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According to EPA dataIn Tennessee, the report noted, two years after the Colbert [[TVA Kingston Fossil Plant and Widows Creek coal ash sites are unlined pondsspill]], the largest industrial spill in U. Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) was reported at S. history, the sites above 100 ppb (parts per billion) state had not beefed up laws to handle toxic waste from its coal- 5fired power plants: "Unfortunately,000 times the proposed California drinking water goals and above Tennessee has failed to become a leader in setting strong standards for coal ash disposal," the federal drinking water standardauthors wrote.<ref name="blind spot"sf/>
As A 2010 [http://www.tva.com/power/stantec2/index.htm review] of 24 [[coal ash]] ponds at the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]]'s coal-burning power plants found that only half of them meet the minimum criteria for stability. TVA has said they will change all their facilities from wet ash storage to dry ash storage by the end of 2019, at an estimated cost of between $1.5 billion to $2 billion.<ref>[http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=13364412 "Study of TVA coal ash ponds finds shortcomings"] WATE.com, October 21, 2010.</ref> The state of Tennessee disputed the report and wrote in a press release that the study "was aimed at supporting the management of coal as a hazardous waste and SACE chose to attack the state's response to the Kingston ash spill as a means to make that case."<ref>[http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/oct/28/state-disputes-coal-ash-report-tdec/ "State disputes coal ash report"] Ed Marcum, Knoxvillebiz.com, October 28, 2010.</ref> ===Study finds dangerous level of hexavalent chromium at TVA coal waste sites===The study [http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/CoalAshChromeReport.pdf "EPA’s Blind Spot: Hexavalent Chromium in Coal Ash,"] released by EarthJustice and the Sierra Club in early February 2011, reported elevated levels of hexavalent [[Chromium|chromium]], a highly potent cancer-causing chemical, at several [[Coal ash|coal ash]] sites in Tennessee.<ref name="blind spot">[http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/CoalAshChromeReport.pdf "EPA’s Blind Spot: Hexavalent Chromium in Coal Ash"] Earthjustice & Sierra Club, February 1, 2011.</ref> In all, the study cited 29 sites in 17 states where hexavalent chromium contamination was found. The information was gathered from existing EPA data on coal ash as well as from studies by EarthJustice, the Environmental Integrity Project, and the Sierra Club.<ref>"Damage Case Report for Coal Combustion Wastes," August 2008</ref><ref>U.S. EPA Proposed Coal Ash Rule, 75 Fed. Reg. 35128</ref><ref>EarthJustice, Environmental Integrity Project, and Sierra Club, "In Harm's Way: Lack of Federal Coal Ash Regulations Endangers Americans and their Environment," August 2010</ref><ref>EarthJustice and Environmental Integrity Project, "Out of Control: Mounting Damages from Coal Ash Waste Sites," May 2010</ref> It included locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Massachusetts, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virgina and Wisconsin.<ref name="blind spot"/> According to the report, hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) was found at elevated levels at the following sites:<ref name="blind spot"/> * [[TVA]]'s [[Johnsonville Fossil Plant]] unlined coal ash pond at 620 ppb (parts per billion) - 31,000 times the proposed California drinking water goals and 6.2 times above the federal drinking water standard. * [[TVA]]'s [[Kingston Fossil Plant]]'s unlined coal waste pond at 100 ppb (parts per billion) - 5,000 times the proposed California drinking water goals and above the federal drinking water standard. A press release about the report read:
SW: →Elevated levels of toxic hexavalent chromium found at two TVA plants: - add section
In response to the massive [[TVA Kingston Fossil Plant coal ash spill|Kingston Fossil plant spill]], TVA announced in August 2009 that it would be converting all of its [[Coal waste|coal waste]] and gypsum operations to dry storage. The utility has 26 ash and gypsum impoundments at 7 coal plants. Under a TVA proposal, six wet-ash plants in Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee would be converted within eight years. Five plants that have wet-gypsum operations will also be converted. Dry ash storage consists of vacuuming out coal waste and containing it in silos, whereas wet ash storage involves flushing coal waste with water and storing it in ash ponds. The agency has hired three consulting firms to help with the project, in response to increased congressional scrutiny and anticipated stricter regulations of coal ash. <ref>[http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h-f_GmtTyvPi4DPV7Y9IrZkxc8wwD9A0924G0 "TVA plans dry coal ash storage for all sites,"] Associated Press, August 11, 2009.</ref>
===Elevated levels of toxic hexavalent chromium found at two TVA plantsStudy: Weak Coal Ash Regulations in Tennessee Highlight Need for Federal Law===A report released in October 2010 by EarthJustice Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) and the Sierra Club other environmental groups titled "State of Coal Ash Regulations in early February 2011 stated that there are many health threats associated with a toxic cancer-causing chemical found Tennessee" cited weak state regulations in Tennessee as an example of the need for federal reform regarding coal ash waste called [[hexavalent chromium]]. The As such, the report specifically cited 29 sites in 17 said regulation should not be left up to state governments: "Given that states where the contamination was found. The information was gathered from existing EPA data on like Tennessee have failed to accept regulatory responsibility for coal ash and included locations in Alabamathe past, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Massachusetts, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virgina and Wisconsin. In Alabama, the TVA [[Colbert Fossil Plant]] in Tuscambia and the TVA [[Widows Creek Fossil Plant]] in Stevenson were both reported as having high levels it is unwise to rely solely on states to ensure that electric generators safely dispose of chromium seeping from unlined retention pondstheir coal waste."<ref name="blind spot"sf>[http://earthjusticewww.org/sites/defaultreuters.com/filesarticle/CoalAshChromeReport.pdf idUS18923875020101028 "EPA’s Blind SpotStudy: Hexavalent Chromium in Weak Coal AshRegs in Tenn. Highlight Need for Federal Law"] Earthjustice & Sierra ClubStacy Feldman, Reuters, February 1October 28, 20112010.</ref>
::Hexavalent chromium first made headlines after Erin Brockovich sued Pacific Gas & Electric because of poisoned drinking water from hexavalent chromium. Now new information indicates that the chemical has readily leaked from coal ash sites across the U.S. This is likely the tip of the iceberg because most coal ash dump sites are not adequately monitored.<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/green-culture-in-mankato/coal-ash-waste-tied-to-cancer-causing-chemicals-water-supplies "Coal ash waste tied to cancer-causing chemicals in water supplies"] Alicia Bayer, Examiner.com, February 1, 2011.</ref>
