Great job, WC. RoaneViews has done an excellent job covering the spill, so hats off.

Headlines that start with hyperbole (Radioactive![Not] Much Worse than Thought![Not]) are as misleading and as wrong as the local Chamber of Commerce saying "There's no problem here.

I see. Now WhitesCreek says just calm down. His post is a record length non sequitur.

It was "Much Worse than Thought". Yep, about 3.18 times worse. And that is according to TVA.

We still have no idea the extent of the ground water contamination. The range of the ground water contamination. The rate of flow of the ground water contamination. The time to clean up the disaster. And how much it will cost. So yes WhitesCreek, it is much much worse than anyone thought. At least 318% worse. But thanks so much for trying to tell us to be complacent. I seriously doubt you drink out of the tap. Kumbaya, can't we all just get along?

I really have never understood WhitesCreek. He first riffs about how this was the end of times and now he tells there is no such thing as clean coal while singing the cleanup chorus from Kumbaya. It will be okay, just don't panic. Think a positive affirmation.

(link...)

This sucks on an epic scale. We all knew TVA was incompetent and now we get to pay for the cleanup and the lawsuits. But don't panic. What ever you do don't panic. Just suck it up.

But whatever you do don't criticize the daily paper. Don't criticize the Kumbaya cleanup. Don't criticize the local Mayors, the Governor, our Senators, our Representatives or the people that repeatedly warned this might happen. Don't you listen to negative Nellies.

Seems that the people most upset that the lawyers and Erin Brockovich have descended are the most ardent local environmentalist and progressives. Afraid the lawyers and Ms. Brockovich may get all the attention? Not invented here?

Don't panic. This won't hurt much. In fact, you may not notice anything for at least five or six years. Except of course for the instant loss of equity in your property.

Remember kids, TVA says, "We're good enough, we're smart enough, and doggone it people like us".

Will there be koolaid at the Erin Brockovich get together? You might want to pass on the punch bowl WhitesCreek, you have had enough.

You raise some interesting points, #9. Too bad they are lost in being such a dick.

I don't think Mikey really gives a rats ass about TVA or the ash spill. He just wants another reason to rail against the News Sentinel. He's still bitter they banned him (although he is back another another #9 nom de guerre).

"Please be thoughtful about the TVA ash spill."

We the ratepayers all get to pay for this. For decades. If the government, the media, the agencies and TVA had done their job we would not be here now.

There are three more ponds on the Kingston property and many more ponds at other coal plants run by TVA. It is flooding this very moment.

Do you trust TVA? Why should you?

And Rach, you should disclaim on every post you worked there at TVA for 14 years and your spouse works there now.

Kumbaya.

Do you trust TVA?

Answering for myself, no. They are just like any other government bureaucracy. They need oversight. They (mostly management) just do what they are tasked, and/or allowed, to do or not do.

you should disclaim on every post you worked there at TVA for 14 years and your spouse works there now.

That, of course, disqualifies us from thoughtfulness.

Hey guys - for the record (and the very few of you who don't already know it) - Mike Mitchell (who won't even sign his name) wants you to know that I WORKED FOR TVA FOR 14 YEARS. Mike knows that because I posted it here.

I worked in information services. I designed IS systems/databases for the enviromental group, and did a stint in corporate IS policy. In all that time, I think I was in a fossil plant once, on some kind of tour. Never even did any IS support for power.

Mike also wants you to know that MY SPOUSE WORKS FOR TVA. He knows that because I posted it here. My spouse is a water quality engineer, in whatever the hell they call the environmental group now. He works on awful stuff like stream bank restoration. Also completely unrelated to fossil power.

Now, Mike, suppose you give us your resume so we can look at your credentials as a media critic, management guru, and environmental expert.

P.S. Do I trust TVA? It depends on what you mean by TVA. Do I trust what comes out of their collective corporate mouth? Nah. Do I trust some of the individuals who work there, who I know to be competent, hardworking, and honest. Yeah, I do.

P.P.S. And while you're railing, how about railing at the fact that EPA decided flyash doesn't need to be regulated as a hazardous waste. And that they promised 8 years ago to come up with some regulations for disposing of it and never did.

the fact that EPA decided flyash doesn't need to be regulated as a hazardous waste. And that they promised 8 years ago to come up with some regulations for disposing of it and never did.

Another point that is frequently overlooked, and one that gives TVA a big out on consequences.

DISCLAIMER: I worked for TVA in the Finance Division's separate/private IS division for three months in 1982/83, and would have been retired with a good pension by now. In retrospect, I'm glad that didn't work out. They have my fingerprints on file. If asked, I would refer them to the middle one.