Jan. 12--The environmental disaster that befell eastern Tennessee in late December did not touch the daily lives of those here in northeast Alabama. The slurry mixture of water and coal ash did not wash away our homes or directly pollute our environment.

But don't think that a similar disaster couldn't happen in Alabama. As it turns out, our state is among the nation's leaders in the amount of coal-ash ponds and tonnage of coal ash stored by its coal-burning power plants. Plus, a mishap Friday at a pond in Stevenson highlights this situation's statewide importance.

Those who care about Alabama's environment and our energy policies must pay attention.

Since the Dec. 22 break of an earthen dam in Roane County, Tenn., that released 1 billion gallons of toxic substances, a multitude of new information has been uncovered about this ongoing national problem. An Associated Press investigation finds that 32 states house ponds that contain noxious coal ash produced by coal-fired power plants. The government does not regulate the ponds.

Alabama is ranked fifth, trailing only Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Georgia, in the AP investigation. Our state has nine ponds that collectively store more than 1.36 million tons of coal ash. There are no coal-ash ponds in Calhoun County, the nearest being an Alabama Power Co. pond in Etowah County that holds more than 34,000 tons of ash. Much larger ponds are operated by either Alabama Power or the Tennessee Valley Authority (which operated the eastern Tennessee pond) in Mobile, Walker, Greene and Jackson counties.

Early Friday, the TVA pond in Stevenson ruptured, though officials said the spill was contained and no houses were located nearby. However, the fact remains: An Alabama coal-ash pond ruptured; some material leaked into the environment. That the state's nine ponds passed inspections since the Dec. 22 disaster in Tennessee now seems a weakened detail.

The larger Tennessee event has given opponents of coal-burning power plants new ammunition for their fight against this method of providing energy. That this one day could directly affect the lives of thousands of Alabamians -- from Gulf Shores to the Black Belt to the state's largest cities --is all the more reason why it must be considered a concern not only for eastern Tennessee, but for Alabama, as well.

This unregulated portion of the energy industry has long been known to be potentially dangerous to those who live and work close to coal-ash ponds if the toxins were released. The Birmingham News reports that none of Alabama's nine ponds or landfills contain liners, even though environmental groups have called for such facilities to use that safety measure.

The knee-jerk alarmist would claim that Alabama is perfectly situated to have its own Tennessee-style disaster. As Friday's rupture in Stevenson proved, there are no guarantees of safety. It's imperative that we redouble efforts to seek alternative-energy sources that do not produce such toxic byproducts. "Clean coal," as this page has said before, is a myth.

The facts are clear. Government on multiple levels has followed errant political interests and failed to regulate an activity that needs oversight. America doesn't need to suffer from exposure to more tons of released toxic sludge.

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