The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation will hold a public hearing tomorrow (Thursday, December 7, 2017) in Roane County regarding the Tennessee Valley Authority’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit at the Kingston Fossil Plant. The county saw the worst disaster in its history nine years ago when a retaining wall collapsed at the plant, spilling more than a billion gallons of toxic ash sludge into the Clinch River and surrounding area. The permit authorizes the facility to discharge fossil plant cooling water, process wastewater and storm water runoff which can contain toxic pollutants. The proposed permit would also remove a provision that protects on-site groundwater. The public hearing will be from 6 to 8 p.m. eastern time tomorrow night at the Roane County courthouse in Kingston.