Wamp, Davis Ask Feds to Pitch in $25M For Kingston Clean Up

Reps. Zach Wamp, and Lincoln Davis, say the funds would ease the burden on Tennessee Valley Authority ratepayers, as the utility pays more than $1 million a day on the cleanup.

"The ash spill is going to increase our rates. Everybody knows it," Rep. Wamp said. "The $25 million is to help local governments. I know TVA is committed to paying for the cleanup, but they can't borrow money because of the cap on their debt levels, so it's going to be passed on to ratepayers."

But the proposal has drawn fire from other lawmakers, including Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who said the federal aid has no place in a stimulus bill designed to kick-start the country's ailing economy.

"It's a discredit to the whole process to in any way allude to (the aid) as a stimulus," Sen. Corker said. "This is exactly the kind of thing that causes Americans to be so discontented with Congress. That is not a stimulus. If people want to talk about this as the 2009 pork package, that's a different thing."

An aide to Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who earlier said he would support efforts to obtain federal dollars for the cleanup, said in a statement, "if there is a federal pilot program to deal with coal ash, Kingston would be an ideal location. But cleaning up this spill is ultimately TVA's responsibility."