So far their security seems to have been to harrass people taking pictures, setting up air quality monitors, and to arrest someone for the crime of taking an elderly Swan Pond resident home from a public meeting.

This is like one of those "free speech zones". Feeling safer now?

I get the parking situation but not security.

I get the parking situation but not a destination point for people to come and gaze at this disaster marvel!

Randy Ellis
randyellis@gmail.com

We need to stop this BS! We do not need any visitor's center or overlook. This is not a tourist attraction. It is a disaster. TVA needs to use all that time, energy, and money cleaning the disaster up.
This should call for public outcry. We (this county) continue to be used for whatever reason they think they can use us for. Next, they will be building a hotel for tourists to stay in.
I wonder why the CAG was not informed about any of this; whatever they are doing? Where is all that communication we were promised?
Turning a disaster site into a tourist attraction shows that TVA is mocking all of us, and throwing it in our faces. Whoever decided to do any of this is just sick.

TVA has been working on the road, spending many hours excavating & building (wonder about the price tag of the road work) to build the road to somewhere - an overlook?

As far as parking, I hardly believe TVA ees and contractors will walk up and down the hill and based on the land elevations, I cannot see the parking to be substantial. Heck, Berkshire could be expanded (pave paradise to put up a parking lot?).

There is another bait & switch going on here.

Also, there is a lot of heavy equipment activity going on at the corner of Swan Pond and Swan Pond Circle Road. A lot of heavy duty rock haulers have been working at the entrance, new pavement, and I wonder what exactly TVA has instore for us with all the new rock being hauled in?

We haver been informed that there will be an additional 40 trucks hauling rock to shore up the failed dyke. That work will start in a couple of weeks. I believe the work you are seeing now is what they have to build and use to get the rock to the failed dyke. We have been promised an announcement when the additional 40 trucks start rolling. Whether we get it or not is a different story.

from McCracken, Stephen Howard

CAG Members,

Yesterday I instructed our crews to stop work on the overlook while I evaluated the project. I understand your concerns, and I’m grateful that you took the time to express them to me on Thursday. After careful consideration, I’ve decided that, for the reasons below, we should proceed with the construction of the overlook. I know that some of you will disagree with this but I hope that you will continue to ask me questions and give me your opinions.

It is my belief that the overlook will give people a safe place to park and stand to watch work going on at the site without driving and stopping on the roads around the site. It also provides a place for groups of visitors to park and gather without having to meet at an offsite lot or go through security one at a time. The overlook will provide a sweeping view of the site, a view that is much better than one can get from the roads. Providing that view increases the transparency of the cleanup effort. It is our plan to install a gate that will be closed at night.

During the month of December, the first anniversary of the ash spill, we are expecting considerable interest and visits, as well as increased traffic at the site. I think it is important to be able to direct them to one location, keeping them safely off the roads and private property. I do appreciate your concerns about the safety of the intersection itself, and I’ve asked for plans to make that intersection safe both during the expected increase in activity in December and beyond.

Again, I want you to know that your input is important. My intent will be to address matters such as this earlier in the future.

Best Regards,

Steve

I agree with Randy. I have sent a letter to Mr. McCracken voicing the concerns I have received from the community, as well as my own. This is just another case of TVA doing whatever they want, whenever they want, and never considering the impacted community. The location of this will create a traffic nightmare in an area that is already heavily congested.
The remaining residents do not want to look out and see tourists looking at the biggest mistake made by a government agency/corporation in history. This is a disaster, not a Disney ride. You do not bring in people from the outside into a disaster site. You keep them out as much as possible.

KINGSTON - TVA is building a hillside overlook off Swan Pond Road where visitors can watch cleanup efforts at the site of the Dec. 22 coal-ash spill near Kingston Fossil Plant.

Link...

Randy Ellis
randyellis@gmail.com

How close to the clean-up area is this overlook? How safe is it to have people coming out there to watch the clean-up while the ash is being thrown around into trucks and going airborne? Will they be providing masks to the "visitors". Will they require that visitors sign some liability form so they can't sue TVA later for health concerns.

I still don't even understand the reasoning behind this overlook. This is NOT the Grand Canyon.

Add the fact that TVA keeps telling us they are ready to work with the community, then are told the community doesn't want this, then it helps make it a big deal. They keep doing what they want and the community be damned.
It's just my opinion, but you are supposed to remove people from a disaster area, not invite them in. And yes, it is still a disaster area.
The traffic situation has never been taken care of. In two weeks, there will be another 40 trucks a day, and they build an overlook/visitor's center that you turn into right at the railraod tracks.
What's next? Selling hotdogs and souveniers?