Oak Ridge Today

City may need to access residential properties to identify stormwater outfalls

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By City of Oak Ridge

The City of Oak Ridge may need to access residential property during reasonable hours to identify stormwater outfalls along streams. This is not a request to enter into any building or structures on the property; it is specifically for the purpose of identifying outfalls along streams (or their tributary watercourses) throughout the City of Oak Ridge. Representatives of the City of Oak Ridge will be mapping these outfalls with GPS units and/or making visual assessments of the watercourse, a press release said.

The City of Oak Ridge is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) under the Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit to monitor certain streams (or tributaries to those streams). The goal of this mandate is to protect and rehabilitate our natural water resources. In accordance with this mandate, the City of Oak Ridge has created a geographical information system (GIS) storm sewer map and database program to identify stormwater outfall locations of the U.S. Waters of the State. To facilitate this program, we must enter onto private property to access the watercourse.

The City of Oak Ridge thanks you for your cooperation in complying with this state and federal mandate, and assisting in making our water resources cleaner for everyone. If you have any questions, please call the City of Oak Ridge Stormwater Management Hotline at (865) 425-3497.

EPA, TVA have final public meeting today on Kingston ash spill cleanup

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Kingston Fossil Plant Ash Spill Cleanup

Ash that spilled into the brown embayment pictured above had been removed by June 2013, and workers placed a black plastic liner over an ash containment cell in the background, preparing to close it late in 2014. The ash spilled in December 2008 when a storage cell failed at the Kingston Fossil Plant, back left. (File photo)

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Tennessee Valley Authority have their final public meeting on the cleanup of the 2008 ash spill in Kingston during a meeting this evening (Thursday, June 4).

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is also participating in the meeting on the Kingston Recovery Project.

The meeting is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 4, in the Roane County High School Auditorium. [Read more…]

BBB: OS water, sewer rate hike likely

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Oliver Springs Town Council met Thursday night in regular session and then held a budget workshop. Our partners at BBB-TV report that the main topic at the workshop was how much of an increase in water and sewer rates will be necessary to offset a projected shortfall of almost $248,000 in the city’s Water and Sewer Department.

The city has already borrowed some $2.5 million to pay for repairs to the city’s aging sewer plant as mandated by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, and repaying that loan led to much of the projected shortfall.

During the workshop, officials seemed to indicate that a 15 percent hike will be needed this year, but that will not be enough to meet future needs. Keeping the city’s Water and Sewer department going could require 2 percent to 3 percent rate hikes each year for the next several years.

No votes were taken during Thursday’s work session. The Oliver Springs Water Board will meet again on June 4 and could take some action at that time.

Drop off household hazardous waste in Oak Ridge on Saturday

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The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s mobile household hazardous waste collection service will be in Anderson, Carter, Obion, and Giles counties on Saturday, May 16. The drop-off point in Oak Ridge is the Oak Ridge Public Works Department on Woodbury Lane.

“Our household hazardous waste mobile collection service provides the people of Tennessee with a safe, environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted household chemicals and other potentially hazardous wastes at no cost,” said Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau. “This service travels across the state holding collection events in local communities, and we encourage all Tennesseans to take advantage of the opportunity to utilize it.”

On Saturday, May 16, any Tennessee resident may bring his or her household hazardous waste to the following locations. (Note that hours listed indicate the local time for events.) [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Public Library main area reopens May 4

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Oak Ridge Public Library

The Oak Ridge Public Library is pictured above.

The main area at the Oak Ridge Public Library will reopen Monday, May 4, with new lighting fixtures and will resume regular service hours. All services will be available at the main desk and reference desk, a press release said.

The Children’s Room will close on Monday, May 4, for the lighting renovation. Story times for Monday, May 4, and Tuesday, May 5, will be held in the Social Room at the Civic Center at 10:30 a.m. Limited Children’s Room services will be available in the library auditorium. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Reservation Alliance to meet April 27

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The Oak Ridge Reservation Communities Alliance will meet on Monday, April 27, at 2 p.m. in the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, DOE-Oversight Office, at 761 Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge.

The meeting is open to the public.

Alliance representatives include Terry Frank, Tim Burchett, Bill James, Don Edwards, George Thacker, Warren Gooch, Amy Fitzgerald, Ron Woody, and Scott Stout.

See the agenda here: ORRCA Agenda April 27, 2015.

Public meeting on Kingston coal ash natural resource damage restoration, compensation plan

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TVA Kingston Fossil Plant Dike C Reinforcement

Photo courtesy TVA

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Tennessee Valley Authority are releasing the TVA Kingston Fossil Plant Coal Ash Release Natural Resource Damage Assessment—Restoration and Compensation Determination Plan for public review during a public meeting on Thursday, April 9.

A copy of the document is available online at http://www.tva.com/kingston/ and http://www.tn.gov/environment/kingston.

Who: Representatives from Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Tennessee Valley Authority [Read more…]

Tennessee State Parks has public hearing on Norris Dam State Park on Feb. 24

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Norris Dam State Park

Norris Dam State Park

Leaders from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation will be conducting a public hearing at Norris Dam State Park on Tuesday, February 24, to gather public input and discuss the current business and management plan for the park.

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with an open house reception to meet park staff and view exhibits. The public hearing portion will begin at 6 p.m. and will last approximately one hour to an hour-and-a-half. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Public Library to undergo lighting project

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Oak Ridge Public Library

The Oak Ridge Public Library is pictured above.

Renovation of the lighting and ceiling tile will begin at the Oak Ridge Public Library on Monday, February 23. The renovation project is expected to last several weeks, and it consists of replacing the lighting with LED fixtures, which will provide better lighting and reduced energy costs, a press release said.

There will be limited availability of the building for library patrons during the renovation.

“City and library staff appreciates the community’s patience during this renovation project as the results should be worth the temporary inconvenience,” the press release said.

This renovation project is partially funded by the Clean Tennessee Energy Grant that was awarded to the City of Oak Ridge by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

For more information concerning the availability of the Library during the renovation, call (865) 425-3459.

City conducting inventory of stormwater system

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The Oak Ridge Public Works Department is conducting an inventory of the city stormwater system.

It’s a requirement of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, or MS4, program, and mandated by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, or TDEC. The survey requires documenting all facets of the stormwater system, including, but not limited to streams, ditches, pipe inlets and outlets, and catch basins and detention basins, a press release said. The survey may take several years to complete. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Reservation Communities Alliance meets Feb. 4

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The Oak Ridge Reservation Communities Alliance will meet on Wednesday, February 4, at 2 p.m. in the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, DOE-Oversight Office, at 761 Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge.

The Alliance includes Terry Frank, Tim Burchett, Garland Lankford, Don Edwards, George Thacker, Warren Gooch, Amy Fitzgerald, Ron Woody, and Scott Stout.

The meeting is open to the public.

TVA: Kingston Ash Recovery Project follows new EPA guidelines

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TVA Kingston Fossil Plant Dike C Reinforcement

Photo courtesy TVA

 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for coal combustion products released on Friday are consistent with work the Tennessee Valley Authority has already done at the Kingston recovery project, the public utility said in a press release.

“TVA is already making substantial changes in the way we work with coal combustion products, including coal ash and gypsum, said TVA President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Johnson. “This included committing an estimated $2 billion to convert all our coal fleet impoundments from wet to dry storage. While recognizing the significant potential for beneficial reuse of ash and other products, we agree it needs to be handled and stored safely.”

The project area surrounding the Kingston Fossil Plant near Harriman is in the final restoration stage following the coal ash spill in December 2008. It was the largest ash spill in U.S. history. [Read more…]