should have resumed yesterday because the site is now using the additive that Steve McCracken told us about last Thursday. The additive that absorbs any free water that may migrate from the fly ash on its journey to Alabama. So, trains should have started moving yesterday.

2. Mike talked about the vapor from the new scrubber stack and told me that the closer the plant gets to actual operation, the more testing of the system (using material that does not originate from the combustion of coal) will be done, and the more common the emission of water vapor will be. He did emphasize that the scrubbers are not connected to the combustion process, yet.

3. The 20 inch dredge is broken down and will be soon be replaced by another 20 inch dredge. The replacement dredge is sitting on the Clinch River across the channel from the Red Bone restaurant while the site is doing final safety and environmental inspections.

4. The Plant entrance and exit to the site exclusion zone, located close to the new scrubbers, is being improved to allow access to the exclusion zone for service and maintenance equipment. This will help alleviate traffic congestion on Swan Pond Road.

5. The height of the ash piles on the ball field is increasing because of improved dredging. However, limitations in the ability to move fly ash off site is causing more fly ash to accumulate on the site. The accumulation of the fly ash is being monitored carefully by both TVA and EPA to assure no problems arise. The additive to absorb water from the ash in the trains, will help to accelerate the transportation of the ash off site.

6. TVA is continuing to widen the ash drainage ditches to improve drainage in the failed dredge cell and the embayment and is cleaning out the settling pond.

7. I also visited the proposed visitor overlook. It will be located about 500 yards up the "driveway" that used to go to the house that was located in that area. The overlook will consist of a parking lot, a roofed area, and placards that identify areas of interest at the site. It looked to me like most of the excavation work was done.
.