EPA allows TVA to dump spilled coal ash in Alabama:

Leo Francendese, On-Scene EPA Emergency Response Coordinator, views task ahead of removing over three million cubic yards of fly ash from Emory River at Kingston, TN. TVA plant.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- "The nation's largest utility can dump millions of tons of coal ash from a Tennessee spill into an Alabama landfill, federal regulators said, despite criticism that the plan is unfair to one of Alabama's poorest counties.

The Environmental Protection Agency said it would let the Tennessee Valley Authority ship dredged material about 300 miles from the site of a huge retention pond failure in eastern Tennessee to the Arrowhead Landfill in central Alabama's Perry County.

EPA said the commercial landfill that most often receives household garbage is well-suited for accepting the ash, which contains toxic materials including arsenic and lead.

TVA said the shipments, which will go by rail, would begin immediately.

A rail line runs from Tennessee through northeast Alabama to Arrowhead Landfill near Uniontown. Operators say it's one of the nation's largest commercial landfills.

Perry County will make millions of dollars off the shipments from dumping fees, and TVA has said as many as 50 jobs could be created to handle the shipments at the landfill, which now has five full-time employees.

Uniontown has about 1,600 residents, 88 percent of whom are black. U.S. Census statistics show 31 percent of families live in poverty.

"We still feel that there are elements that seem like an injustice to the people of Perry County," said Michael Churchman, executive director of the Alabama Environmental Council. "The benefits of the new jobs and increased income to families in that county is not as significant as it's being portrayed to be."

"The landfill is permitted to accept waste materials such as coal ash and has the capacity to accommodate the anticipated volume of material," EPA said in a statement.

About 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash was released in all, but TVA hasn't said what it plans to do with the rest. The utility said it was looking for sites other than the Perry County landfill, which typically accepts household garbage.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has given TVA permission to conduct coal ash disposal tests at four landfills in East Tennessee, but a TVA spokesmen said the agency has no current plans to do so.

TVA's disposal plan said it would initially send 85 loaded railcars every two days to Alabama, and shipments of the same size would become daily within weeks. The disposal could take a year." Associated Press, Jay Reeves.

New rail construction at TVA, Kingston, TN to transport over three million cubic yards of fly ash which will be dredged from the Emory River and shipped by rail car for disposal in Alabama.

be strong, be safe, Carlan

Four Corners New Mexico:

Photo and short story on the Four Corners published on Photo District News today.

be strong, be safe, Carlan

On the road: Kingston, TN. TVA Ash Spill:

On Tuesday, May 19, 2009 I arrived back in Kingston, TN. the site of the ash spill on December 22, 2008. It has been five months since I was here and I wanted to visit the individuals and families I had met in January 2009 and see how the situation had progressed. Two weeks ago on May 5 heavy rainfall caused large amounts of the ash in the Emory River to move further down river. On Monday the local papers reported ash was found in the intake of the water processing plant for the city of Kingston. When I arrived the ash had settled a bit since the rain storm, but crews are working along the river down stream from the main spill area daily and river booms fill with ash.

Fly ash along the banks of the Emory River under the I-40 Bridge

WBIR Knoxville television released the following report on fly ash accessment this week:

"A study by an Appalachian environmental group and Appalachian State University is showing high levels of toxic chemicals in the fly ash released by the massive spill at the TVA Kingston Fossil Plant.

Appalachian Voices released the study Monday. Samples of ash, water, sediments, and fish tissue collected near the site, 18 days after the December 22 spill, showed cause for concern.

In the water samples, they found levels of arsenic, barium, cadmium, lead, and selenium that exceeded protective drinking water and/or aquatic life criteria levels.

They found particular concern in the Emory River at mile 2.2, where ash clogs the river. There, they found that arsenic levels in the river were 260 times the allowable amount in drinking water, and lead was 16 times the drinking water standard.

They also found that selenium levels in fish were at and beyond the threshold of toxicity for reproduction and growth.

The tests were conducted at Appalachian State University by Dr. Shea Tuberty, Dr. Carol Babyak, Dr. Sarah Carmichael, and Dr. Susan L. Edwards.

The scientists concluded the most dire impact was taking place in the immediate area around the spill, but the levels of toxic elements in downstream sediments was also a cause for concern. They called for additional monitoring of fish in the Emory for years to come."

Caught in debris and fly ash the tail of a dead fish emerges.

This is a difficult story to tell, and even harder to find a starting place on this trip. I have met and spoken with all of the individuals again whom I met in January. A few short updates for now.

Rick Cantrell and I re-visited the area where he had spent time with his family and "many hours on the dock fishing". Other than the plastic safety fence, the slough remains filled with fly ash.

Rick Cantrell looks at the dock where he once was able to fish. The slough remains filled with ash.

I visited with Penny Dodson and Evyn Davis her grandson. The last time I had seen them they were at the local Holiday Inn awaiting word from TVA on relocation housing. A rental house was provided, but Penny was notified by letter this week that in July, she had to vacate the house and the rental furniture, including Evyn's crib, would be picked up by the rental company. Originally, she had been promised a year by TVA.

Penny Dodson and her grandson Evyn after hearing their housing agreement with TVA will end in July.

I have been here five days, but it seems like weeks with all the incredible people I have had the opportunity to spend time with. Back on the road again on Sunday. Stay tuned...I will be working on a full story update with many concerned voices.

be strong, be safe,

Carlan

Burn Magazine:

Last summer I had the opportunity to teach a National Geographic Workshop with David Allen Harvey. David is an incredible human being, a wonderful photographer and a special friend. He is publishing on-line photo essays at burnmagazine. This is a great site to read on a regular basis and view the excellent photo essays being created by many passionate photographers. My TVA photo essay is currently showing at burn magazine. I truly believe this is the exciting beginning of the 21st century "Life" magazine. Thanks very much David for creating this exciting publishing venue for photo essays.

be strong, be safe,

Carlan

The online photo magazine Fraction March Issue 6 has a feature on New Mexico photographers this month. It is an honor to be included with the group. Here is a link to the current issue: Fraction.

be strong, be safe, Carlan

For the past five years much of my work has focused around the social cost of producing energy in the USA. I continue to work in the Four Corners area of the Southwest on the Navajo Nation striving to photograph the true "cost" of using coal for the production of electricity. An on going project, Question of Power, shows the human condition as we mine, burn, and dispose of combustion waste using coal in the creation of electricity.

One part of the process which has received little notice is the combustion waste. In the burning of coal for the generating of electricity this is called "fly ash". To date, fly ash is "unclassified" by the EPA and Federal Government. Current legislation may change that this year. If you do a little research you will quickly discover fly ash contains most of the toxic heavy metals which are left after the coal is burned. There are over 300 locations in the USA where this toxic material is simply placed in an outside pile.

On December 22, 2008 shortly before the Holidays, I caught a brief news flash regarding a "spill" of fly ash in Kingston, TN. at the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) coal burning electric generating plant. (My understanding is: the Kingston TVA Plant is the largest coal burning electric generating facility in the USA. The fly ash has been stored in an outside pond next to the river since 1954) With a little digging I found information stating 5.3 million cubic yards of "fly ash" had spilled into the Emory, Clinch, and Tennessee Rivers at Kingston, TN.. I thought it strange how it was down played in the news. Knowing fly ash is a highly toxic material this had the potential of being a major disaster.

A single look at my wife Nancy, she quickly said, "you need to go". I drove to Kingston and spent eight days working there. I interviewed residents and photographed as much as possible. To be honest, TVA made it difficult to actually "photograph" the magnitude of the situation. The residents of the Swan Pond area I had the opportunity to meet openly shared their stories and concerns with me.

Rick Cantrell
Tom Grissard

Matt Landon
Penny Dodson

To see and hear their stories on how their lives changed on December 22, 2008 view Clean Coal TVA Ash Spill. To learn more about the current situation go to United Mountain Defense. I plan to return to Kingston in the next few months and will give you an update.

be strong, be safe, Carlan

Welcome to Portrait U.S.A.

Some individuals feel a photographer has to travel around the world from their home to find and share meaningful photo essays. I have always felt quite the opposite. The history being written today and the current state of the country helps to strengthen my feelings. Incredible photographic work has been done during some of the most difficult times in our country. The 30's FSA photographic work stands as one of the most important photographic documents ever created to date.

So...is this a difficult and trying time...or one of great opportunity? I believe it is a time of great opportunity to document and share "America with Americans". I will be working on doing this on the blog and sharing my observations through my photographs with you. Observations from where I live to places my journeys may carry me. It is my thought to share the current "human condition" of our country with photographs and reports from the field. Please join me. List yourself with this blog and I will work to share a "Portrait USA" as I see it through my camera with you.

be strong, be safe,

Carlan