TN DEC monitors at, I believe, only two sites in the state. Average levels are in the range of 2-4 PPB. Mind you that's on an instrument range that is general 0-1000 or 0-2000 PPB, so it's almost in the noise.

The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) is an annual average of less than 30 PPB. TN's sites may only see a few hours a year that high.

If TVA's average is 25% of the standard, that would mean an annual average in the range of 7-8 ppb, roughly double the state background, but clearly well below the standard.

We're seeing ambient SO2 monitors being turned off around the country due to the fact that SO2 is not a problem anymore. EPA's current air monitoring strategy is to eliminate SO2 monitoring, but do some limited sulfate (SO4) monitoring.

It would be nice to get a report of the 10 to 30 highest hourly readings per year. If the number of high readings are sufficiently low (say, # of hourly readings > 30 not more than twice what the state sees), I'd say this is a non-issue, and anyone concerned about health effects would be better served looking at other hazardous air pollutants (like fine particulate from diesel trucks).
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Fighting for Reform and Representation, Fourth District
Steve Drevik, Commission Seat 4-B
(link...)

I think this is outrageous and irresposable actions taken forth by our local and state governments. SO2 monitering should always be an important process in exposure in power plants. I am a Union insulators and unless their power plants are more efficient than ours, these money making machines run at full blast wether there are holes or not in the oulet ducts.
SO2 readings were probably only taken at the farthest output of air from the boiler thus making all leakage a major factor in result to a final air clearance. In other words, all gasses escaping through holes before the air is output into the enviroment are not even meant to exist in their readings.
I wear a half mask 3M respirator with gas catridges and when right up against a running duct can still smell the gas either leaking around the seal of the mask or is so concentrated is seeping through the charcoal filter. This agression shall not stand, man.