Bill SB687 for ending the unsafe practice of nuclear BSFR dumping

During the 2009 legislative session, Senator Marrero introduced Senate Bill 687 aimed at ending the process of Bulk Survey for Release. SB687 was assigned to the Senate Committee on Environment, Conservation and Tourism. While SB687 seeks to protect the health and safety of our families, it never even received a hearing--much less a vote!

BSFR - Built in 1958, NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio was one of America’s 10 largest reactors for nuclear research. Now, with more than 80 percent of it dismantled, Ohio is turning to Tennessee to dump their radioactive waste here. It is estimated that about 100 million pounds of nuclear waste will be dumped into ordinary Tennessee landfills.

Senate Committee on Environment, Conservation and Tourism

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey (R-2) (423) 323-8700	Senator Steve Southerland (R-1) (615) 741-3851
Senator Ken Yager (R-12) (865) 285-9797	Senator Eric Stewart (931) 967-1462
Senator Tim Barnes (931) 648-9400	Senator Charlotte Burks (931) 648-9400
Senator Mike Faulk (423) 357-8088	Senator Doug Jackson (615) 446-5631
Senator Jack Johnson (615) 741-2495	Senator Jamie Woodson (865) 285-9797

Scheme to Dump TVA Kingston Disaster Coal Ash in Cumberland County

RePosted from http://enclave-nashville.blogspot.com/

A Cumberland County Commissioner warns that residents in the area could see the arrival and dumping of spilled, toxic TVA fly ash without too much local control over the project and under conditions that include a former state Senator making money off someone else's hardships:

It has been brought to my attention that Crossville Mining Company has asked the Cumberland County Commission to review a proposal to build a hazardous waste dump on Smith Mountain. This proposal will be reviewed by the county commission's environmental committee on Wednesday, May 5, at 4:30 in the small courtroom.

Crossville Mining Company has proposed that they be permitted to dump ash from the Kingston disaster into a quarry in their Cumberland County mining site. Although not made public, my sources have revealed that the county will be paid at least $2 million in "load" fees if the commission approves this. In addition the coal company has promised to improve the road system leading to the quarry. About 180 dump trucks of ash a day will make its way from Kingston to Cumberland County. My sources also tell me that the trucking firm involved in the potential contract is owned by former state Senator Tommy Kilby of Morgan County.

Under the "Jackson law" once the full commission votes a yes to the proposal, the state takes over and there is no further county input to stop the company from using the quarry as a hazardous waste dump site. There are dozens of questions that should be asked and answered before a decision is made by the county. These questions include, "What else do you plan to put at the site? What levels of radiation are emitted by the ash? What risk is posed by the dust particulates to the residents in the area? How much mercury and arsenic are contained in the waste materials? What is your safety plan for dealing with problems that might occur such as the leaching of contaminants into the county's aquifer? What is the environmental impact on the area? How will road accident and spills be handled?" If approved without the appropriate information, under state law, the county has no repeal options.

Update on Monday, May 4, 2009 at 4:03PM by Life On The Plateau

Found at crossville-chronicle.com

Give me your opinion. I may be reached at (931) 337-1003.

Robert Safdie

2nd District Rep. County Commission

Update on Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 12:51PM by Life On The Plateau

The Tennessee Valley Authority is shipping some of the 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash sludge that spilled out of its retention pond at the Kingston TVA coal-fired power plant, polluting the Emery River and contaminating downstream, in Roane County last December to landfills in other states.

1,000 tons of dried sludge has been sent by train to Taylor County, east of Columbus, Georgia and another load has gone to Perry County, Alabama, between Tuscalossa and Montgomery.

. . . all that contaminated coal ash from the Tennessee spill now headed to other states will be subject to standards that are weaker than those of the typical landfill handling house-hold waste.