The Tennessee Valley Authority estimates it will cost another $268.2 million to $741.1 million to clean up and restore part of the Emory River where coal ash accidentally was dumped three days before Christmas 2008.
In an environmental report released today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it will consider three alternatives for the cleanup and restoration of the Swan Pond embayment where much of the 1 billion gallons of ash spilled from a pond at the Kingston coal plant.
The cost of restoring the shoreline and Emory River bottom vary depending upon how much of the coal ash dumped over 300 acres is transported to another site.
The cheapest option, estimated to cost $268.2 million to $315.5 million, would excavate Swan Bay, dispose of 2.8 million cubic yards of material nearby and close the dredge cell that ruptured prior to the spill.
The most expensive option, estimated to cost from $719.3 million to $741.1 million, would excavate the embayment and portions of the dredge cell to remove 6.8 million cubic yards of material offsite. The site also would be graded and the remainder of the dredge cell would be closed. That approach would take an estimated 45 months to remove all of the coal ash, according to the engineering report released today.