Environmental Lawsuit Filed over TVA Coal Ash Spill

An environmental lawsuit has been filed on behalf of over 100 residents in the areas surrounding the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) coal ash spill that occurred on December 22, 2008, in Roane County, Tennessee.

The lawsuit was filed on February 19, 2009, exactly 60 days after a breached dam on a waste-storage pond at the TVA maintained Kingston Fossil Coal power plant caused 1.1 billion gallons of toxic coal fly ash sludge to spill onto the surrounding land near Knoxville in East Tennessee.

Over 300 acres of surrounding land were impacted when the TVA coal ash spill released the toxic sludge into the Tennessee, Emory and Clinch rivers.

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Coal ash waste contains radioactive materials and toxic heavy metals like lead, arsenic and thallium, which can be very harmful to human health. Thallium and lead poisoning can cause birth defects, reproductive and nervous system damage, as well as other health problems.

The TVA coal ash lawsuit seeks compensation for the plaintiffs, who allege that they have suffered property damage, devalued home values, an increased risk of cancer, mental anguish, emotional suffering and other personal injuries.

The plaintiffs also seeks to require TVA to monitor and test contaminated areas, take steps to remove the contamination and seeks an injunction barring TVA from causing more pollution. 

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1 Comments

  • SherryJune 8, 2009 at 5:16 pm

    My husband was recently diagnosed with mouth, head, & neck cancer. He was employed with Ready Mix USA as a concrete mixer truck driver for 11 years. He was exposed to fly ash on a daily basis and the dust of fly ash. We believe his Cancer was caused by breathing the dust from fly ash and his Doctor agrees. So, please be very careful if you or any of your loved ones live near this awful, toxic [Show More]My husband was recently diagnosed with mouth, head, & neck cancer. He was employed with Ready Mix USA as a concrete mixer truck driver for 11 years. He was exposed to fly ash on a daily basis and the dust of fly ash. We believe his Cancer was caused by breathing the dust from fly ash and his Doctor agrees. So, please be very careful if you or any of your loved ones live near this awful, toxic spill. They wiill keep telling you it's not harmful, but I beg to differ with "them".

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