Podcasts about coal ash

What went wrong in Kingston, Tennessee, and what does it reveal about the messy legacy of public utilities turned corporate giants?Valley So Low Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes and get exclusive access to bonus content.

Jared Sullivan got his start primarily editing and admired the kinds of writers and reporters who do both well, like a David Remnick. Valley So Low is Jared's new book, and it is along the lines of Jonathan Harr's A Civil Action and illustrates the toll that greed and negligence exert on the people exposed to toxins and the cost cases of this nature take on the legal team, both financial and physical.Jared's work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Garden & Gun, Men's Journal, and Field & Stream.Pre-order The Front RunnerSponsor: The Power of Narrative Conference. Use CNF15 at checkout for a 15% discount.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

On this week's program, we dive into the issue of the health impacts of burning coal with UofL professor of Geographic & Environmental Sciences, Dr. Charlie Zhang, who presented at the University of Louisville's monthly Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Seminar Series back on August 1, 2024. Dr. Zhang's presentation was entitled "Examining Health Impacts of Proximity to Coal Ash Storage Facilities in the United States: A National Geospatial Study." This seminar series is presented by UofL's Center for Integrative Environmental Health Science and the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology and is free and open to the public virtually or in person. You can watch the full presentation and see the slides at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9B_AJ8ClDY Learn more about the full seminar series and find recordings of other talks at https://louisville.edu/ciehs/seminars/2024-2025-ehs-seminars On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

Monday November 11, 2024 Jared Sullivan New Book on the 2008 TVA Coal Ash Spill by Russell Mokhiber

On Dec. 22, 2008, a major dike failure occurred on the north slopes of the ash pond at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) Kingston Fossil Plant. The failure resulted in the release of approximately 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash spilling onto adjacent land and into the Emory River. The Kingston spill is considered one of the most significant and costly events in TVA history. In a project completion fact sheet issued jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the TVA in December 2014, it says the cleanup took about six years, required a total of 6.7 million man-hours, and cost $1.178 billion. TVA hired various contractors to perform the post-spill cleanup, removal, and recovery of fly ash at the Kingston site. Perhaps most notable among them was Jacobs Engineering. TVA hired Jacobs in 2009 specifically to provide program management services to assist with the cleanup. Jacobs claims to have “a strong track record of safely managing some of the world's most complex engineering and environmental challenges.” It has noted that TVA and the EPA's on-scene coordinator oversaw the worker safety programs for the Kingston cleanup, approving all actions in consultation with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Jacobs said TVA maintained rigorous safety standards throughout the cleanup, and that it worked closely with TVA in following and supporting those standards. Jared Sullivan, author of Valley So Low: One Lawyer's Fight for Justice in the Wake of America's Great Coal Catastrophe, studied the Kingston cleanup and followed some of the plaintiffs for more than five years while writing his book. As a guest on The POWER Podcast, Sullivan suggested many of the workers felt fortunate to be employed on the Kingston cleanup. The U.S. economy was not thriving at the time; housing and stock markets were in a funk, and unemployment was relatively high. “These workers—these 900 men and women—this disaster is kind of a godsend for them as far as their employment goes, you know. A lot of them needed work. Many of them were very, very pleased to get this call,” Sullivan explained. “The trouble is that after a year or so of working on this job site—of scooping up and hauling off this coal ash muck from the landscape, also from the river—they start feeling really, really terribly,” he said. “At first they kind of write off their symptoms as overworking themselves. In many cases, these workers were working 14-hour shifts and just pushing themselves really, really hard because there's a lot of overtime opportunities. So, that was good for them—that they could work so much, that this mess was so big,” Sullivan continued. But after a while, some workers start blacking out in their cars, having nosebleeds, start coughing up black mucous, and it becomes clear to them that the coal ash is the cause. Jacobs reports several contractors' workers at the Kingston site filed workers compensation claims against their employer in 2013. These workers alleged that conditions at the site caused them to experience various health issues that were a result of excessive exposure to coal ash. Jacobs said many of these claims were found to be unsubstantiated and were rejected. Then, many of the same workers filed lawsuits against Jacobs, even though they may not have been Jacobs employees. Jacobs says it stands by its safety record, and that it did not cause any injuries to the workers. “The case resolved early last year, after almost 10 years of litigation,” Sullivan said. “Jacobs Engineering and the plaintiffs—230 of them—finally settled the case. $77.5 million dollars for 230 plaintiffs. So, it works out to a couple hundred thousand dollars each for the plaintiffs after the lawyers take their fees—so, not tons of money.” In a statement, Jacobs said, “To avoid further litigation, the parties chose to enter into an agreement to resolve the cases.”

Tune in here to this ​Friday's edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen!  Breaking Brett Jensen kicks the show off by talking about the impact of Hurricane Helene on Western North Carolina, focusing on power restoration efforts by Duke Energy, which is working to restore electricity to affected customers. He highlights a lawsuit against Duke Energy related to coal ash management and its health implications for the community.  and Brett Jensen also interviews Mack Patterson, a local Domino's franchise owner providing free pizzas to storm-affected residents. Additionally, he shares information from FEMA about ongoing recovery efforts, including the deployment of federal responders in the area. The overall theme is community resilience and support during the recovery process.  Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune in here to this ​Wednesday's edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen! Breaking Brett Jensen kicks the show off by talking about Concerns are growing over the connection between coal ash from Duke Energy and high rates of thyroid cancer in the Mooresville and Lake Norman areas. Residents have found toxic radiation levels near coal ash sites, with some buried under schools and homes. Despite over 400 reported cases, the situation has not been officially declared a "cancer cluster," but pressure is mounting for more studies and EPA involvement.  And The Panthers are benching rookie quarterback Bryce Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton after a rough start to the season. The coaching staff believes Dalton gives them a better chance to win, though they've avoided directly criticizing Young's performance.  Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid the latest findings linking coal ash to thyroid cancer, WBT News Director Mark Garrison heads to Mooresville to do an investigative report and takes a look at who's responsible.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crews are digging up soil and pumps are pulling water to clean up a leak at a power plant near Cohasset in northern Minnesota. Two weeks ago Tuesday, Minnesota Power reported that wastewater containing coal ash — the waste product created when coal is burned for power — had spilled from a pipeline at Boswell Energy Center.The company and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency say about 5.5 million gallons of water containing ash leaked, with some of it reaching Blackwater Lake on the Mississippi River. As of Monday morning, the MPCA said about 639,000 gallons had been pumped back into the plant's system. Sampling from the area has found higher-than-normal levels of sulfate and boron.All this comes as the federal government is getting stricter this year with how coal ash and coal ash wastewater are regulated. Kari Lydersen has followed this as an energy reporter and investigative journalism professor with Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism. She joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer with context.

The Indianapolis Community Food Access Coalition recently recommended new community members to a city commission. The National Labor Relations Board this week overruled an Indiana company's objections to a successful union vote by its workers. The Environmental Protection Agency says the standard for cleaning up coal ash in the Town of Pines will now be a little more strict – but activists say some flaws still remain. At IPS Butler University Laboratory School 60 on the city's near northside, nearly 300 students have been taking classes all summer. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. Today's episode of WFYI News Now was produced by Drew Daudelin and Abriana Herron, with support from News Director Sarah Neal-Estes.

Alabama vs. the EPA. Hurricane-season predictions. A barbecue hall of famer. Alabama brain drain. This week's review quiz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's deep dive, we'll learn that some environmentalists want the state to move faster to stop coal ash from polluting Illinois rivers. 

The Side Effects team looks into Ozempic, the diabetes drug increasingly being used for weight-loss, and the connection it might have with unexpected pregnancies. The leader of Indianapolis Public Schools says the district “fell short” for not informing parents that a teacher was accused last fall of filming the alleged abuse of a student by a classmate. A new statewide program is giving families extra state benefits to help with summer meals. New federal rules from the Environmental Protection Agency will increase regulation of how utilities should handle toxic coal ash waste. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. Today's episode of WFYI News Now was produced by Abriana Herron, Drew Daudelin and Kendall Antron with support from News Director Sarah Neal-Estes.

Tune in here to this Thursday edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen! Breaking Brett Jensen kicks the show off by talking with Mark Garrison from the WBT Newsroom about Duke Power's coal ash issues and the Mooresville Mayor's comments on the issue at a press conference today. The sink hole that appeared a few years ago in Mooresville broke water line that has washed coal ash into a nearby stream and there are concerns that the coal ash will make its way into Lake Norman causing even more issues. Although Duke Power claims there is no link between coal ash and cancer, a Duke University study shows their very well could be a link between the two.  Later in the show Brett discusses a new ban of noncompete clauses which will free employees from any waiting period should they leave one company and get a job at another company considered a competitor. This hasn't gone over without any repercussions as the Chamber of Commerce in Texas has brought a lawsuit against the FTC for it's ban.  Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Friday, April 12 edition of Georgia Today: A Senate hearing is planning on looking into delays at the U.S. Postal Service; Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens unveils the proposed locations for three new MARTA stations; and we'll take a closer look at Georgia Power's plans to close toxic coal ash ponds. 

On the Friday April 12th edition of Georgia Today: A senate hearing is planning on looking into delays at the US Postal Service; Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens unveils the proposed locations for three new MARTA stations; And we'll take a closer look at Georgia Power's plans to close toxic coal ash ponds. 

The Indianapolis Public School Board is accepting applications for its next appointment to the Indianapolis library board - IPS is responsible for appointing two members to the board. Lawmakers shared more detailed plans this week about their education goals for the upcoming legislative session - they're divided on how to address work-based learning, low third grade reading scores and early education. Indiana sixth through eighth graders can now participate in the first statewide civics bee. More than thirty Hoosiers signed on to a multi-state letter urging the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the use of coal ash as fill-in construction. William "Duke" Oliver is an Indianapolis native with deep roots in the community that he's served - Oliver sat down with WFYI's Jill Sheridan to talk about his history on the council. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. Today's episode of WFYI News Now was produced by Darian Benson, Abriana Herron, Drew Daudelin and Kendall Antron with support from Sarah Neal-Estes.

ICYMI On Midday Mobile Sean Sullivan talked to Caine O'Rear Director Of Communications at Mobile Baykeeper about Shrimp Business and Alabama Seafood.  They also discussed water quality and Coal Ash.  Listen to the interesting conversation: 

On the Friday, Aug. 4 edition of Georgia Today: Preparations are under way in downtown Atlanta in anticipation of potential indictments related to the 2020 election and former President Trump; an EPA ruling in Alabama on coal ash may have broad implications here in Georgia; and a conversation with the journalists behind our series investigating when it's too hot to work.

On the Friday August 4th edition of Georgia Today: Preparations are under way in downtown Atlanta in anticipation of potential indictments related to the 2020 election and Former President Trump; An EPA ruling in Alabama on Coal Ash may have broad implications here in Georgia; And a conversation with the journalists behind our series investigating when it's too hot to work.

On today's episode, Megan Berge hands the reigns over to Partners, Kent Mayo and Martha Thomsen to discuss the EPA's proposed legacy rule. A link to the rule is below and the comments close on Monday July 17th. If you have questions about the proposed rule and its implications for your business, please contact Kent or Martha. Federalregister.gov

Ryan Kamp's story in geosynthetics, which began at the bottom of a containment cell and finds him today atop one of the most successful installation companies in the world, is an exemplary tale of hard work and the value of creating opportunity for the people around you. Here, he talks with Tamara Tuttle about careers, the state of coal ash containment, and how to listen to the voice within when the desire to grow in business strikes. 

The move comes after years of legal battles over what to do with the substance, and is required by legislation. The process will take several years.

A new report claims that most utility companies in the U.S. contaminate groundwater and evade federal regulations, including four energy plants in the St. Louis area. Patricia Schuba, president of the board of Labadie Environmental Organization, talks about why she's concerned, what St. Louisans can do to protect their home's water supply and what people can do to change things and hold companies accountable.

HMM Correspondent Garrett McCarey speaks with Sylvia Rowlands about the proposed Wind Turbine Factory on Beacon Island an Island composed of toxic coal ash. For additional information contact sylviarowlands54@outlook.com

On this West Virginia Morning, for many Black communities, music is an essential component of end-of-life rituals. When a loved one dies, families often call on a singer to perform at a funeral to offer comfort and healing. Inside Appalachia Folkways Reporter Leeshia Lee spoke with her cousin, Michelle Dyess, about being a funeral singer in Charleston.

On this West Virginia Morning, for many Black communities, music is an essential component of end-of-life rituals. When a loved one dies, families often call on a singer to perform at a funeral to offer comfort and healing. Inside Appalachia Folkways Reporter Leeshia Lee spoke with her cousin, Michelle Dyess, about being a funeral singer in Charleston. The post Singing At Funerals And Cleaning Up Coal Ash On This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

For our show on November 14th, tune in to hear host Craig Lubow speak with Abel Russ, Senior Attorney with The Environmental Integrity Project and co-author of the report “Poisonous […] The post POISONOUS COVERUP – POWER PLANTS AVOID THE COAL ASH RULE appeared first on KKFI.

A new report reveals that 91% of the nation's coal plants are heavily contaminating groundwater, and some of the most polluted sites are in the Mountain West.

ICYMI: Midday Mobile Sean Sullivan talk to Mobile Bay Keepers Executive Director William Strickland and Cade Kistler talked about the organization's Coal Ash Lawsuit against Alabama Power.  Mobile Bay Keepers wants a different way to rid of the coal ash so it will not leak in to Mobile's drinking water.

10052022 Melissa Coal Ash Chemtrails by Kate Dalley

Show links:Lynne Heasley's websiteGreat Lakes NowThe Accidental Reef book websiteBuy The Accidental Reef at Amazon and support the show!Coal Ash story at Great Lakes NowHABs story at Great Lakes NowIsle Royale wolvesTMATGL 3Measuring the social carrying capacity for gray wolves in MichiganRashomonMinervaMarsThe Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909La FamiliaManitoulin Island

State Senator Adriane Johnson and her guest, Arielle Hampton of the Illinois Environmental Council, discuss legislative efforts to clean up coal ash ponds across Illinois, particularly in Johnson's 30th District, in this episode of the Sound of the State.

In this episode, host Kevin Ferrara speaks with Susan Wind who has been researching and speaking about Coal Ash that has polluted water sources around the country and is linked to cancer.  IN fact, Susan's daughter developed cancer likely because of her exposure to polluted water that contained coal ash that was dumped within her community.As Susan speaks about yet another pollutant that is plaguing our communities, she speaks of the lack of transparency, accountability, and enforcement regarding coal ash usage and disposal despite evidence that shows coal ash has been a known pollutant and carcinogen for years.As the podcast wraps up, Susan speaks about the peaceful protest that will be held at the EPA Headquarters in Washington DC, 20 September 2022.  More information on the event can be found by clicking the link below.Links:Susan Wind Had a Reason to press State Officials About A Possible Cancer Cluster Near Lake Norman.  Her Daughter Had the Disease.EPA Protest EventEPA Protest Facebook PageCoal Ash Basics (EPA)AFSO21 Your leadership, management, and fire protection and emergency services consulting solutionFirst In Wellness Goal-oriented, personalized, preventative health & wellness programs designed for firefighters.AFSO21 Delivering strategic & operational planning fundamentals to emergency services around the worldSupport the show

Australians are heading to the polls in what many see as a last-chance climate election, as the fossil-fuel-friendly country reels from years of extreme weather worsened by climate change. In India, a lesser-known consequence of burning coal is hurting people and ecosystems. And in Uganda, farmers are finding the chemicals they're putting on their crops are far more dangerous than they thought.

Paranoid, delusional, radicalized parents last straw for fed up teachers | GOP in-fighting rages on in Missouri | Foreign ownership of American farmland up 260% since 2010 | IL Gov JD Pritzker admin announces $4K state tax credit on new electric vehicles | Indiana legislature much older, whiter, male-er than average Hoosier | KS Gov Laura Kelly announces $650 Million bio-manufacturing project | Radioactive coal ash used as fill material in Tennessee playground | Afroman joins MO GOP State Rep to call for legal cannabis | Bill O'Reilly is an ugly, petulant child https://heartlandpod.com/Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD

Paranoid, delusional, radicalized parents last straw for fed up teachers | GOP in-fighting rages on in Missouri | Foreign ownership of American farmland up 260% since 2010 | IL Gov JD Pritzker admin announces $4K state tax credit on new electric vehicles | Indiana legislature much older, whiter, male-er than average Hoosier | KS Gov Laura Kelly announces $650 Million bio-manufacturing project | Radioactive coal ash used as fill material in Tennessee playground | Afroman joins MO GOP State Rep to call for legal cannabis | Bill O'Reilly is an ugly, petulant child https://heartlandpod.com/Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD"Change The Conversation"

In this episode: We explore the next chapter in the ongoing regulatory saga of coal combustion residuals (a.k.a. coal ash) and how to prepare for potential enforcement actions under the Biden Administration.  For more information, please contact our guest, Kent Mayo, or our host, Megan Berge. Environmental Evolutions explores emerging areas and recent developments in environmental law and policy.  

Ever been to Dimboola? The town on the Wimmera River in western Victoria is attracting tree-changers from far and wide. We take a tour...

When coal-fired power plants burn coal, what's left over is a toxic ash mixed with water that gets stored in ash ponds. They look pretty much like you'd imagine – huge, contained pools of slurry and particulates – and environmentalists worry about their potential effects on the ecosystem and drinking water. Georgia Power is on track to quit adding to its ash ponds by sometime next year. That's a mandate in the Integrated Resources Plan the Georgia Public Service Commission approved this summer.

EPS Ep. 12: An on-the-ground account of coal ash pollution in Texas by Utility Dive

Emotions boiled over at a recent public information session on coal ash put on by the NC Department of Environmental Quality as they decide whether to force Duke Energy to remove coal ash from its dangerous unlined storage pits. We spoke with reporter Lisa Sorg and NC Sen. Vickie Sawyer (R-Iredell) about the tense event on Lake Norman. Plus, an interview with William J. Barber, III on the climate justice movement, his work with the Climate Reality Project, and what it's like sitting on the NC Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board.

with Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen

with Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen