Here’s the article-------http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/24/tva-may-shutter-aging-coal-fired-plants/?local
August 20,2009 TVA board meeting link http://www.tva.gov/abouttva/board/index.htm#820
Today it was reported that at TVA's board meeting on August 20, 2009 that TVA will most likely be closing down at least two coal burning power plants including Rogersville, TN and Widow's Creek, Alabama. This is such good news and a victory for United Mountain Defense, Mountain Justice, and Three Rivers Earth First! that have all been shining light on TVA's dirty little secrets, their coal burning power plant fleet. As I type this TVA has been buying up property around Widow's Creek to provide a safety buffer around the coal ash piles and gypsum ponds. They are also supposedly digging giant holes around the Rogersville Power Plant for some unknown reason. These closure actions are unprecedented in the history of the struggle against coal burning power plants and specifically against TVA. TVA has caved to public pressure and is closing down their old coal burners. As the largest purchaser of coal in the country TVA is a trend setter and we will continue to push for the conversion of ALL of TVA's dirty power plants to clean safe renewable energy. For now let us celebrate but also keep up the pressure as our protests are obviously working.....
Within our grassroots struggle for justice, clear and measurable victories are not always apparent and plentiful. As keepers of the long term agenda and volunteers of the earth, our labor is continuous but often overlooked. Not today. Never in the history of this struggle has a coal- fired power plant been stopped, not in the permit process, but in the peak of its life span.
From the number one purchaser of coal in North America, this means thousands of tons of coal that would have been ripped from the mountains of central Appalachia will not be. This means billions of dollars that would have been wired into the pockets of Coal Executives will not be. This means millions of gallons of coal ash and slurry that would have been generated over the next decades will not be.
This means the long standing campaign against the Tennessee Valley Authority by United Mountain Defense, Three Rivers Earth First!, and Mountain Justice has been not only valuable, but priceless. The hours spent in public hearing, submitting complaints, spreading awareness, writing press releases, making signs, planning actions, chanting, singing, crying, demanding, and pleading, were not in vain. They were in victory!!
Showing posts with label United Mountain Defense. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United Mountain Defense. Show all posts
Monday, August 24, 2009
UMD, Mountain Justice, and Three Rivers Earth First! organize the Mobilization for Clean Air July 26, 2009
TVA has been polluting the air of more than 7 states across the Southeast with filthy coal for more than 50 years now and it is time to stop them! Residents from across East Tennessee and Appalachia converged on Knoxville, TN to show their support for clean air and to tell TVA to stop burning coal. We had speakers from Knoxville, Roane County, and Eagan, TN. There were musical performances, poets, street theater, larger than life puppets, and a drum corp called Cakalak Thunder that all added to the energy of the event. The rally was followed by a lively march around the TVA towers and through downtown Knoxville. TVA is the largest public utility purchasing coal in North America and they should use this leadership role to move toward renewable energy generation and phase out old coal burning powerplants. We made a video about the Sunday action and here it is-----www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekoWkRx9K8M
Sunday, April 5, 2009
TVA Coal Ash Disaster Truck Tracking with Bob Alexander of TDEC and Gil Francis of TVA
Dear folks,
Here is another video of the TN state regulators, TDEC doing a less than fine job of keeping TN's environment safe from coal fly ash.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_3XCH1mWzg
Thanks, matt landon full time volunteer staff United Mountain Defense and dedicated Roane County Volunteer
Here is another video of the TN state regulators, TDEC doing a less than fine job of keeping TN's environment safe from coal fly ash.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_3XCH1mWzg
Thanks, matt landon full time volunteer staff United Mountain Defense and dedicated Roane County Volunteer
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Feb 3, 2009 TVA Coal Ash Dust Storm Video
This is the only footage in the world of TVA's Coal Ash Dust Storm.
It made international media yet people in east TN didn't know it had happened.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyX5rEb4vqg
It made international media yet people in east TN didn't know it had happened.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyX5rEb4vqg
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
TVA police delay start of independent air monitoring program
March 3, 2009 4 PM
Dear folks and TVA employees,
TVA Office of Inspector General consider this as an official complaint and file it as such.
The Tennessee Valley Authority Police detained Matt Landon and Tom Swinford of United Mountain Defense after the two UMD volunteers deployed the first air quality monitor on private property around TVA's coal ash disaster in Harriman, TN. United Mountain Defense was on site with the residents at this time. Swinford and Landon legally mounted the air monitor on a power pole located on private property. Tom Swinford is an electrical journeyman and supervised the work today to make sure everyone was safe while working near the electrical wires.
After being detained for nearly 2 hours the Police ordered the United Mountain Defense volunteers to remove the monitor delaying the start of the air monitoring program. Landon video taped the whole event until an officer confiscated his camera. At this point the police began searching Landon's pockets and person for weapons without reasonable or easily articulated cause.
After the first camera was confiscated Swinford turned on his video camera and kept the film rolling. At various times the TVA officers pulled Swinford to the side and stated that he would not be allowed into the area again. TVA seems to forget that all the roads that UMD travels on are public or private roads not owned by TVA. TVA forgets that UMD volunteers have relatives in the Swan Pond Community and have an open invitation to visit residents or their property near the disaster site at any time day or night and UMD WILL visit these people whenever we want to.
One TVA officer told Swinford that he was so embarrassed because he couldn't actually arrest Swinford for being on private property with permission of the land owner.
Unfortunately these officers are only following orders from Tom Kilgore and we hold him personally responsible for the delay of the community's independent air monitoring program. Today's actions show that TVA will use any means to keep independent sampling from occurring including violating private property owner’s rights and threatening volunteers with unjust arrest, search, and seizure. TVA is so invested in keeping the truth about the air quality from reaching the public that they would violate civil rights in order to keep the data a secret. TVA may have delayed the program for one day but they DID NOT stop it. United Mountain Defense will continue to travel anywhere that we want to and will gather lots of air samples with or without TVA's permission. Keep your eyes open for fresh YouTube videos as we crank up UMD's web presence.
In order for TVA to stop generating so much negative publicity by hassling United Mountain Defense volunteers we request that the TVA leadership make some decisions that will permeate the whole TVA organization informing all employees to begin completely cooperating with UMD volunteers. There isn't much that can help TVA's public image at this point but this small step would help TVA greatly because UMD will get ANY footage, samples, data, access, or anything else that we need or want in dealing with this disaster and it is in TVA's best interest to allow this access and monitoring to occur un inhibited.
Seriously, matt landon United Mountain Defense Volunteer Staff
Dear folks and TVA employees,
TVA Office of Inspector General consider this as an official complaint and file it as such.
The Tennessee Valley Authority Police detained Matt Landon and Tom Swinford of United Mountain Defense after the two UMD volunteers deployed the first air quality monitor on private property around TVA's coal ash disaster in Harriman, TN. United Mountain Defense was on site with the residents at this time. Swinford and Landon legally mounted the air monitor on a power pole located on private property. Tom Swinford is an electrical journeyman and supervised the work today to make sure everyone was safe while working near the electrical wires.
After being detained for nearly 2 hours the Police ordered the United Mountain Defense volunteers to remove the monitor delaying the start of the air monitoring program. Landon video taped the whole event until an officer confiscated his camera. At this point the police began searching Landon's pockets and person for weapons without reasonable or easily articulated cause.
After the first camera was confiscated Swinford turned on his video camera and kept the film rolling. At various times the TVA officers pulled Swinford to the side and stated that he would not be allowed into the area again. TVA seems to forget that all the roads that UMD travels on are public or private roads not owned by TVA. TVA forgets that UMD volunteers have relatives in the Swan Pond Community and have an open invitation to visit residents or their property near the disaster site at any time day or night and UMD WILL visit these people whenever we want to.
One TVA officer told Swinford that he was so embarrassed because he couldn't actually arrest Swinford for being on private property with permission of the land owner.
Unfortunately these officers are only following orders from Tom Kilgore and we hold him personally responsible for the delay of the community's independent air monitoring program. Today's actions show that TVA will use any means to keep independent sampling from occurring including violating private property owner’s rights and threatening volunteers with unjust arrest, search, and seizure. TVA is so invested in keeping the truth about the air quality from reaching the public that they would violate civil rights in order to keep the data a secret. TVA may have delayed the program for one day but they DID NOT stop it. United Mountain Defense will continue to travel anywhere that we want to and will gather lots of air samples with or without TVA's permission. Keep your eyes open for fresh YouTube videos as we crank up UMD's web presence.
In order for TVA to stop generating so much negative publicity by hassling United Mountain Defense volunteers we request that the TVA leadership make some decisions that will permeate the whole TVA organization informing all employees to begin completely cooperating with UMD volunteers. There isn't much that can help TVA's public image at this point but this small step would help TVA greatly because UMD will get ANY footage, samples, data, access, or anything else that we need or want in dealing with this disaster and it is in TVA's best interest to allow this access and monitoring to occur un inhibited.
Seriously, matt landon United Mountain Defense Volunteer Staff
Friday, February 27, 2009
A good Slide Show Documentary
see this story by Carlan Tapp....
http://www.carlantapp.com/tva1/index.html
http://www.carlantapp.com/tva1/index.html
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
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
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
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Eva J. Hewitt's Story (Swan Pond Resident)
By Eva J. Hewitt
This is a true story that concerns us.
On December 22, 2008 at 1am while people were sleeping the TVA retaining wall for coal ash broke. On December 22, 2008 our friend came by and told us about it. She saw it on the news . On Monday evening TVA came by and took us to a motel. We have no water and could not use the bathroom nor do dishes. We stayed one night at the Quality Inn in Harriman. They came and got us and our little dogs.
TVA brought us back home as they had water coming to our place. . They told us to boil the water. Before we boiled any I gave our little dogs a drink of water from the faucet. This was on Tuesday December 23, 2008. All three dogs got sick and threw up all the day. They could not even eat. It scared me.
United Mountain Defense brought us some spring water. My mouth was sore and I could not eat much. I went to the hospital over my mouth. At first they said it was a chemical burn. But when they wrote on my chart they wrote fungus or virus. The medicine they gave me was a mouth wash followed by a medicine that numbed my whole mouth. My granddaughter, Jessica’s hands break out in a rash every time she showers. I only use the water from the faucet to bath in, do dishes and was our clothes. When I wash clothes they come out rough as sandpaper.
My breathing had gotten bad since the ash slide. The road in front of where we live had ash on it from dump trucks going by every 5 to 6 minutes. We have to stand up there by the road and wait for the school bus, Monday through Friday. We were told those trucks are washed before going into the city. Ha that is a fib. For we have to walk to the store and into town. We see the trucks going and coming. They have a check point down the road from us when coming in Swan Pond Road. Also down by the railroad at the other side of us. If you don’t live up here or know the address where you’re going, you don’t come up Swan Pond Road. If you have trash and they see it at the check point, you are allowed to come and throw your trash away. But they time you. As I said we walk to the store. When we do I can’t hardly breath. Before the ash spill I could walk 5 miles without a breathing problem. They put an air monitor in our yard. To me that shows the air is dangerous.
We have been to the hospital 4 times sense the slide. I have breathing problems, Jessica with a rash. The slide destroyed this once nice place. We had a little deer that played in the field beside the house. There were rabbits and other small animals also around here.
But we have not seen those animals since. Also there were birds that flew over the trailer park, but since the slide we don’t see them. The lakes that were nice fishing places are no longer.
We used to walk by the lake and would see birds on the water and turtles. But that’s gone. A lot of people are leaving the area due to the air and water and the coal ash. Some of us have breathing problems and have to leave. This is very upsetting having to leave when you are settled in. Some own their houses others rent. It hurts everyone concerned. The slide could have been prevented if they would have checked the retaining wall like they should. They knew it was dangerous.
It is now January 2009. They are cleaning up the mess.
There is nothing to see except mud and ash. Where there once was a beautiful scene. Big trucks and machinery go up and down the road. A water truck waters the road about every 45 minute. That says it isn’t safe here. It is awful.
The other end of Swan Pond Circle has roads that are no longer, houses that got destroyed. Boats look like a child has gone mad and tore them up. Boat docks are no longer. Even the river was affected. Fish are floating on the water covered in ash. Yeah they put out water into home hoses from there. Is it safe? NO!
TVA sent our papers saying the water is safe. How can that be when there are dead fish floating on the water’s surface. They (TVA) are not telling us the truth. Holding the true goals from us. We were tested for arsenic and heavy metals in our system. The water company sent out a statement to the people saying the water is being tested for arsenic and heavy metals. So, you know, they know the water is not right. This place will never be the same. Even the land will never be the same. The ash that has been washed into the soil will not let anything grow on it. The land will never be the same again. If it is safe again, when? Who knows? It may never be the same like it was in 2008 when they were deer, rabbit, and birds of all kind flying around, plus small animals. No. This ash slide has destroyed a quiet neighborhood and upset a lot of lives.
This is a true story that concerns us.
On December 22, 2008 at 1am while people were sleeping the TVA retaining wall for coal ash broke. On December 22, 2008 our friend came by and told us about it. She saw it on the news . On Monday evening TVA came by and took us to a motel. We have no water and could not use the bathroom nor do dishes. We stayed one night at the Quality Inn in Harriman. They came and got us and our little dogs.
TVA brought us back home as they had water coming to our place. . They told us to boil the water. Before we boiled any I gave our little dogs a drink of water from the faucet. This was on Tuesday December 23, 2008. All three dogs got sick and threw up all the day. They could not even eat. It scared me.
United Mountain Defense brought us some spring water. My mouth was sore and I could not eat much. I went to the hospital over my mouth. At first they said it was a chemical burn. But when they wrote on my chart they wrote fungus or virus. The medicine they gave me was a mouth wash followed by a medicine that numbed my whole mouth. My granddaughter, Jessica’s hands break out in a rash every time she showers. I only use the water from the faucet to bath in, do dishes and was our clothes. When I wash clothes they come out rough as sandpaper.
My breathing had gotten bad since the ash slide. The road in front of where we live had ash on it from dump trucks going by every 5 to 6 minutes. We have to stand up there by the road and wait for the school bus, Monday through Friday. We were told those trucks are washed before going into the city. Ha that is a fib. For we have to walk to the store and into town. We see the trucks going and coming. They have a check point down the road from us when coming in Swan Pond Road. Also down by the railroad at the other side of us. If you don’t live up here or know the address where you’re going, you don’t come up Swan Pond Road. If you have trash and they see it at the check point, you are allowed to come and throw your trash away. But they time you. As I said we walk to the store. When we do I can’t hardly breath. Before the ash spill I could walk 5 miles without a breathing problem. They put an air monitor in our yard. To me that shows the air is dangerous.
We have been to the hospital 4 times sense the slide. I have breathing problems, Jessica with a rash. The slide destroyed this once nice place. We had a little deer that played in the field beside the house. There were rabbits and other small animals also around here.
But we have not seen those animals since. Also there were birds that flew over the trailer park, but since the slide we don’t see them. The lakes that were nice fishing places are no longer.
We used to walk by the lake and would see birds on the water and turtles. But that’s gone. A lot of people are leaving the area due to the air and water and the coal ash. Some of us have breathing problems and have to leave. This is very upsetting having to leave when you are settled in. Some own their houses others rent. It hurts everyone concerned. The slide could have been prevented if they would have checked the retaining wall like they should. They knew it was dangerous.
It is now January 2009. They are cleaning up the mess.
There is nothing to see except mud and ash. Where there once was a beautiful scene. Big trucks and machinery go up and down the road. A water truck waters the road about every 45 minute. That says it isn’t safe here. It is awful.
The other end of Swan Pond Circle has roads that are no longer, houses that got destroyed. Boats look like a child has gone mad and tore them up. Boat docks are no longer. Even the river was affected. Fish are floating on the water covered in ash. Yeah they put out water into home hoses from there. Is it safe? NO!
TVA sent our papers saying the water is safe. How can that be when there are dead fish floating on the water’s surface. They (TVA) are not telling us the truth. Holding the true goals from us. We were tested for arsenic and heavy metals in our system. The water company sent out a statement to the people saying the water is being tested for arsenic and heavy metals. So, you know, they know the water is not right. This place will never be the same. Even the land will never be the same. The ash that has been washed into the soil will not let anything grow on it. The land will never be the same again. If it is safe again, when? Who knows? It may never be the same like it was in 2008 when they were deer, rabbit, and birds of all kind flying around, plus small animals. No. This ash slide has destroyed a quiet neighborhood and upset a lot of lives.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Feb 3- Feb 10, 2009 UMD Updates about TVA Coal Ash Disaster
Feb 10, 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=en
Tonight there was a meeting of the TN Coal Ash Survivors Network(TCASN). Volunteers from United Mountain Defense traveled to Harriman, TN to help facilitate this organizational meeting. One of the goals of the evening meeting was to choose an organizational structure. The group chose to continue using the consensus based decision making process. Next TCASN decided on goals for the group. They came up with a list of 5 goals and decided on one goal to add to the website immediately with the others to be discussed over the next week and decided on at the next organizational meeting. The one goal they decided on was to “Support and help evacuate families with health impacts directly related to TVA’s Coal Ash Disaster”. The group then decided on some various tactics they would use. They then decided to work on their first fundraiser. TCASN has been very successful to date in making group decisions and using the consensus process. The next meeting is set for next Tuesday at Penny Dodson’s house.
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 9, 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=en
For the past week United Mountain Defense volunteer Tom Swinford has been making copies of the video documentation of the TVA coal ash disaster. Thank you Tom!!
UMD board member and volunteer coordinator, Bonnie Swinford worked on balancing UMD’s budget by going through the stack of receipts to figure out what the state of the organization’s financial situation. It appears to still be in the black.
Matt Landon, UMD volunteer staff person continued to work on the catalogue of disaster videos.
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 8, 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=en
United Mountain Defense volunteers were tasked with getting more medical release forms from residents who got free heavy metal exposure screenings. Their medical results are being analyzed and will be released as an anonymous pool of data. UMD volunteers got two more residents to sign release forms.
UMD volunteers also video taped the changes to the disaster site. It was a mostly quiet day with only a few machines working at the disaster site.
One of the most shocking bits on knowledge UMD volunteers learned today was that workers on site have been having uncontrollable and repeated nose bleeds since beginning to work at TVA’s coal ash disaster site.
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 7, 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=en
United Mountain Defense volunteers started working on compiling a comprehensive list of all of the video tapes they have recorded to date. UMD volunteer Tom Swinford has volunteered to start the task of converting the Mini DV tapes into DVD’s and has begun reproducing the DVD’s for distribution.
United Mountain Defense has the most comprehensive video documentation of TVA’s response to the Coal Ash Disaster of Dec 22, 2008. United Mountain Defense has more than 60 hours of footage including two aerial videos and hours of local interviews.
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 6, 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=en
Today was a very busy day. United Mountain Defense volunteers traveled to Lad Landing at the convergence of the Emory and the Clinch Rivers where they met with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency and the Al Jazeera International Television News Network. The Emory River was so cold this morning that Bobby Brown of TWRA was steering the boat through a 1 inch layer of ice. Landon got another chance to use the YSI digital water monitor purchased with funds from the Natural Resource Defense Council. Thank you NRDC!!
As Bobby Brown steered the boat back to Lad Landing the United Mountain Defense volunteers met up with the graduate students from Duke University for a second round of water sampling. UMD volunteers also met up with Matt Powell of WOUT Radio based at the University of TN in Knoxville. WOUT wanted to do a radio interview about the health impacts and the Massive Coal Ash Dust Storm that occurred on Tuesday.
The volunteers traveled down Emory River Rd and helped the Duke University graduate students reach their next sampling location. The next stop was Diana Anderson’s house, the location of the first air monitoring sample tray. While Diana was helping to prepare the sampling trays she was also giving a radio interview with WOUT.
The next step was deploying the cleaned air monitoring tray outside on her property. While Diana was outside deploying the sampling tray and talking with WOUT, a TVA representative drove up and hand delivered a letter outlining a flood warning to all residents living 10 miles upstream along the river.
It seems that TVA coal ash has created a plug in the original river channel of the Emory River. If there are any heavy rains that fall in the water shed there may be flooding of the area. The representative stated that TVA will provide the flood insurance to any resident who doesn’t have flood insurance and gets impacted by flooding during TVA’s coal ash disaster and the dredging project.
The rest of the day was spent helping the Duke University graduate students find their way back to previously tested locations. We got to hand deliver water quality data to one local resident with a drinking spring located on his property. He stated that all of the tests including EPA’s, TDEC’s, and finally Duke Universities’ data shows that the water is safe. Of course this quality assurance is only as good as the testing. These results are only for one spring/ ground water source in the area. The Emory River water continues to have very high levels of arsenic and other toxic heavy metals. Don’t drink the water!!
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 5, 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=en
Members of United Mountain Defense and the Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network attended a meeting with a few other environmental organizations in Knoxville, TN today. There was a local citizen’s panel discussion including Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense. The residents gave updates on the situation in Roane County and Landon gave an update about the progress and projects that UMD has started with the community.
A TDEC representative and a TN Department of Health representative provided updates about the work they were doing at the disaster site. TDEC shared some information about the Emory River dredging plan. The TN Department of Health spoke about how they were done traveling out into the field to interview locals. When Landon brought up the fact that the situation had greatly worsened over the last three weeks since the TN Department of Health’s visit the representative did not react at all and instead ignored the statement and question of when his department would get back to the disaster site.
During the meeting Matt Landon received a phone call from the ABC National Evening News asking permission to air the TVA Coal Ash Dust Storm footage on national television. Of course Landon obliged and returned to the meeting. The story also made world news with readers in China, Russia, and Europe.
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 4, 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=en
Matt Landon, United Mountain Defense volunteer staff person, escorted Jeff Stant of the Environmental Integrity Project and Lisa Evans of Earthjustice to the TVA Coal Ash Disaster site in Harriman, TN. It was an interesting tour.
Matt Landon had a run in with the TVA police today and had an opportunity to honestly and openly speak with the officer to convey his concerns for everyone’s safety around the disaster site. The officer informed Landon that they had not received a copy of TVA’s Material Safety Data Sheet for Class F Fly ash or Bottom Ash. When Landon informed the officer that he had video taped a huge coal ash dust storm coming from the site during the previous day the officer seemed shocked. Everyone on site and around the world has been reassured that this toxic coal ash is safe as long as it wet. Well the reality of the situation is beginning to hit home now as it dries out. TVA did not tell all of its employees about the coal ash dust storm of the previous day and this officer was truly shocked and stated that they would ask for the MSDS sheets.
Landon videotaped dust devils beginning to form on the disaster site.
Landon called the regulators to file complaints after witnessing vehicles cross contaminating the onsite road way with coal ash that dump trucks were driving onto before returning onto the county roads. Landon filed a complaint with Bob Alexander of TDEC about the trucks tracking coal ash off site. Bob Alexander offered to meet the three on site.
The courageous crew met with Bob Alexander after choosing a meeting location on Berkshire Drive. During the meeting Landon pointed out the afternoons developing dust storm. Alexander shrugged off the dust saying that it was just a little dust and that it would not hurt anything. Alexander was not very understanding about Landon’s respiratory protection concerns and laughed at Landon’s respirator.
It would be easy to become discouraged about TDEC’s response as the lead regulatory agency on TVA’s coal ash disaster after meeting Bob Alexander in person.
United Mountain Defense volunteers met up with the Al Jazeera International Television News Network for a tour of the disaster site.
In the mid afternoon United Mountain Defense volunteers got a phone call from the local ABC New Channel 6 camera crew who had been tipped off about the dust storms of yesterday and today. Matt Landon did an interview and supplied the video from the Massive Coal Ash Dust Storm. This news coverage was broadcast to the East TN 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 3, 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=en
Diana Anderson of the Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network and Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense arose bright and early, fought the Washington D.C. traffic, and caught our flight back to the big city of Knoxville, TN. The volunteers were coming back from a weekend of air quality training with the Global Community Monitor/ Bucket Brigade. The informative training session was video taped to provide a good reference for future trainings and community refresher courses.
After arriving back in Knoxville Anderson and Landon drove to TVA’s Bull Run Coal Burning Plant to document the coal ash piles on site. The coal burning dinosaur appeared to be in working order with a HUGE coal ash pile. Unlike TVA’s Kingston plant there were houses directly at the toe of the coal ash pile.
This weekend was a pleasant retreat from the dusty, toxic air of Harriman, TN. As the volunteers drove the back roads and approached TVA’s coal ash disaster their chests began to tighten and their throats began to get scratchy. Upon clearing the last hill on Emory River Rd directly east of the disaster their eyes were met with a horrible site. A massive dust storm arose from the surface of TVA’s coal ash disaster site. To date this dust storm has been the worst nightmare of the TVA’s Public Relations Team, the regulatory agencies, the local residents, and everyone living downwind.
United Mountain Defense volunteer, Matt Landon documented the Massive Dust Storm on video tape at 5pm and began calling the regulatory agencies to file official complaints. He called Bob Alexander, TDEC’s disaster site manager, to ask if he was onsite and if he was looking outside or wearing a respirator. Bob Alexander was captured on video tape stating that he did not see any dust storm and that he was not wearing a respirator.
The world needs to know that TVA’s coal fly ash disaster has taken a new and harmful turn for the worst.
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
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=en
Tonight there was a meeting of the TN Coal Ash Survivors Network(TCASN). Volunteers from United Mountain Defense traveled to Harriman, TN to help facilitate this organizational meeting. One of the goals of the evening meeting was to choose an organizational structure. The group chose to continue using the consensus based decision making process. Next TCASN decided on goals for the group. They came up with a list of 5 goals and decided on one goal to add to the website immediately with the others to be discussed over the next week and decided on at the next organizational meeting. The one goal they decided on was to “Support and help evacuate families with health impacts directly related to TVA’s Coal Ash Disaster”. The group then decided on some various tactics they would use. They then decided to work on their first fundraiser. TCASN has been very successful to date in making group decisions and using the consensus process. The next meeting is set for next Tuesday at Penny Dodson’s house.
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 9, 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=en
For the past week United Mountain Defense volunteer Tom Swinford has been making copies of the video documentation of the TVA coal ash disaster. Thank you Tom!!
UMD board member and volunteer coordinator, Bonnie Swinford worked on balancing UMD’s budget by going through the stack of receipts to figure out what the state of the organization’s financial situation. It appears to still be in the black.
Matt Landon, UMD volunteer staff person continued to work on the catalogue of disaster videos.
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 8, 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=en
United Mountain Defense volunteers were tasked with getting more medical release forms from residents who got free heavy metal exposure screenings. Their medical results are being analyzed and will be released as an anonymous pool of data. UMD volunteers got two more residents to sign release forms.
UMD volunteers also video taped the changes to the disaster site. It was a mostly quiet day with only a few machines working at the disaster site.
One of the most shocking bits on knowledge UMD volunteers learned today was that workers on site have been having uncontrollable and repeated nose bleeds since beginning to work at TVA’s coal ash disaster site.
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 7, 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=en
United Mountain Defense volunteers started working on compiling a comprehensive list of all of the video tapes they have recorded to date. UMD volunteer Tom Swinford has volunteered to start the task of converting the Mini DV tapes into DVD’s and has begun reproducing the DVD’s for distribution.
United Mountain Defense has the most comprehensive video documentation of TVA’s response to the Coal Ash Disaster of Dec 22, 2008. United Mountain Defense has more than 60 hours of footage including two aerial videos and hours of local interviews.
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 6, 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=en
Today was a very busy day. United Mountain Defense volunteers traveled to Lad Landing at the convergence of the Emory and the Clinch Rivers where they met with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency and the Al Jazeera International Television News Network. The Emory River was so cold this morning that Bobby Brown of TWRA was steering the boat through a 1 inch layer of ice. Landon got another chance to use the YSI digital water monitor purchased with funds from the Natural Resource Defense Council. Thank you NRDC!!
As Bobby Brown steered the boat back to Lad Landing the United Mountain Defense volunteers met up with the graduate students from Duke University for a second round of water sampling. UMD volunteers also met up with Matt Powell of WOUT Radio based at the University of TN in Knoxville. WOUT wanted to do a radio interview about the health impacts and the Massive Coal Ash Dust Storm that occurred on Tuesday.
The volunteers traveled down Emory River Rd and helped the Duke University graduate students reach their next sampling location. The next stop was Diana Anderson’s house, the location of the first air monitoring sample tray. While Diana was helping to prepare the sampling trays she was also giving a radio interview with WOUT.
The next step was deploying the cleaned air monitoring tray outside on her property. While Diana was outside deploying the sampling tray and talking with WOUT, a TVA representative drove up and hand delivered a letter outlining a flood warning to all residents living 10 miles upstream along the river.
It seems that TVA coal ash has created a plug in the original river channel of the Emory River. If there are any heavy rains that fall in the water shed there may be flooding of the area. The representative stated that TVA will provide the flood insurance to any resident who doesn’t have flood insurance and gets impacted by flooding during TVA’s coal ash disaster and the dredging project.
The rest of the day was spent helping the Duke University graduate students find their way back to previously tested locations. We got to hand deliver water quality data to one local resident with a drinking spring located on his property. He stated that all of the tests including EPA’s, TDEC’s, and finally Duke Universities’ data shows that the water is safe. Of course this quality assurance is only as good as the testing. These results are only for one spring/ ground water source in the area. The Emory River water continues to have very high levels of arsenic and other toxic heavy metals. Don’t drink the water!!
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 5, 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=en
Members of United Mountain Defense and the Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network attended a meeting with a few other environmental organizations in Knoxville, TN today. There was a local citizen’s panel discussion including Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense. The residents gave updates on the situation in Roane County and Landon gave an update about the progress and projects that UMD has started with the community.
A TDEC representative and a TN Department of Health representative provided updates about the work they were doing at the disaster site. TDEC shared some information about the Emory River dredging plan. The TN Department of Health spoke about how they were done traveling out into the field to interview locals. When Landon brought up the fact that the situation had greatly worsened over the last three weeks since the TN Department of Health’s visit the representative did not react at all and instead ignored the statement and question of when his department would get back to the disaster site.
During the meeting Matt Landon received a phone call from the ABC National Evening News asking permission to air the TVA Coal Ash Dust Storm footage on national television. Of course Landon obliged and returned to the meeting. The story also made world news with readers in China, Russia, and Europe.
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 4, 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=en
Matt Landon, United Mountain Defense volunteer staff person, escorted Jeff Stant of the Environmental Integrity Project and Lisa Evans of Earthjustice to the TVA Coal Ash Disaster site in Harriman, TN. It was an interesting tour.
Matt Landon had a run in with the TVA police today and had an opportunity to honestly and openly speak with the officer to convey his concerns for everyone’s safety around the disaster site. The officer informed Landon that they had not received a copy of TVA’s Material Safety Data Sheet for Class F Fly ash or Bottom Ash. When Landon informed the officer that he had video taped a huge coal ash dust storm coming from the site during the previous day the officer seemed shocked. Everyone on site and around the world has been reassured that this toxic coal ash is safe as long as it wet. Well the reality of the situation is beginning to hit home now as it dries out. TVA did not tell all of its employees about the coal ash dust storm of the previous day and this officer was truly shocked and stated that they would ask for the MSDS sheets.
Landon videotaped dust devils beginning to form on the disaster site.
Landon called the regulators to file complaints after witnessing vehicles cross contaminating the onsite road way with coal ash that dump trucks were driving onto before returning onto the county roads. Landon filed a complaint with Bob Alexander of TDEC about the trucks tracking coal ash off site. Bob Alexander offered to meet the three on site.
The courageous crew met with Bob Alexander after choosing a meeting location on Berkshire Drive. During the meeting Landon pointed out the afternoons developing dust storm. Alexander shrugged off the dust saying that it was just a little dust and that it would not hurt anything. Alexander was not very understanding about Landon’s respiratory protection concerns and laughed at Landon’s respirator.
It would be easy to become discouraged about TDEC’s response as the lead regulatory agency on TVA’s coal ash disaster after meeting Bob Alexander in person.
United Mountain Defense volunteers met up with the Al Jazeera International Television News Network for a tour of the disaster site.
In the mid afternoon United Mountain Defense volunteers got a phone call from the local ABC New Channel 6 camera crew who had been tipped off about the dust storms of yesterday and today. Matt Landon did an interview and supplied the video from the Massive Coal Ash Dust Storm. This news coverage was broadcast to the East TN 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 3, 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=en
Diana Anderson of the Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network and Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense arose bright and early, fought the Washington D.C. traffic, and caught our flight back to the big city of Knoxville, TN. The volunteers were coming back from a weekend of air quality training with the Global Community Monitor/ Bucket Brigade. The informative training session was video taped to provide a good reference for future trainings and community refresher courses.
After arriving back in Knoxville Anderson and Landon drove to TVA’s Bull Run Coal Burning Plant to document the coal ash piles on site. The coal burning dinosaur appeared to be in working order with a HUGE coal ash pile. Unlike TVA’s Kingston plant there were houses directly at the toe of the coal ash pile.
This weekend was a pleasant retreat from the dusty, toxic air of Harriman, TN. As the volunteers drove the back roads and approached TVA’s coal ash disaster their chests began to tighten and their throats began to get scratchy. Upon clearing the last hill on Emory River Rd directly east of the disaster their eyes were met with a horrible site. A massive dust storm arose from the surface of TVA’s coal ash disaster site. To date this dust storm has been the worst nightmare of the TVA’s Public Relations Team, the regulatory agencies, the local residents, and everyone living downwind.
United Mountain Defense volunteer, Matt Landon documented the Massive Dust Storm on video tape at 5pm and began calling the regulatory agencies to file official complaints. He called Bob Alexander, TDEC’s disaster site manager, to ask if he was onsite and if he was looking outside or wearing a respirator. Bob Alexander was captured on video tape stating that he did not see any dust storm and that he was not wearing a respirator.
The world needs to know that TVA’s coal fly ash disaster has taken a new and harmful turn for the worst.
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
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Lead TV News Story of TVA's Coal Ash Dust Storm (United Mountain Defense coverage)
Thank you Channel 6 for braving the cold weather to get the story.
http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=9791681&nav=menu7_2
By JILL MCNEAL
6 News Anchor/Reporter
HARRIMAN (WATE) -- Is the winter wind stirring up ash at the TVA spill site in Roane County? The non-profit environmental group United Mountain Defense, who has been on the scene since the beginning, says yes and they say they have the video to prove it.
"Obviously the coal fly ash is drying out and it's getting kicked up into the wind," says volunteer staff member Matt Landon.
"It was blowing up at least 30 to 40 feet off the surface of the coal ash area and it was at least 70 to 80 feet wide," he says.
That's why Landon wears a respirator every time he's near the site.
"We're filtering out fine particulates. We're filtering out lead and asbestos and paint fumes," he says.
He's worried about everyone else who's breathing the air without protection.
"We're working with the Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network in order to get local residents trained in how to identify when there are dust storms occurring and being trained in order to use the air monitoring equipment," Landon says.
TVA Spokesman Gil Francis tells us he heard rumors about this, so TVA crews onsite went to check it out and didn't see anything. He adds that everything at the site is frozen and so what the environmental workers saw must have been fog.
We also heard from Roane County Executive Mike Farmer on this issue. He is very concerned that the cold weather is drying out the ash and making it airborne. He says his experts have warned that TVA needs to re-wet the ash to stop this from happening as they promised the county they would.
http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=9791681&nav=menu7_2
By JILL MCNEAL
6 News Anchor/Reporter
HARRIMAN (WATE) -- Is the winter wind stirring up ash at the TVA spill site in Roane County? The non-profit environmental group United Mountain Defense, who has been on the scene since the beginning, says yes and they say they have the video to prove it.
"Obviously the coal fly ash is drying out and it's getting kicked up into the wind," says volunteer staff member Matt Landon.
"It was blowing up at least 30 to 40 feet off the surface of the coal ash area and it was at least 70 to 80 feet wide," he says.
That's why Landon wears a respirator every time he's near the site.
"We're filtering out fine particulates. We're filtering out lead and asbestos and paint fumes," he says.
He's worried about everyone else who's breathing the air without protection.
"We're working with the Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network in order to get local residents trained in how to identify when there are dust storms occurring and being trained in order to use the air monitoring equipment," Landon says.
TVA Spokesman Gil Francis tells us he heard rumors about this, so TVA crews onsite went to check it out and didn't see anything. He adds that everything at the site is frozen and so what the environmental workers saw must have been fog.
We also heard from Roane County Executive Mike Farmer on this issue. He is very concerned that the cold weather is drying out the ash and making it airborne. He says his experts have warned that TVA needs to re-wet the ash to stop this from happening as they promised the county they would.
Massive Dust Storm coming from TVA Coal Ash Disaster Site
Feb 3, 2009 at 5pm United Mountain Defense volunteers and Diana Anderson from the Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network witnessed, video taped, photographed, and called in official complaints about a HUGE dust storm coming from the TVA coal ash disaster site. Where your respirators!?!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The address of a news report on Jim Lehrer News Hour Feb 2, 2009
Jan 24- Feb 2, 2009 Updates from United Mountain Defense about TVA's coal ash disaster
Feb 2, 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/
Today was the second day of training from the Global Community Monitor. Today Diana Anderson of the TN Coal Ash Survivors Network and Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense learned how to operate Air Metric’s Mini Volume air monitor. This machine is very user friendly and maintains its calibration for one year.
The air monitoring volunteers learned about how to use various filters for the monitors and how to maintain the integrity of the filter sample. They learned how to troubleshoot the monitoring machine. They also learned about properly mounting the monitor on power poles or house roofs and other important sighting instructions.
Anderson and Landon also learned about filling out chain of custody forms, and how to tamper proof the filter cases for shipping to the lab.
We finally got back to TN’s community map we had drawn two days prior. After reviewing this map with GCM staff we decided on locations for Swipe Testing and then Air Quality Testing.
More importantly we learned about the impacts of air pollution on other communities and how similar their concerns are to our own concerns.
We ended the training by looking to the future. Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense helped bring the Bucket Brigade to Appalachia in order to provide another community organizing tool that would give back to the communities. He envisioned using TVA’s coal ash disaster as a pilot project to show how easy it is for communities to do this type of monitoring and help bring it to coal impacted communities across the region. He wants to see Bucket Brigades at Marsh Fork Elementary School in West Virginia and at surface coal mines, coal processing plants, and coal burning plants across the region. Won’t you help?
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 1, 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/
Super Bowl Sunday was spent researching a number of online sources of data that we had left untapped till this point.
Matt Landon, United Mountain Defense volunteer staff person, took a virtual car ride through the Swan Pond Community before the coal ash disaster using Google Street View. He found photos of the leaking dam located at 1222 Swan Pond Rd. There was photographic evidence of red iron oxide and heavy metal laden water leaking from the toe of the dam. Whenever water is leaking from the base of the damn it is a bad sign and could foreshadow failure.
We also viewed Roane County property tax maps online. These property maps incorporated aerial photography as well making the property searches so much easier. These maps were not up to date as they did not show the properties recently purchased by TVA along Berkshire Ln and Lakeshore Rd.
Diana Anderson of the TN Coal Ash Survivors Network and Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense met with Sarah Goldberg of the Kelley Campaign, a Public Relations group based in Washington DC. Sarah Goldberg was very excited to meet with us and learn more information about what was happening from our firsthand accounts. The Kelley Campaign has been working on a campaign to counter the “Cl*** Coal” campaign of 2008. The Kelley Campaign is working with United Mountain Defense to help amplify our media presence. They have a staff dedicated to writing press releases, distributing them to national and international media, and helping with ground work logistics like setting up citizen press conferences. This is the start to be a beautiful relationship……
After catching the last 15 minutes of the Super Bowl and seeing that incredible touchdown play by the PA Steelers Matt Landon helped Diana Anderson create her first blog. The blog’s title is the Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network. The blog’s address is http://tncasn.blogspot.com
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
Jan 31, 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/
Diana Anderson of the TN Coal Ash Survivors Network and Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense traveled to Deleware today to receive training from the Global Community Monitor (GCM) organization. www.gcmonitor.org
Matt Landon of UMD video taped the entire two day training session so that other community members in Deleware, TN, and the world could review the training. Today’s training consisted of learning about the history and successes of the Bucket Brigade, GCM’s most notable air monitoring project. The community that hosted us today was plagued by numerous polluting industries and was in the first steps of beginning to self monitor the air quality. One of the first steps in the process was called a log sheet. A brainstorming session led to the development of the “I SEE, I SMELL, I FEEL” sections for residents to fill out for each air pollution event. Based on these pollution log sheets GCM and the community would be able to decide where to put up Swipe Tests and then Mini Volume Air Monitors.
A really good excerise was for the community members to make a map of the major polluters in the area and show the locations of surrounding houses and other points of interest such as schools, hospitals, existing air monitors, and prevailing wind directions.
This training provided a good basis for how the Bucket Brigade would proceed in TN and we got one step closer to having a solid monitoring plan. Thank you Global Community Monitor for providing a helpful training session.
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
Jan 30, 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 volunteer staff person, Matt Landon was awoken to a call from a TN Highway Patrol officer calling from Arizona. The officer said he would send out an officer to the disaster site and would further investigate the CFR on solid waste to figure out about the solid waste regulations.
Landon traveled to the University of TN in Knoxville for a PodCast interview that was conducted at the college radio station, WUOT 91.9. The PodCast will be aired by On the Earth, a project of NRDC. Thanks, NRDC.
After the interview Landon did more research about the Mini Volume air samplers from Air Metrics and the different filters available for the sampler. He was also packing his bags at the same time for a flight to Washington DC.
Diana Anderson of TN Coal Ash Survivors Network and Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense boarded a flight to DC and then drove to Deleware for a two day training by the Global Community Monitor (GCM). GCM is a non profit organization that has trained community members around the globe to use various air monitoring techniques and equipment in order to gather independent data on their own. GCM is currently working with 18 impacted communities across the globe and is very excited about beginning to work in Appalachia on the issue of FILTHY COAL.
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
Jan 29, 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/
Bonnie Swinford, UMD volunteer coordinator finalized the water monitoring data with Jeff Stant on UMD’s Google map for 3 hours. Good job, Bonnie!!
Matt Landon, UMD volunteer staff took a boat ride on Emory River with TN Wildlife Resources Agency. Until this point Landon had mistakenly thought that a rock weir had been constructed across the Emory River to contain the coal fly ash. Upon boating up the river he learned that TVA had temporarily abandoned this Emory River rock weir project. The boat shuttled the History Channel’s camera crew, reporter, and Matt Landon up and down the river next to the disaster site numerous times in order to get the best shots and to provide enough time to interview TWRA’s Bobby Brown and UMD’s Matt Landon. Landon used the new YSI digital water monitor purchased with a grant from the NRDC. Thank you NRDC!! We were able to check for specific conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature.
Once we got off the river and defrosted our hands Landon led the History Channel crew to Lakeshore Drive for an interview with Rick Cantrell, a local resident whose family was evacuated by TVA. Cantrell gave a stellar interview.
Landon called Paul Sloan of TDEC and the TN Highway Patrol after video taping vehicles exiting the disaster site without being washed first.
A community volunteer meeting was organized for the evening at the Roane State Expo Center. At this meeting the volunteers decided on what content to put on their website, what was their group’s name, and when and where the next volunteer meeting would be held. The Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network came into existence. Their website is www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com and they have a blog at http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Diana Anderson of TCASN offered to host the next volunteer meeting.
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
Jan 28, 2009 Wenesday
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/
There was a fundraiser set up in Nashville, TN. Local resident, Rick Cantrell attended the fundraiser and spoke about the difficulties his community is facing at this time with TVA’s coal ash disaster. Cantrell reported that nearly 100 people attended the fundraiser where local old time musicians strummed banjos and guitars.
United Mountain Defense volunteer staff person, Matt Landon made phone calls reminding local residents about the volunteer meeting on Thursday night. Landon also received his first email from Bob Alexander of TDEC admitting that TDEC was allowing vehicles to drive off site with coal ash on 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
Jan 27, 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 volunteer staff person, Matt Landon called all of the regulatory agencies to report the problems of coal ash tracking. Landon called TN Highway Patrol, TN Bureau of Investigation, Bob Alexander of TDEC, EPA criminal division. After speaking with the EPA criminal division Landon was told he would be called by TVA’s OIG in the next week. Landon learned that EPA can’t regulate coal fly ash tracking. EPA doesn’t investigate it because it is not a hazardous waste. After speaking with the TBI, Landon emailed the District Attorney about the tracking problem to file an official compliant.
United Mountain Defense volunteers worked on gathering releases from residents who received heavy metal exposure screening. They picked up disaster photos that were taken to Washington DC. Bonnie and Tom picked up some more human samples for the heavy metal exposure testing. These samples were kept on ice then refrigerated until they were delivered to Internal Balance on Wenesday Jan 28, 2009.
UMD volunteers distributed TVA’s coal fly ash Material Safety Data Sheets to the local residents as they drove around the community.
Matt Landon spoke with a local resident, Judy Scofield, who has had massive asthma attacks since the coal ash disaster occurred. She is now using a steroid inhaler to help her breath. Landon was near tears as she retold her story. He offered to have a call in day to the TVA to politely ask TVA to call Judy Scofield. Judy had not received any phone calls from TVA for nearly two weeks after requesting to be evacuated after a doctor’s suggestion about her respiratory distress being linked to TVA’s coal ash. After the first day of the call in campaign for Judy Scofield she received a phone call from TVA. They informed her they would send CTEH out to check the air quality. Unfortunately CTEH is using inadequate air monitoring equipment. CTEH showed up and after a few minutes told Judy the air was okay.
The call in campaign continues until Judy Scofield is moved to a safer location by TVA.
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
Jan 26, 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/
Bonnie Swinford, UMD’s volunteer coordinator and grant writer has provided major support of ALL of the work that has occurred around TVA’s coal ash disaster. Today Bonnie submitted receipts for multiple grants, updated UMD’s project budget, and made copies of TVA’s Material Safety Data Sheets.
Matt Landon got an email from TDEC about their air quality monitoring after calling TDEC to figure out why they had not installed the high volume air quality monitors around the disaster site. He learned that TDEC had chosen to not install more than one high volume air monitor.
Matt Landon got background air monitoring data from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the past 20 years after emailing Jim Renfro for assistance in Harriman, TN.
It was finally time to get back down to get back to the disaster site. Matt Landon had promised to take a Eva to the doctor on the previous Friday due to her deep lung cough. Unfortunately he was not able to take her on Friday and so awoke early Monday morning and drove her to the doctor. Her doctor could not give her a diagnosis but did offer to set up an appointment with a lung specialist in Oak Ridge, TN and gave her a prescription for Cipro, a strong antibiotic. The doctor thought that her deep lung cough was caused by a bacteria. Eva was not able to afford the anti biotic so she had to wait until Feb 1 to get the prescription.
After the doctor’s visit I offered to drive Eva around to see the rest of the disaster site. Eva does not have a vehicle and walks everywhere because she is legally blind in one eye. Her grand daughter is not old enough to drive either. Even though she lives within ½ a mile of the disaster site she has not seem it yet as no one helped her get there yet.
As we drove around the Swan Pond Community we saw that one of the local churches driveways was open after being blockaded for the past four weeks. As we drove up to the cemetery overlooking the disaster site Eva gasped as she saw the destruction. She commented that she had fished many an afternoon in that part of the lake that was now completely filled in by TVA’s coal ash. She just kept repeating that TVA had made such a mess, TVA had made such a mess.
While we were peacefully observing the work at the disaster site a TVA police officer came up the driveway and pulled to a halt in front of our vehicle. Matt Landon was recording and turned the camera on the TVA officer. This officer did not like the camera and asked for identification which Matt Landon produced. The officer got back in his vehicle and drove away with his ID. Upon returning the officer instructed Landon and Eva to evacuate the premises. Of course they complied immediately.
The whole time the video tape was rolling UMD was recording dirty dump trucks and other unwashed vehicles leaving TVA’s coal ash disaster site while tracking coal fly ash out onto the public roads of Roane County and East TN.
As Landon and Eva drove around on the public roads of Roane County they videotaped the work at TVA’s coal ash disaster. Upon driving on Berkshire Rd they were once again pulled over by the TVA police and Landon was given a citation for trespassing, his second citation for trespassing from TVA. Later Landon found out that TVA has bought all of the property along Berkshire Rd so it is their property.
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
Jan 25, 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/
Today we celebrated Tom’s birthday. Tom is Bonnie’s dad and he recently chose to move down to TN from Indianapolis. He was temporarily living at the UMD volunteer house until he found a house of his own. He did find a house and then this coal ash disaster occurred and he has been on the ground since Dec 22, 2008.
Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense sent out a procedure for doing a swipe test to the Swan Pond community email list serve after receiving multiple requests.
Chris Irwin, UMD staff attorney took a Gentlemen’s Quarterly reporter and photographer up to the King Mountain Mountainside Coal surface mine in Claiborne County near Eagan, TN to photograph the complete cycle of coal, from the cradle to the grave.
Later in the evening UMD had a board meeting where a plan of action was generated for the upcoming week.
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
Jan 24, 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/
A good portion of the day was spent helping get the carpet installed in the United Mountain Defense volunteer house. Chris Irwin, UMD staff attorney, took GQ magazine in a Southwings flyover of the TVA coal ash disaster site, the windfarm on Buffalo Mountain, and the surface coal mines of East Tennessee. GQ is writing about coal from the cradle to the grave with surface mines and destruction of the highland watersheds being the cradle. The TVA coal ash disaster shows the end product of coal cycle, the grave.
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
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/
Today was the second day of training from the Global Community Monitor. Today Diana Anderson of the TN Coal Ash Survivors Network and Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense learned how to operate Air Metric’s Mini Volume air monitor. This machine is very user friendly and maintains its calibration for one year.
The air monitoring volunteers learned about how to use various filters for the monitors and how to maintain the integrity of the filter sample. They learned how to troubleshoot the monitoring machine. They also learned about properly mounting the monitor on power poles or house roofs and other important sighting instructions.
Anderson and Landon also learned about filling out chain of custody forms, and how to tamper proof the filter cases for shipping to the lab.
We finally got back to TN’s community map we had drawn two days prior. After reviewing this map with GCM staff we decided on locations for Swipe Testing and then Air Quality Testing.
More importantly we learned about the impacts of air pollution on other communities and how similar their concerns are to our own concerns.
We ended the training by looking to the future. Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense helped bring the Bucket Brigade to Appalachia in order to provide another community organizing tool that would give back to the communities. He envisioned using TVA’s coal ash disaster as a pilot project to show how easy it is for communities to do this type of monitoring and help bring it to coal impacted communities across the region. He wants to see Bucket Brigades at Marsh Fork Elementary School in West Virginia and at surface coal mines, coal processing plants, and coal burning plants across the region. Won’t you help?
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 1, 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/
Super Bowl Sunday was spent researching a number of online sources of data that we had left untapped till this point.
Matt Landon, United Mountain Defense volunteer staff person, took a virtual car ride through the Swan Pond Community before the coal ash disaster using Google Street View. He found photos of the leaking dam located at 1222 Swan Pond Rd. There was photographic evidence of red iron oxide and heavy metal laden water leaking from the toe of the dam. Whenever water is leaking from the base of the damn it is a bad sign and could foreshadow failure.
We also viewed Roane County property tax maps online. These property maps incorporated aerial photography as well making the property searches so much easier. These maps were not up to date as they did not show the properties recently purchased by TVA along Berkshire Ln and Lakeshore Rd.
Diana Anderson of the TN Coal Ash Survivors Network and Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense met with Sarah Goldberg of the Kelley Campaign, a Public Relations group based in Washington DC. Sarah Goldberg was very excited to meet with us and learn more information about what was happening from our firsthand accounts. The Kelley Campaign has been working on a campaign to counter the “Cl*** Coal” campaign of 2008. The Kelley Campaign is working with United Mountain Defense to help amplify our media presence. They have a staff dedicated to writing press releases, distributing them to national and international media, and helping with ground work logistics like setting up citizen press conferences. This is the start to be a beautiful relationship……
After catching the last 15 minutes of the Super Bowl and seeing that incredible touchdown play by the PA Steelers Matt Landon helped Diana Anderson create her first blog. The blog’s title is the Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network. The blog’s address is http://tncasn.blogspot.com
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
Jan 31, 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/
Diana Anderson of the TN Coal Ash Survivors Network and Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense traveled to Deleware today to receive training from the Global Community Monitor (GCM) organization. www.gcmonitor.org
Matt Landon of UMD video taped the entire two day training session so that other community members in Deleware, TN, and the world could review the training. Today’s training consisted of learning about the history and successes of the Bucket Brigade, GCM’s most notable air monitoring project. The community that hosted us today was plagued by numerous polluting industries and was in the first steps of beginning to self monitor the air quality. One of the first steps in the process was called a log sheet. A brainstorming session led to the development of the “I SEE, I SMELL, I FEEL” sections for residents to fill out for each air pollution event. Based on these pollution log sheets GCM and the community would be able to decide where to put up Swipe Tests and then Mini Volume Air Monitors.
A really good excerise was for the community members to make a map of the major polluters in the area and show the locations of surrounding houses and other points of interest such as schools, hospitals, existing air monitors, and prevailing wind directions.
This training provided a good basis for how the Bucket Brigade would proceed in TN and we got one step closer to having a solid monitoring plan. Thank you Global Community Monitor for providing a helpful training session.
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
Jan 30, 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 volunteer staff person, Matt Landon was awoken to a call from a TN Highway Patrol officer calling from Arizona. The officer said he would send out an officer to the disaster site and would further investigate the CFR on solid waste to figure out about the solid waste regulations.
Landon traveled to the University of TN in Knoxville for a PodCast interview that was conducted at the college radio station, WUOT 91.9. The PodCast will be aired by On the Earth, a project of NRDC. Thanks, NRDC.
After the interview Landon did more research about the Mini Volume air samplers from Air Metrics and the different filters available for the sampler. He was also packing his bags at the same time for a flight to Washington DC.
Diana Anderson of TN Coal Ash Survivors Network and Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense boarded a flight to DC and then drove to Deleware for a two day training by the Global Community Monitor (GCM). GCM is a non profit organization that has trained community members around the globe to use various air monitoring techniques and equipment in order to gather independent data on their own. GCM is currently working with 18 impacted communities across the globe and is very excited about beginning to work in Appalachia on the issue of FILTHY COAL.
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
Jan 29, 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/
Bonnie Swinford, UMD volunteer coordinator finalized the water monitoring data with Jeff Stant on UMD’s Google map for 3 hours. Good job, Bonnie!!
Matt Landon, UMD volunteer staff took a boat ride on Emory River with TN Wildlife Resources Agency. Until this point Landon had mistakenly thought that a rock weir had been constructed across the Emory River to contain the coal fly ash. Upon boating up the river he learned that TVA had temporarily abandoned this Emory River rock weir project. The boat shuttled the History Channel’s camera crew, reporter, and Matt Landon up and down the river next to the disaster site numerous times in order to get the best shots and to provide enough time to interview TWRA’s Bobby Brown and UMD’s Matt Landon. Landon used the new YSI digital water monitor purchased with a grant from the NRDC. Thank you NRDC!! We were able to check for specific conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature.
Once we got off the river and defrosted our hands Landon led the History Channel crew to Lakeshore Drive for an interview with Rick Cantrell, a local resident whose family was evacuated by TVA. Cantrell gave a stellar interview.
Landon called Paul Sloan of TDEC and the TN Highway Patrol after video taping vehicles exiting the disaster site without being washed first.
A community volunteer meeting was organized for the evening at the Roane State Expo Center. At this meeting the volunteers decided on what content to put on their website, what was their group’s name, and when and where the next volunteer meeting would be held. The Tennessee Coal Ash Survivors Network came into existence. Their website is www.tennesseecoalashsurvivorsnetwork.com and they have a blog at http://tncasn.blogspot.com
Diana Anderson of TCASN offered to host the next volunteer meeting.
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
Jan 28, 2009 Wenesday
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/
There was a fundraiser set up in Nashville, TN. Local resident, Rick Cantrell attended the fundraiser and spoke about the difficulties his community is facing at this time with TVA’s coal ash disaster. Cantrell reported that nearly 100 people attended the fundraiser where local old time musicians strummed banjos and guitars.
United Mountain Defense volunteer staff person, Matt Landon made phone calls reminding local residents about the volunteer meeting on Thursday night. Landon also received his first email from Bob Alexander of TDEC admitting that TDEC was allowing vehicles to drive off site with coal ash on 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
Jan 27, 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 volunteer staff person, Matt Landon called all of the regulatory agencies to report the problems of coal ash tracking. Landon called TN Highway Patrol, TN Bureau of Investigation, Bob Alexander of TDEC, EPA criminal division. After speaking with the EPA criminal division Landon was told he would be called by TVA’s OIG in the next week. Landon learned that EPA can’t regulate coal fly ash tracking. EPA doesn’t investigate it because it is not a hazardous waste. After speaking with the TBI, Landon emailed the District Attorney about the tracking problem to file an official compliant.
United Mountain Defense volunteers worked on gathering releases from residents who received heavy metal exposure screening. They picked up disaster photos that were taken to Washington DC. Bonnie and Tom picked up some more human samples for the heavy metal exposure testing. These samples were kept on ice then refrigerated until they were delivered to Internal Balance on Wenesday Jan 28, 2009.
UMD volunteers distributed TVA’s coal fly ash Material Safety Data Sheets to the local residents as they drove around the community.
Matt Landon spoke with a local resident, Judy Scofield, who has had massive asthma attacks since the coal ash disaster occurred. She is now using a steroid inhaler to help her breath. Landon was near tears as she retold her story. He offered to have a call in day to the TVA to politely ask TVA to call Judy Scofield. Judy had not received any phone calls from TVA for nearly two weeks after requesting to be evacuated after a doctor’s suggestion about her respiratory distress being linked to TVA’s coal ash. After the first day of the call in campaign for Judy Scofield she received a phone call from TVA. They informed her they would send CTEH out to check the air quality. Unfortunately CTEH is using inadequate air monitoring equipment. CTEH showed up and after a few minutes told Judy the air was okay.
The call in campaign continues until Judy Scofield is moved to a safer location by TVA.
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
Jan 26, 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/
Bonnie Swinford, UMD’s volunteer coordinator and grant writer has provided major support of ALL of the work that has occurred around TVA’s coal ash disaster. Today Bonnie submitted receipts for multiple grants, updated UMD’s project budget, and made copies of TVA’s Material Safety Data Sheets.
Matt Landon got an email from TDEC about their air quality monitoring after calling TDEC to figure out why they had not installed the high volume air quality monitors around the disaster site. He learned that TDEC had chosen to not install more than one high volume air monitor.
Matt Landon got background air monitoring data from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the past 20 years after emailing Jim Renfro for assistance in Harriman, TN.
It was finally time to get back down to get back to the disaster site. Matt Landon had promised to take a Eva to the doctor on the previous Friday due to her deep lung cough. Unfortunately he was not able to take her on Friday and so awoke early Monday morning and drove her to the doctor. Her doctor could not give her a diagnosis but did offer to set up an appointment with a lung specialist in Oak Ridge, TN and gave her a prescription for Cipro, a strong antibiotic. The doctor thought that her deep lung cough was caused by a bacteria. Eva was not able to afford the anti biotic so she had to wait until Feb 1 to get the prescription.
After the doctor’s visit I offered to drive Eva around to see the rest of the disaster site. Eva does not have a vehicle and walks everywhere because she is legally blind in one eye. Her grand daughter is not old enough to drive either. Even though she lives within ½ a mile of the disaster site she has not seem it yet as no one helped her get there yet.
As we drove around the Swan Pond Community we saw that one of the local churches driveways was open after being blockaded for the past four weeks. As we drove up to the cemetery overlooking the disaster site Eva gasped as she saw the destruction. She commented that she had fished many an afternoon in that part of the lake that was now completely filled in by TVA’s coal ash. She just kept repeating that TVA had made such a mess, TVA had made such a mess.
While we were peacefully observing the work at the disaster site a TVA police officer came up the driveway and pulled to a halt in front of our vehicle. Matt Landon was recording and turned the camera on the TVA officer. This officer did not like the camera and asked for identification which Matt Landon produced. The officer got back in his vehicle and drove away with his ID. Upon returning the officer instructed Landon and Eva to evacuate the premises. Of course they complied immediately.
The whole time the video tape was rolling UMD was recording dirty dump trucks and other unwashed vehicles leaving TVA’s coal ash disaster site while tracking coal fly ash out onto the public roads of Roane County and East TN.
As Landon and Eva drove around on the public roads of Roane County they videotaped the work at TVA’s coal ash disaster. Upon driving on Berkshire Rd they were once again pulled over by the TVA police and Landon was given a citation for trespassing, his second citation for trespassing from TVA. Later Landon found out that TVA has bought all of the property along Berkshire Rd so it is their property.
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
Jan 25, 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/
Today we celebrated Tom’s birthday. Tom is Bonnie’s dad and he recently chose to move down to TN from Indianapolis. He was temporarily living at the UMD volunteer house until he found a house of his own. He did find a house and then this coal ash disaster occurred and he has been on the ground since Dec 22, 2008.
Matt Landon of United Mountain Defense sent out a procedure for doing a swipe test to the Swan Pond community email list serve after receiving multiple requests.
Chris Irwin, UMD staff attorney took a Gentlemen’s Quarterly reporter and photographer up to the King Mountain Mountainside Coal surface mine in Claiborne County near Eagan, TN to photograph the complete cycle of coal, from the cradle to the grave.
Later in the evening UMD had a board meeting where a plan of action was generated for the upcoming week.
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
Jan 24, 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/
A good portion of the day was spent helping get the carpet installed in the United Mountain Defense volunteer house. Chris Irwin, UMD staff attorney, took GQ magazine in a Southwings flyover of the TVA coal ash disaster site, the windfarm on Buffalo Mountain, and the surface coal mines of East Tennessee. GQ is writing about coal from the cradle to the grave with surface mines and destruction of the highland watersheds being the cradle. The TVA coal ash disaster shows the end product of coal cycle, the grave.
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
