Hundreds Of Coal Ash Dumps Across US Lack Regulation

The coal ash pond that ruptured and sent a billion gallons of toxic sludge across 300 acres of East Tennessee last month was only one of more than 1,300 similar dumps across the United States -- most of them unregulated and unmonitored -- that contain billions more gallons of fly ash and other byproducts of burning coal.

Like the one in Tennessee, most of these dumps, which reach up to 1,500 acres, contain heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury and selenium, which are considered by the Environmental Protection Agency to be a threat to water supplies and human health. Yet they are not subject to any federal regulation, which experts say could have prevented the spill, and there is little monitoring of their effects on the surrounding environment.

Read the full story here or check out the New York Times' great coal ash explainer video

OR

Get more coal sludge spill coverage:

::TVA CEO To Testify Before Congress
::Sandra Diaz: Canoeing Into The Sludge (VIDEO)
::Exxon Valdez Survivor Has Warning For Tennessee Sludge Spill Victims

Comments

[Rog49Thomas]

How could this be?

Just earlier this week the MSM was trumpeting another of those imagined accomplishments of President Pan - his legacy as the environmental President.

Yup, you betcha!

[SangZe]

As anyone living in Appalachia knows, there is nothing new here. This kind of thing has been going on for decades. I'm surprised anyone gave it notice, especially those in the media. It is because the free market has done nothing that it has become an obligation of government to end this deadly nonsense.

[Rog49Thomas]

Capitalism's dirty little secret - externalities.

[Durango]

I first heard the report on Amy Goodman's Democracy Now, days before the Corporate media reported on it.

i suspect if she had not broken the story we wouldn't have heard anything about it.

[xerxes 1]

Why all the hysteria? Free markets will solve this, NOT the government. Government should keep out of the way of the people, people. If Sarah Palin were POTUS we wouldn't be in this mess.

[ajm8127]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07068/768097-113.stm

Found this article from 2007. They knew the threat. The EPA is as lame as the president. That site in Pittsburgh does not make me feel safe.

[Hirnlego]

Its alright. Corporations can self govern themselves setting aside maximizing profits...

..not!

[ajm8127]

I have contacted my Congressmen, you should too.

[1differentdrummer]

Well, the people of Tennessee know what value is placed on them. Where does that watershed wind up, the Atlantic? This country, like so many third world countries, uses Earth for a cesspool.

[Teadye]

ET is on the west side of the divide. NC is on the Atlantic side.

[derekc06]

it's so ridiculous how we're never on top of something BEFORE it goes wrong in this country... bridge collapse makes us rethink bridges and find that all over the country they're unsafe... terrorist attacks make us realize our airport security is lacking... sub prime mortgage crisis... coal ash spill...

why can't we just think things through the first time? you know? try to use some common sense and take some responsibility instead of always cutting costs (or lining wallets) and doing things [e-mail]?

[ajm8127]

I couldn't agree more. Taking a proactive stance is usually better than a reactive one. But no one wants to spend money until there is actually a problem. Take an intersection in your town. There usually isn't a stop sign until someone crashes there.

[hourglass]

i don't know ... that picture just screams "clean coal!" to me ...

[davispty5]

This is a prime example of how we are poisoning our environment. As a parent of a child with autism it concerns me greatly to see these companies being allowed to dispose of neurotoxins without any kind of oversight by the EPA. Reform of the EPA, CDC, and FDA should be high on PE Obama's to do list.