State approves coal ash disposal at Matlock Bend landfill, in Loudon

The state has approved limited ash disposal test runs from the TVA ash spill site in Roane County to four Class I Tennessee landfills. The TDEC approval goes into effect July 15. Matlock Bend landfill in Loudon County is one of the approved sites. Loudon County Mayor Doyle Arp says he had no idea the operator of Matlock Bend Municipal Landfill had agreed to accept TVA fly ash on a trial basis. That's not what the Solid Waste Commission members wanted done and I'm sure it's not what our county commissioners would have wanted done.” The approval for test runs came as a shock to some landfill neighbors and county officials. Arp says he'll fight to keep the ash out of this county, and at least one neighbor of the Loudon landfill feels the same way. Local resident Mark Moore says: I know they have to put it somewhere, but I'm not crazy about it being next door to me." Loudon resident Wendy Baustian, in a letter to county officials and state legislators, wrote: We have no idea of the lasting impact that the fly ash will impose upon the residents in terms of health....TVA tells people not to drink or play in the water near the spill because of the fly ash and it's unknown health hazards, yet we are going to bring it here. There is no amount of money that is acceptable to take, in exchange for the health and well-being of the members of this community.”