Chattanooga Engineers Club

NEXT MEETING____________________________

Monday, November 16 - Noon – DOUBLETREE HOTEL, Inspiration Room (407 Chestnut Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402)

“The Coal Ash Spill - A Kingston, Tennessee Disaster”- Mike Scott, TVA

In the early morning hours of December 22, 2008, the earthen wall of an ash-containment pond at TVA’s Kingston coal-fired Power Plant gave way. The breach released about 3 million cubic yards of fly ash, the largest fly ash release in United States history. The ash was a waste-product from the combustion of coal and was captured and stored in wet form. As it dries, the ash is typically moved to new containment areas to continue the drying process. It was the containment wall of one of these drying areas that broke loose, having been weakened by several days of unusually heavy rains. The spill infiltrated the nearby Emory River, buried 300 acres in sludge and damaged dozens of homes.

Mike Scott, Project Coordinator, TVA’s Kingston Steam Plant will discuss the current status of cleanup operations, the cause of the event, and the unique regulatory framework that has been implemented for the cleanup. Mr. Scott will describe the methods being used to remove the ash from the Emory River, the methods to dewater the ash, and the procedures to transport the ash to an offsite landfill for disposal.

FUTURE MEETINGS________________________

Monday, November 23 – Noon – “Creative Discovery Museum - Little Scientists and Engineers in the Making”

Speaker: Henry Schulson, Director at Creative Discovery Museum

Monday, November 30 – 11:45 am – 1:00 pm – PLANT TOUR: ROADTEC

Roadtec is a manufacturer of cold planers, asphalt pavers and material transfer vehicles.

Tour Guides: Nolan Smith, Inventory Analyst and Steve Hauke, Manager Purchasing and Materials

Monday, December 7 – Noon – “Lithium Batteries-Unlikely Answer for Electric Vehicles”

Speaker: Mark Hairr, UTC CETE Research Program Director

Monday, December 14 – Noon – To be determined.

Monday, December 21 – NO MEETING

Monday, December 28 – NO MEETING

PREVIOUS MEETING_______________________

Bob Colby, Director of the Chattanooga Hamilton County Air Pollution Control (CHCAPCB) Bureau since 1990, introduced his staff including Alan Frazier, PE and Cynthia McDaniel, EIT.

Mr. Colby advised the Club that in 1969 Chattanooga was named, by the U.S. Department of Health, Education & Welfare, the most polluted city in the United States. The City sought and received State approval to establish the Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau (CHCAPCB), which developed needed regulations. Chattanooga's air quality met all federal health standards in 1989. For nearly 15 years Chattanooga remained in attainment.

The EPA, working with environmental groups and air pollution organizations, created a way to achieve cleaner air quickly. Areas destined to be out of compliance with federal standards were allowed to form Early Action Compacts (EAC). These compacts were agreements to take voluntary measures to clean up the air. Chattanooga and Hamilton County were designated in "attainment" with federal standards for ozone. Chattanooga was declared out of attainment for particulate in early 2005.

The former Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant site was the key driver for the Early Action Compact which allowed Chattanooga to attract an automotive assembly plant to our area. In early July 2008, Volkswagen asked the CHCAPCB if the Bureau could issue a permit to construct the facility within 90 days. On July 23, 2008, CHCAPCB advised Volkswagen that a permit could be granted within 90 days. The Volkswagen permit application with 600-700 pages of key data was received on August 8, 2008. Cynthia McDaniel and Alan Frazier with the CHACPB reviewed the application quickly and submitted it to the Federal Land Managers (FLMs), who by federal law have 60 days to review permit applications for these types of facilities. The FLMs received the application on August 11, 2008. A public hearing was scheduled October 10, 2008, and the permit was issued in record time – 63 days. (19 of which were weekends or holidays). Volkswagen’s attorney said that in the past three decades he had been practicing environmental law he never seen such a permit issued in less than 90 days.

The Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality (PSD) requirements apply to major sources with emissions exceeding 100 tons/year and is required before construction may begin. The CHCAPCB worked many long hours each day to meet a fast schedule. The SSOE Group and Environmental Resources Management, Inc. (ERM) assisted Volkswagen in completing the application. On October 10, 2008, the permit was approved with no negative comments.

Stefan Jocoby, CEO of Volkswagen, thanked Chattanooga and the CHCAPCB for its excellent work.

ITEMS OF INTEREST_______________________

The Chattanooga Engineer's Club meets at the DOUBLETREE HOTEL, CHATTANOOGA, Inspiration Room (407 Chestnut St., Chattanooga, TN 37402). Free parking is available in the gated parking lot on the south side of the Hotel. The gate will be open from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Plan to arrive at about 11:30 a.m., if you intend to park in the limited space available. No additional parking is available in the pit east of the Hotel on Chestnut Street.

Looking for details on a local society meeting? Links to local engineering societies are available to you at: http://www.chattanoogaengineersclub.org/engineer

QUESTIONS and SUGGESTIONS______________

If you have any questions, items that would be of interest to the Chattanooga Engineers Club, or suggestions for future programs, please contact Joe Robbins by e-mail at jrobbins@robbinsbohr.com or by phone at 423-756-4430. You can find membership application forms, references to future programs, historical data, and other info at: http://www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org. To receive future meeting announcements by email, join the Chattanooga Technology Organization mailing list at: http://www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org/email.