January 1

Today started out with some of the best news that we have had since entering the disaster zone of what used to be the isolated community of Swan Pond near Harriman, TN. We learned that there were a number of local residents who had organized themselves to distribute flyers about Saturday’s public meeting.

United Mountain Defense volunteers saw our first TVA air monitoring station next to the coal burning power plant while we were delivering announcements about the public meeting. We need to mobilize the Bucket Brigade so that we can do independent monitoring of the air quality in the area.

After entering the Lakeshore Drive neighborhood to distribute meeting announcements, United Mountain Defense volunteers were harassed by the Roane County police even though we had papers and identification showing we were allowed to be there in the community. The officer told the volunteers that we needed to stay in our homes. The United Mountain Defense volunteers witnessed clean up crews wearing personal protection equipment.

Later in the afternoon United Mountain Defense volunteers learned that the first round of water quality data had come back from the laboratory. The water quality results showed very hot levels of arsenic and heavy metals. The United Mountain Defense volunteers began calling all the local contacts we had made over the past week and half to inform them about the test results before informing the media. This was a promise that we made as we traveled around within this community and we planned on fulfilling it.

January 2

On the previous day United Mountain Defense volunteers learned that TVA was holding a press conference at a location called the Joint Information Center (JIC) where TVA would be inviting the media to attend for the latest updates. After receiving the first round of water monitoring data United Mountain Defense created a press release about the information. The United Mountain Defense volunteers awoke at 6 AM because they were so excited about attending the 8 AM press conference. Upon finding the location of the press conference they learned that it would not occur until 11 AM. At this point the United Mountain Defense volunteers contacted their friends in the Knoxville Independent Media Collective to inform them of the press conference. United Mountain Defense volunteers made sure to hand off the press releases to un affiliated free lance writers who were planning on attending the press conference.

At 10:30 AM representatives of Knoxville Indy Media showed up and began setting up video cameras. They were there early enough to catch on film the freelance writers distributing United Mountain Defense’s press release to the press. This brave frelance writer then began to line each chair with the press release. When this action was brought to the attention of Gil Francis, TVA’s PR man, he began to freak out. He threatened to kick the freelance writer out of the press conference by summoning the local police. Of course the freelance writer was a member of the press and Gil could not kick him out as he was not causing any problems. The writer took his seat as the press conference began. TVA, EPA, TDEC, and local emergency officials, and the Mayor of Kingston all spoke about the safety of the coal ash and the drinking water. Out of all these agencies EPA was the only one that said that this coal ash could be toxic to humans. After the TVA presentation the press began to grill them about the water quality info that they had in their hands that showed arsenic levels between 35-300 times higher than safe drinking water levels. All of the officials stated that they could not comment on the independent test results as they had not had time to review them. TDEC stated they wanted to look at more independent water monitoring data.

After the TVA press conference a representative of United Mountain Defense was available for an interview and spoke about the work of training citizen water monitors and that this was just the first round of water quality data. This United Mountain Defense representative commented that it was interesting that a small non profit could take samples five days after the disaster happened and get the data out to the public before TVA, EPA, and TDEC could even though these government agencies had been taking samples since day one.

TVA invited all the press to a site visit after the press conference. The Knoxville Independent Media decided to go on this site visit to see first hand what was happening down there. The Knoxville Independent Media representative had to present his press credentials and there was some question about whether he would be allowed on site. After some discussion he was granted another open invitation from Gil Francis, TVA’s PR man. After getting suited up with hard hats, safety glasses, and orange vests the press was led up the side of the coal ash containment pond. Upon walking up the still stable side of the coal ash pile the press was granted a view of total destruction. There was lots of machinery rolling around on the site moving coal ash piles. There were bulldozers rolling over spongy soil which used to be part of the coal ash pile, most likely an old spring or part of the flood plane for the Emory River. The press also witnessed coal ash being trucked around on site to be piled where the water could be drained off and re routed to other containment areas. The railroad was cleared, all of the ties were stacked to the side and new rail was being laid. TVA expects the rail line to be operating by Jan 11, 2009 so that they could begin importing coal once again. After learning about the coal ash disaster the press was escorted back down the hill and stomped through the coal ash muck on the work road. Once we were back in the temporary media parking lot the Knoxville Independent Media reporter asked Gil Francis if the mud on his boots was safe. Gil Francis stated that this was just mud and that it was safe. He said that he had been walking around in it for almost two weeks with no problems.

Later in the afternoon the United Mountain Defense volunteers moved our base of operations to the mega lake house alpha.

So the work is continuing here. We have been distributing free information to the coal impacted residents of the Swan Pond community in Harriman, TN. We have been gathering water and coal ash samples. We expect our next round of sample data to be available next week.

If you are a resident impacted by TVA's coal ash disaster please contact us at 865 689 2778.

Please make donations of money and resources to United Mountain Defense at P.O. Box 20363 Knoxville, TN 37920 or online at our PayPal account. 

Ed note:  Matt Landon, a full time volunteer with United Mountain Defense, is reporting from the ground in Harriman, TN.  Because of his chaotic schedule, we've just received a batch of diary posts from the past week, which we'll be re-publishing in chronological order. His first post can be read here.