TVA Plans for Removal of Coal Ash at Former Allen Fossil Plant Site

MEMPHIS, Tenn.­­ – The Tennessee Valley Authority is planning to remove coal ash stored at the former Allen Fossil Plant site in Shelby County, Tennessee to an approved offsite landfill. This is an important step toward making the site available for future economic development.

As part of the National Environmental Policy Act, TVA evaluated options for closure of the ash impoundments at Allen to include, but not limited to, closure by removal and beneficial use. The final Environmental Impact Statement is available at  www.tva.com/nepa. The document addresses the potential environmental effects associated with actions including the use of permitted borrow sites for fill material and the disposal of coal ash at existing offsite permitted landfills.

In the final EIS, TVA’s preferred alternative is closure by removal of all coal ash at Allen to a permitted offsite landfill. Closure in place was eliminated from consideration in the draft EIS. Construction of a beneficial reuse facility was also considered, but would extend the timeline of closure and delay the future economic development of the site, as well as result in greater impacts to the community.

TVA has identified six permitted landfills which could potentially accept coal ash from Allen. Coal ash is regulated as nonhazardous solid waste by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. TVA has not selected a specific site, and will issue a request for proposals from the landfills. Each of the candidate landfill operators would be expected to have robust environmental plans, effective project designs, and a history of compliance that ensures minimal offsite impacts from storage of coal ash.

TVA does not solely own the property where the fossil plant is located. TVA has had, and continues to have, numerous discussions with the City of Memphis, MLGW and others about interest in potential economic redevelopment of the site.

For more information about TVA and its 86-year mission of service to the Tennessee Valley,  click here.