This site will post communications directed to the Roane Community Advisory Group (CAG) as they are received in order to keep the community affected by the TVA ash dike failure fully informed.

General information regarding the CAG and relevant public documents are posted at the CAG website.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

May 12, 2010 To the Roane County CAG



Follow-up to Questions Asked at May 6, 2010, Meeting

The following information is provided as requested at the subject meeting:

1.    The following link is provided for the EPA website for Nature and Extent of Ash in the River Bottom.


2.    Provide follow-up information on dust that was observed coming from railcars.

A.   The dust was created from an operation used by our contractor to weight liners to keep them from blowing out of the railcars.  The contractor was placing sand on the liners by forklift, dumping the entire scoop of sand at one time, increasing the amount of dust created.   We have confirmed, and observed, that the contractor no longer uses this method.  Crushed rock with very little dust is now being used and placed in the railcars by a front end loader.  The front end loader can regulate the amount of rock that is placed in the railcar, dumping small amounts, which minimizes the creation of dust.  The Construction Manager and his staff now monitor this operation.  Water management will be used to control dust as needed.

As one of the many safety initiatives put into place on the recovery project site, all employees are to be aware and report any activities they observe that are creating dust or have the potential to create dust.  They are authorized to stop the activity until corrective measures can be taken. 


3.    Drive-by 3-D models were requested in addition to the flyover 3-D models previously provided to the CAG.

A.   The requested models will take some time to create but will be provided as soon as possible.

4.    Procedures for mobile air monitoring were requested.

A.   Attached is the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for mobile PM10 monitoring.  In answer to a question posed by the CAG concerning the time needed  to take a measurement , as shown in the SOP,  it ranges from 15 seconds to a minute or so depending on how long it takes the monitor to stabilize.

A quality assurance program is in place that requires observation and audits of all environmental sampling.

5.    Will the roads being used by TVA and its contractors for utility restorations be resurfaced?

A.   Yes, road resurfacing will take place when the utility restoration is completed.

6.    A question was asked regarding data results from high flows of the river during rain events over 20,000 cfs.

A.   Since it was installed in December, 2009, the ISCO sampler has been triggered six times, including capturing samples at 40,000 cfs and 23,000 cfs.  For more information concerning final environmental Sampling and Analysis Plans, please visit the TVA website at:  http://www.tva.gov/kingston/sap/index.htm

7.    In answer to a question about whether sampling was conducted in the Sportsman Club area, sampling was conducted at the mouth of the Sportsman Club cove and no ash was found. 

8.    In response to Don Simon’s request for results of sampling performed in his cove, we understand from Barbara Scott with TDEC that the results were mailed to Mr. Simon on Friday, May 07, 2010.

9.    This is the link to the EPA website where information pertaining to the announcement of the proposed rule regarding disposition of coal fly ash. http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/4eca022f6f5c501185257719005dfb1b!OpenDocument
If you have any questions please call Katie Kline or me at 717-1645.



Jane Greenwalt
Project Manager, Community Outreach
Tennessee Valley Authority
Kingston Ash Recovery Project

No comments:

Post a Comment