2300: Coal Spill Crisis

After discussing crisis management, this article from The New York Times caught my attention. Roane County, Tennessee was the site of a large coal ash spill in December 2008. As a result of this spill, property value was devastated, tourism nearly stopped, and it dramatically slowed the number of retirees settling in Watts Bar Lake. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the company responsible, is giving $43 million to try and repair damage. There are several plans in place to reverse the negative global press this county has received. The thing that interested me was the reaction of the residents.

In theory it seemed like the company was doing a good job. They were trying to compensate for the loss experienced and make up for the discrepancy between them and the public. However, many of the people didn’t change their opinions. One resident said, “It’s another way that TVA is going to project a positive image while so many of us are in really, really bad shape, and TVA has totally ignored that they’ve destroyed our community.”

Although the company seemed to be applying correct principles, it does not seem like they were really listening to their public. They were going through the public relations process, but after they finished, the attitudes had not really changed. The people for the majority still viewed this company in a bad light. Also, the town still had the reputation of being an “unsafe” place to live because of the spill. One resident said, “People are reading the news 2,000 miles away, and they think we’re drowning in ash. That’s where we’re hurt.” Even though new buildings are being constructed and money is being donated, it seems like the public relations people’s time would be better spent interacting with the people and trying to spread news of what the town is like now. I think trying to get media attention about the people and how the town is functioning now would be a more effective campaign.