Who would want somebody else's garbage? Look no further than Perry County. A huge landfill there was cleared on Thursday so it could store millions of tons of coal ash from Tennessee.
TVA's coal ash spill in Tennessee covered 300 acres. Now, the EPA has approved shipping millions of tons of it to the Arrow Head Landfill near Uniontown. Perry County Commissioner Albert Turner calls the deal an economic boom.
With unemployment topping 14% in Perry County local leaders say this is about jobs and revenue. The plan to bring in coal ash and dispose of it will bring in $3 million to the county coffers.
But is it safe?
“This is a lump of dirt. It feels like mud, doesn't have any smell, nothing toxic about it,” said Commissioner Tuner.
Critics say coal ash contains toxins like lead and arsenic, and liken this move to environmental racism; targeting a poor community to dump in.
Perry County resident Debbie Finney said, “It will ruin Perry County forever. If it was okay why didn't Tennessee keep it? Once it gets here…become a dumping ground for anything and everything.”
“I've been around a power plant that uses coal. It gets all over everything…it's nasty,” said Jim Gilliand.
But Commissioner Turner says the TVA coal ash may only be the beginning. He'd like to see other companies dump their waste here as well.
Since the TVA spill, the EPA is considering regulating where coal ash can be stored. Usually it’s dumped in ponds near power plants, raising concerns about groundwater contamination.
List of power plants with coal ash ponds in Alabama:Alabama Electric Cooperative Inc. - Washington County - 28,400 tons
Alabama Power Co. - Mobile County - 282,900 tons
Alabama Power Co. - Etowah County - 34,100 tons
Alabama Power Co. - Walker County - 304,900 tons
Alabama Power Co. - Greene County - 211,900 tons
Alabama Power Co. - Jefferson County - 61,500 tons
Tennessee Valley Authority - Colbert County - 29,200 tons
Tennessee Valley Authority - Jackson County - 407,600 tons
