Feb 12- Feb 24, 2009 UMD updates TVA Coal Ash Disaster

Feb 24, 2009 Tuesday
Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

Bonnie Swinford worked on an article for the Resist Foundation about the TVA Coal Ash Disaster. Resist gave UMD $500 in 2008 to help with general support. Thank you Resist!!!! Bonnie also attended an online training about board development.
Tom Swinford took an environmental impact specialist who was concerned about the impacts to wildlife in Harriman, TN for a tour of the disaster site.

Reader’s Digest sent down a free lance writer to cover TVA’s Coal Ash Disaster. During the interview Matt Landon and the Reader’s Digest reporter were hasselled by the TVA police. Landon had his vehicle pass confiscated by Lieutenant Gregory W. Roberts of the TVA police. Landon was ordered to evacuate the property and was denied access.

No matter how hard they try TVA will not be able to keep UMD out of the disaster site. No matter how hard they try TVA will not keep UMD from working with community members who have been impacted by this coal ash. No matter what TVA does UMD will be there on the scene with video cameras rolling to catch their actions on tape.

Within 1 hour of having his pass taken away Landon drove back through the road block and proceeded to video tape dirty dump trucks and other vehicles leaving the disaster site without being properly washed to remove the coal ash contamination.
Upon setting up the video camera TVA miraculously began washing some vehicles and spraying large jets of water onto each dump truck load of rock being dumped to avoid creating large dust clouds. Landon also called Bob Alexander of TDEC to ask for a description of how the truck washer was working. Landon videotaped Bob Alexander going through the truck washer and exiting the work site with coal ash on his vehicle. Alexander pulled over before proceeding further down the road to chat with Landon. Landon immediately began documenting the coal fly ash on Alexander’s tires and wheel wells. At this point Alexander became very flustered and called Landon a knucklehead and drove away tracking coal fly ash down the road to Nashville. Landon called Paul Sloan of TDEC, Bob’s boss to report the incident. Landon then called the National Response Center to report Alexander’s vehicle and was able to give many details because of video taping the whole event. The report went out to 15 different federal agencies.

Later that evening there was a TCASN meeting. The survivors decided to have another citizen’s press conference on March 5, 2009 just before the TN Department of Health and TDEC gave their presentations about the TVA Coal Ash Disaster at Roane State College. A few more of the members decided that they would like to speak with the media about their health impacts from the coal fly ash.

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense

Feb 23, 2009 Monday
Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

Matt Landon and Bonnie Swinford spent the day making a presentation for 2 middle schools and 2 highschools about the TVA coal ash disaster. This presentation occurred at Laurel Highschool in Knoxville, TN. There was a television news station that showed up and interviewed an administrator of Laurel Highschool and taped Bonnie Swinford giving her portion of the presentation. This was the first time that Swinford and Landon had given a presentation. They projected the Youtube videos on a screen to visually describe what they were describing during the presentation.

Tom Swinford and Chris Irwin took three structural engineers to the disaster site to figure out how to properly clean the coal ash up and remove it from the area. The engineers evaluated how much coal ash was distributed around the area.

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense

Feb 22, 2009 Sunday
Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

United Mountain Defense had a board meeting this evening. We invited some prospective new board members to attend and ate vegan chili and cornbread for dinner. We spoke about the upcoming Mountain Justice Spring Break camp located southwest of Harriman, TN. We spoke about the March in March and the open call for civil disobedience at the TVA towers in Knoxville, TN March 14, 2009 at 1PM.

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense

Feb 21, 2009 Saturday
Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

United Mountain Defense volunteers did computer work today.

We got this email from Penny Dodson concerning her testimony media coverage following the hearing.

Since our testimony at the State Capital last Tuesday, and my "run in" with Mr. Kilgore on Wednesday in which he let me know he "knew who" I was, our lives have become even more stressed.

I am not sure at this point what is the best choice for Evyn and I as far as what our part will be in how to continue to keep this TVA disaster in the media.

I have been approached at the Post Office, the Doctor's office & in the grocery store. Yesterday a car pulled up next to mine, and after a long stare this man yelled something I don't want to repeat here and gave me the "one finger wave". I have been asked if I was coached on what to say... if i was working for a group of attorneys... why am I the only one complaining.....and some other not so nice questions have also been asked. Other things too... and it's only Saturday....

One of my children thinks i'm over-reacting. One wonders why I cry at the most inopportune times... The other one doesn't seem to care at all.

I wish this disaster never happened. I wish I could go back home. I wish my head would quit hurting, i could stop crying, and our health was perfect.

Evyn is sick again. Up most of the night and started running a high temp today. I can't shake the bronchitis, and maybe i'm just overwhelmed and sleep deprived.

My phone ran out of time yesterday... I did put more minutes on it, but haven't brought myself to turn it on. I most likely will be turning off the computer too, hoping that maybe tomorrow things will be better.


Penny & Evyn
Tennesse Coal Ash Survivors Network

We live in the reminders of the disaster...
In the shadows of the stacks...
In the grayness of our surroundings...
In the filth of Coal Ash...

But we are SURVIVORS!

Just for the record United Mountain Defense does not coach people in what to say. We merely provide a media messaging training that helps them turn their concerns and messages into media soundbites.

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense


Feb 20, 2009 Friday
Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

Chris Irwin, staff attorney for United Mountain Defense went in a helicopter to capture aerial photos and video of TVA’s Coal Ash Disaster.

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense

Feb 19, 2009 Thursday

Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

Today Matt Landon of United Defense traveled around the disaster site with Robert C. Tanner the Majority Senior Investigator for Senate Committee On Environment & Public Works. Tanner is working with U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer. On the previous day Tanner went on a site tour with TVA. As we drove around the perimeter of the disaster site he was amazed to see UMD’s description of how TVA has inadequately responded to the disaster. He witnessed the non operational truck washing station. It was kind of interesting that there was absolutely no activity going occurring on the disaster site for those two days. I guess TVA didn’t want to stir up any dust!!!

Here is a request from a local resident who gathered stories to report Tanner.

Hi all,
This morning, I met with Bob Tanner and the meeting went very well. He was very impressed with all the emails submitted telling him of Your story. I encourage each of you to tell you friends and neighbors to submit "Their Story, Post 12/22/08 TVA Ash Disaster" to me for transmittal to Bob as the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works IS LISTENING! Remember, if we do not hear your voice, your independent voice, our mission will be lost.

Your voice will not be altered, your subject of your story will not be edited, the words will be your words relayed directly to Senator Barbara Boxer's chief Majority Senior Investigator. This is the Staffer WE NEED TO REMAIN IN COMMUNICATION, please submit your story as quickly as possible. Washington, DC is working for us!

UMD volunteer, Tom Swinford drove around with a damn engineer today to inspect the disaster from all of the available vantage points.

Here are also some more interesting links.

Did you see the Center for Public Integrity's Press Release today and their new coal ash investigation portion of their site?

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/02/19-6

http://www.publicintegrity.org/articles/entry/1144

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense

Feb 18, 2009 Wednesday
Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

UMD volunteer coordinator Bonnie Swinford helped restore the Ten Mile Volunteer house to the clean state that it was before our stay. There was another round of hearings in Nashville of the TN Joint House/ Senate Environment Committee. TVA and TDEC testified at this hearing. Penny Dodson and Diana Anderson were interviewed by the media again today as they sat front and center in the audience of the hearing.
Here is a report back from Diana Anderson of TCASN

See the following event recorded here. http://tnga.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=14&clip_id=289

I am very proud of Penny with her grandson Evyn at the Env. Subcommittee Hearing in Nashville. She was genuinely tearful, and we needed that, because that is what makes big news. Little Evyn was adorable on the tapes that were taken. He made a huge impact on the Legislative Committee and the TV crews. I was so glad We handed out booklets that contained: pictures of dust storm, dirt falling from trucks, sea gulls eating dead fish that float to the top of the lake, uncovered trucks with rock in them. Also included in the booklets were: your stores, TVA MSDS sheets for coal fly ash, 7 results of heavy metal testing to 7 people from our area, and ways to cover the fly ash. There are 7 people whom I have helped to read the heavy metal test results, and they all, including myself, which makes 8 who have Porphyrin Skin Disease along with toxic heavy metals over the limits. This makes me mad. I bet that many more of you have the same disease.

We asked the committee to have TVA set up heavy metal testing for those impacted all around the Kingston area. We asked for TVA to set up a clinic for chelation therapy for those who have heavy metals in their body. We asked for it to be free to the people. We asked for the fly ash to be regulated and recertified as a hazardous waste. We asked for the fly ash to be covered with a heavy tarp-like material. Dennis Ferguson, said that he is going to dive in and try to take care of the list of people we gave him to get them removed from the area. He said this in front of all the other Legislative Committee Members.

My daughter, Angie Giblin, who lives in Nashville, just pulled up an article that TVA says that their health clinic cannot see anyone who has gotten a lawyer. They say that comes under another protocol. Well then our lawyers needs to contact TVA about the health tests and how to immediately take care of it. This is something that needs immediate attention. The longer these toxic heavy metals are in our bodies, the more unreversable damage in being caused. I will be forwarding this email to my lawyer. I need chelation myself ASAP. My daughter and grandson, who live with me, need the heavy metal testing. Thanks to United Mountain Defense, some of us got this testing done. Without them we would have gotten no where. Many Many Many THANKS to them.

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense


Feb 17, 2009 Tuesday

Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

The United Mountain Defense and TN Coal Ash Survivor Network volunteers loaded up in their cars and traveled to Nashville, TN to speak before the TN House Environment Committee. Traffic was crazy and we thought that we would not make it but we did. Thank you to Mary Maston for asking the legislators to have this hearing. Matt Landon of UMD, Penny Dodson of TCASN, and Diana Anderson of TCASN. Penny Dodson spoke about the impacts to herself and her grandson Evyn. Both Penny and Evyn were evacuated by TVA. Diana Anderson spoke about the results of the heavy metal screening that herself and 49 other local residents took part in Jan 2009. Through speaking with other residents Diana found out that 13 of the 50 people had a rare disease called porphyrin. This disease can be directly related to heavy metal exposure.

After the hearing there were a few media outlets that spoke with Penny Dodson about her testimony. Also after the hearing we were invited to speak with Represenative Dennis Ferguson about the health impacts of local residents. At this point we delivered a list of 8 families that either had doctor’s evacuation notices or were having major health impacts directly related to coal fly ash. Ferguson promised to take action to get these people out of the area. As of Feb 25, 2009 no one off the list has been contacted by Ferguson.

Penny Dodson and Matt Landon drove back to Harriman for the weekly meeting of the TN Coal Ash Survivors Network at 6PM. This goal was very productive as the group adopted the goals and tactics generated at a previous meeting. TCASN began working on putting together its first fundraiser. They chose to do a chili/ hotdog/ cornbread dinner.

The following is a report back from Penny Dodson about her testimony in Nashville.
VIDEO From Speaker Kent Williams and the Tennessee House of Representatives

This is the video of the testimony yesterday in Nashville! Mary from Sierra Club, Matt Landon from UMD, Me (haha) and Diana were given the opportunity to testify. We had a GREAT response. The actual testimony starts around the 12 Minute mark

http://tnga.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=14&clip_id=289

This is the entire testimony... please forgive my crying on the video.

please share this link with others.

Here are links to news stories on the hearing:

http://www.newschannel5.com/global/story.asp?s=9860849

http://www.wsmv.com/news/18732399/detail.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29240157/
http://www.wsmv.com/news/18732399/detail.html
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/feb/18/lawmakers-hear-complaints/
http://www.newschannel5.com
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=76651.com/global/story.asp?s=9860849

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense

Feb 16, 2009 Monday
Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

UMD volunteer Matt Landon video taped the non operating truck washer today at the TVA disaster site. UMD provided a media messaging training to local residents who were planning on attending the TN House Environment Committee Hearing in Nashville, TN. The main idea behind these training is to help the residents turn their message into soundbites. UMD organized a meeting that helped the residents coordinate what each person would say so that they would not be repeating each other.

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense

Feb 15, 2009 Sunday
Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

UMD volunteer Tom Swinford has taken the reins on duplicating the more than 100 hours of footage UMD has taken of the TVA Coal Ash Disaster. UMD now has a machine that will make 3 copies of each DVD in about 8 minutes.

Chris Irwin and many other volunteers helped create this massive list of questions to be asked to regulatory agencies.



1. Does the Out Reach Center only use an answering machine
and do they return the calls?

2. Does Kingston Coal Plant plan to cover the Ash with a
tarp type cover until removed? (nothing grows on ash, it
dries out too fast.)

3. Does TVA plan to set up a free Chelation Therapy Center
for heavy metal laden victims in this area?

4. Does TVA even care about the people's health in the
area and their workers?

5. Where does the fly ash blowing in the wind go?

6. Prove that the ash is not toxic.

7. Are people carrying fly ash dust into their homes on their shoes, clothes, and bodies?

8. Are the MSDS Sheets provided by TVA current? They
are dated June 2001. If the type of coal processed, or the
process itself changed since then then these MSDS Sheets are
inaccurate.

9. What was done by TVA once it was noted in the data
logs "Dredge Cell Seep Area" that there were
visable areas of seeps being reported?

10. Since our community is considered a "non-attainmnet area" by EPA as related to the
Air Quality, how will this effect how air quality testing is done since the disaster?

11. What standards are in place for Air Monitoring of Particulate Matter 2.5? (Fly ash is considered a Particulate Matter when airborne. Particulate matter is considered pollution by EPA and is heavily regulated).

12. Does the current Air Quality Monitoring provide for 24 hour, continuous monitoring of Particulate Matter 2.5?

13. Are our Children safe from the toxins in the air & water? Our future children?

14. If there is "no danger" from the fly ash regarding heavy metals, then why are heavy metal testing results showing problems (high elevations) with lead, mercury, arsenic as well as other metals ?

15. Why was Harriman Utility put on "stand by" or "on-call" the day BEFORE the disaster but the residents not notified of any potential problems?

16. When will the report be available related to the inspection that was done on the site in October 2008? Why was this inspection done?

17. When will TVA provide mental health counseling for this disaster?

18. Is TVA going to allow FEMA to assist? FEMA can't assist unless advised/invited by TVA. (it's a federal agency thing)

19. Will TVA set up a clinic (un-biased) for residents who's health has been impacted by this disaster? (the Department of Health has only completed questionaires and not offered actual health services) Or will TVA provide assistance (vouchers, etc) so that individuals can be seen by practitioners of their own choice ?

20. When did TVA first know of the spill.

21. Did TVA have any advance knowledge there was a problem.

22. Are TVA workers wearing respirators

23. What disaster experience management experience does TVA have?

24. Is the sampling for heavy metals of the local wells and spring in Swan Pond been
ongoing? What are the results.

25. Did TVA notify the Red Cross when the spill happened?

26. Did TVA notify the railroad before the spill happened?

27. Did TVA give the Widows Creek dam an inspection and “clean bill of health” before it blew out?

28. How many high volume air monitoring stations is TVA setting up in Swan Pond.

29. Has TVA evacuated everyone that has requested evacuation?

30. How long is TVA’s response time to evacuation request?

31. Has TVA tested the residents for heavy metal exposure?

32. Is the rye grass TVA planted for dust control growing?

33. How do they do dust suppression with water when its 13 degrees?

34. What is your exact timeline for full removal of all the ash in the Emory River ?

35. Is TVA harassing volunteers from NGO’s gathering samples?

36. Are TVA workers who handle ash in the Kingston Coal Fired Plant required to wear respirators?

37. Are the TVA workers who handle ash in the Kingston Coal Fired Plant required to wear eye protection?

38. Are you requiring your workers handling the ash outside of the plant to wear eye protection and respirators?

39. Did you tell people to “boil their water” the first few days of the disaster?

40. How many gallons of water did TVA distribute the first 4 days of the disaster?

41. How many trauma councilors did TVA make available to the victims of the disaster afterward?

42. Is TVA negotiating land settlements with impacted residents without the benefit of council?

43. Is TVA having the residents they reach settlement with sign non-disclosure forms?

44. What medical testing program does TVA have in place to assure that residents and workers do not become contaminated with heavy metals from the dust?


45. Please provide a map of the exact locations of air monitors relative to the community surrounding the disaster site and the specifications indicating what emissions those monitors are analyzing as well as the frequency with which they are monitoring for those emissions. Are there any specific thresholds of particulate pollution under TDEC's air sampling plan, other than presumably the violation of National Ambient Air Quality Standards, that will be the basis for installing additional air monitors?

46. Please explain why none of the seven river sampling locations on TDEC's sampling plans or eleven TVA river sampling points have been located close to the embayments that were inundated with ash or immediately off the side of the Emory River closest to the collapsed embankment. If there are sampling points in these areas, please provide the data collected from these sampling points.

47. TDEC's web site and sampling plans have explained that effected river sediment samples were collected immediately after the disaster, and fish tissue samples have been collected from the effected rivers by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency in the week of January 5. What are the results of analyses done on the sediments and fish tissues and where are the locations from which these samples were taken? Also, according to TDEC's updated water sampling plan, TWRA will collect its next fish tissue samples in October. Why is the TWRA apparently only planning to collect fish tissue samples on a twice a year basis as a result of this disaster? Is there other aquatic life sampling underway and if so what are the results?

48. Please explain if there are only four downstream sampling locations to monitor the effects of TVA's Phase 1 Dredge, and if so why. Please explain whether the sampling at these locations will take place at only single depths and points in the river or at multiple depths and points from bank to bank. Please provide the rationale for this extent of monitoring.

49. Please explain why Total Dissolved Solids and boron, a well known indicator parameter for coal ash leachate, are not being sampled for at the public water supply intakes at Kingston and Rockwood or in river water under TDEC's sampling plan. Please explain why highly soluble ash indicator parameters such as calcium, magnesium and potassium are not being sampled for in river water under TDEC's sampling plan. Why is TDEC not sampling for molybdenum or strontium, two other more soluble trace elements in many ash leachates, in its river water sampling? UMD samples contained high concentrations of boron, strontium, molybdenum, calcium, magnesium and potassium in samples inside and close to the disaster area.

50. Does TDEC have any plans to sample for radionuclides or radioactivity in river samples or well samples? Explain why not, given the Duke data.

51. What are the analytes that TDEC is analyzing well water for? Please indicate if all residential wells that have been sealed off on the Swan Pond peninsula across from the collapsed embankment, have been sampled. Pursuant to TDEC's well sampling plans, please indicate if TDEC has selected the locations of wells for which TDEC plans to conduct repeat sampling. Indicate whether and how the public might review any of those sampling results, even if the locations are kept nonpublic. Please indicate if TDEC plans to drill any monitoring wells.

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense

Feb 12, 2009 Thursday
Dear folks,

(please repost to all news sources)

Check out www.unitedmountaindefense.org
Check out http://dirtycoaltva.blogspot.com
Check out www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com
Check out http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Check out http://www.roaneviews.com/
Check out Swan Pond Resident: http://lifeonswanpond.livejournal.com/
United Mountain Defense Internship List
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_8hnc3hmcv&hl=en
United Mountain Defense Volunteer House Application
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddtgk4hx_6cg5tvmdx&hl=

Before TVA’s Coal Ash Disaster United Mountain Defense was cutting its teeth on companies that are surface mining for coal. In an effort to keep up the pressure on these companies James Kane went on a mine site visit with the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) to Kopper Glo Fuel’s refuse area #2 in Claiborne county in East TN. During the site visit James took UMD’s new YSI digital water monitor and found conductivity results varying from extremely high to just below the permit limits. He also found one holding pond at the toe of the coal fines refuse area with a pH of 3 which is very acidic. The OSM employees were so impressed with the digital water monitor that they posed for pictures with the monitor and stated that the monitor was nicer than the ones OSM used. Thanks for the monitor NRDC!!!

As part of the regulatory process UMD requested an informal conference on the permit revision which will occur on Feb 26, 2009. UMD will present their water quality data to OSM at this time with recommendations about how to protect the waters of the state.

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and real time web cams.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

If you can make a donation of money or other resources please send a check to United Mountain Defense P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or use our PayPal account at www.unitedmountaindefense.org


Till then ,matt landon full time volunteer staff person for United Mountain Defense