NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Permit challenged for water discharge at TVA plant

Permit challenged for water discharge at TVA plant

Associated Press - November 12, 2009 1:55 PM ET

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Environmental activists are trying to block the Tennessee Valley Authority from starting to dump 1 million gallons of mercury, selenium and other chemicals a day from its Kingston Plant into the same river where coal ash was spilled in December.

Representatives of Earthjustice and other groups told reporters Thursday they are challenging a Clean Water Act permit issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. They said technology is available to avoid the potentially toxic discharges.

The discharges stem from new smokestack scrubbers for air emissions at the plant where TVA is still engaged in a $1 billion ash spill cleanup.

Spokespersons for TVA and TDEC said they plan to have comments later.

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