January 4 

Today volunteers from United Mountain Defense were in the field bright and early gathering samples of water from the Emory River and coal ash samples along Swan Pond Circle Rd. The river water samples were gathered near the disaster site and at 1/4 intervals downstream of the disaster site. United Mountain Defense volunteers also gathered samples upstream from the disaster site on the Emory River.

United Mountain Defense volunteers were accompanied by a local resident whom we had met on the previous afternoon at the Swan Pond community meeting. This resident observed and received training in the scientific protocols that we were using to gather the samples. This resident also gathered a separate sample for independent testing by a relative.

United Mountain Defense volunteers wore respirators that may or may not have helped filter out the fine particles of coal ash that may have been floating in the air.
As the water monitoring began United Mountain Defense volunteer staff person, Matt Landon did a radio interview with the Talking Feather radio show in Vermont. He also dedicated a portion of the radio interview to a local resident who was on site as well.
United Mountain Defense volunteers then attended a planning meeting where we figured out a plan of action for the next few days. This has been our action plan to date. We are currently using our training to the best of our ability, following our intuition, and listening to the concerns and needs of the local residents.  

January 5

Members of the Knoxville and Ashville Independent Media attended the TVA press conference today. They were armed with a list of "14 Questions TVA will not answer."

14 Questions TVA will not answer

1. When will TVA pay for urinalysis for heavy metals and other health concerns of local citizens?
2. When will TVA release the test results about what is in the coal ash pile?
3. When will the emergency response personnel be given maps of the new driving routes into the impacted communities?
4. When will the 50 or more people without phone service be provided with cell phones paid for by TVA?
5. When will the clean up workers become aware of the health risks of working with coal ash?
6. When will TVA release their Material Safety Data Sheets for the coal fly ash?
7. When will TVA provide HEPA air filters to the impacted residents?
8. When was the Red Cross contacted and when were they told not to come?
9. When will people get air quality results?
10. When will TVA put air monitoring equipment in each impacted neighborhood and home?
11. How much will TVA pay the county for road repair?
12. When will all residents receive personal protection equipment?
13. Why can a small non profit named United Mountain Defense do water testing and get the results back to the community before TVA, EPA, and TDEC?
14. What is TVA doing to make sure that the other coal ash ponds are not going to burst?

United Mountain Defense volunteer staff person, Matt Landon, did another 30 minute radio interview with a radio station in Vermont.

United Mountain Defense volunteers also tried to make connections with the Bucket Brigade in order to facilitate the startup of a citizen air quality monitoring program.
A good portion of energy was spent working to secure funds for biometric testing of residents impacted by the coal ash disaster. We are trying to locate residents who drank the ground water for a few days after the disaster and may or may not have vomited after doing so.

There is no shortage of a need for project funding. United Mountain Defense is a 501c3 and we are seeking funding or co-sponsoring organizations to help fund personal protection equipment, bottled water, independent air and water monitoring, and biometric testing of impacted residents.

If you are a resident of the Swan Pond community please contact us at 865 689 2778.

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. Here are his first, second, and third posts.