Harriman in Roane County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Honoring the Kingston Coal Ash Cleanup Workers
Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, February 14, 2026
1. Honoring the Kingston Coal Ash Cleanup Workers Marker
On December 22, 2008, a dike ruptured at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Plant, releasing more than one billion gallons of coal ash slurry into the Emory and Clinch Rivers and the surrounding area. Hundreds of workers spent six years cleaning up this spill, considered the largest in U.S. History. In 2018. a federal jury found TVA's cleanup contractor did not properly inform workers about the dangers of coal ash exposure and failed to provide necessary personal protective equipment.
Reverse Side
In December 2023, the Roane County Commission resolved that in each year December 22 will be a day of remembrance in honor of each worker's heroic sacrifice made to restore the condition of the impacted area. This marker serves to honor and memorialize all whose lives have been forever impacted by this tragic and devastating event.
Erected 2025 by Tennessee Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1F 49.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is December 22, 2008.
Location. 35° 55.039′ N, 84° 30.69′ W. Marker is in Harriman, Tennessee, in Roane County. It is at the intersection of Swan Pond Circle Road and Berkshire Lane, on the left when traveling
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee and in Greater Knoxville. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: 9/11 Memorial (approx. 1.8 miles away); Harriman: Utopia of Temperance (approx. 2½ miles away); Dixie Lee (approx. 2½ miles away); Kingston Colored School (approx. 2.6 miles away); Robert King Byrd (approx. 2.6 miles away); Southwest Point (approx. 2.9 miles away); Capitol for a Day (approx. 3.1 miles away); For the Union (approx. 3.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Harriman.
Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, February 14, 2026
2. Honoring the Kingston Coal Ash Cleanup Workers Marker
Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, February 14, 2026
3. Honoring the Kingston Coal Ash Cleanup Workers Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 21, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 16, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 38 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 16, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
