Showing Their Ash.

I heard on NPR today that Egypt dealt with growing public protests over lack of democracy by shutting down the Internet and jamming cell phones. I was thinking, "Boy, I'm glad I live in a democracy". Then I read today's "Charleston Post and Courier" about lack of public access to a hearing on whether a permit should be granted to a local utility for coal ash storage basin in my County. Apparently, a lot of people were left out of the meeting, including the reporter. Freedom of Information Act attorney Jay Bender apparently commented on the inadequate venue for the hearing, "You can't have a democracy in a phone booth", or something like that.

Coal ash storage is a big deal, as the folks around Kingston, Tennessee could tell you. I was the County Attorney for a little rural county, and I've had to review solid waste ordinances (not exciting stuff, to be sure, but necessary). I'm not your garden variety NIMBY (acronym for "not in my back yard"). I understand that waste of all types has to go somewhere. The problem I've got with the utility company in this case is the timing. The Federal Gummit is considering whether to recast coal ash as toxic, rather than as ordinary waste. The utility company appears to be trying to slip this by before the rules change. If coal ash is safe, then waiting a few more months to let the Gummit confirm it's safe shouldn't be a big deal, right?