ATLANTA - Boaters will be able to access the Emory River in the area of the Kingston coal ash spill beginning May 29, the EPA says.
A news release from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the Tennessee Valley Authority plans to lift the recreational advisory for and reopen the Emory River at 7 a.m. that day.
The main river channel will be accessible to the public, but caution is advised. A no-wake zone has been established from Emory River mile 1.5 to mile 3 because large equipment remains in the area as TVA and EPA continue recovery of the Kingston ash spill, according to the release. The public may not enter the work zones.
EPA, in consultation with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Department of Health, has determined that any coal ash remaining in the river presents minimal health risks to recreational users, according to the release.
Casual contact with ash in the river should not cause skin irritation, although long-term contact could result in some irritation from sand-like particles in the ash. River users are therefore advised to wash after exiting the river, especially in areas where ash is clearly visible.