TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY’S TOXIC COAL ASH

The document details the environmental impact of 56 TVA coal ash dumpsites, noting that groundwater monitoring data indicates significant contamination at both regulated and unregulated sites. It calls for the EPA to strengthen the 2015 Coal Ash Rule to eliminate exemptions for legacy ponds and inactive landfills.

• The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) operates 56 coal ash dumpsites across 12 current and former coal plant sites located in Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
• TVA has 29 federally regulated coal ash ponds and landfills containing approximately 119 million cubic yards of toxic waste; groundwater monitoring data shows these sites have caused significant contamination, yet TVA has not initiated plant-wide cleanups despite legal requirements.
• There are at least 27 unregulated inactive coal ash landfills and legacy ponds at TVA plants that are exempt from the 2015 Coal Ash Rule. Monitoring and historical data indicate significant groundwater contamination at all but one of the TVA plants containing these legacy sites.
• Coal ash contains hazardous pollutants—including arsenic, lead, and mercury—linked to severe health issues such as cancer and neurological harm. Nationally, 91% of coal plants are currently polluting groundwater above federal health standards.

APA

Earthjustice (2023). TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY’S TOXIC COAL ASH. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/tva_coal-ash_state-fact-sheet_2024-08.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY’S TOXIC COAL ASH. 2023. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/tva_coal-ash_state-fact-sheet_2024-08.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY’S TOXIC COAL ASH |date=April 2023 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/tva_coal-ash_state-fact-sheet_2024-08.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjustice2023tennessee, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY’S TOXIC COAL ASH}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, year = {2023}, month = apr, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/tva_coal-ash_state-fact-sheet_2024-08.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }