Sierra Club Hiring Chapter Director for Tennessee! We're seeking candidates for a new Chapter Director position in order to achieve minimum staffing goals set by the National Sierra Club Board. Their goal is four staff per chapter. Most chapters of our size (medium) have two to four Chapter staff. Currently, Tennessee has just one – Conservation Director Scott Banbury. Scott is overworked and our many active members are overloaded. The Chapter Director position will carry out the policies, priorities, and objectives of the Executive Committee. The Chapter Director should be located in Tennessee, preferably central Tennessee, and travel is required. Learn more and
apply here. Applications accepted until Feb. 5, 2024. Contact Bill Moll (whmoll@aol.com) with any questions. We need great leaders to apply, so please share widely!
Tennessee Chapter Winter Retreat - January 19-21, 2024! Join fellow members of the Tennessee Chapter for the Chapter Winter Retreat at Cedars of Lebanon State Park. Activities include hiking with Charlie High and State Naturalist Randy Hedgepath, election of ExCom officers and committee chairs, a discussion with Karissa Hampton of Urban Green Lab about sustainable households, live music, and eating, of course! Children under 16 are free. First-time attendees receive a discount, and all others can get an early bird discount by registering before January 11th. Scholarships available if needed. All are welcome!
Register here!
Tennessee tornadoes recovery: Here's how you can help. On Saturday, Dec. 9th, tornadoes pummeled Middle Tennessee, causing loss of life and extensive property damage. Nashville Weather Service confirmed the Clarksville tornado rating "as an EF-3, including winds of 150 mph. The Madison/Hendersonville/Gallatin tornado recorded a preliminary rating of EF-2, with winds of 125 mph." There are still ways to help. Refer to this free story from The Tennessean, offered as a service to the public.
DOE should call TVA gas plans what they are: a bridge to nowhere. "In the last three years, TVA has built, approved, or proposed eight methane gas plants. This massive, multi-billion-dollar gas spending spree...will worsen the impacts of climate change and force families across the region and customers to pay expensive fossil fuel prices for decades to come. The more than 150 miles of proposed gas pipelines that will accompany the new plants will cut through parts of Middle and East Tennessee, putting dozens of communities, waterways, and ecosystems at risk." Read more
by Amanda Garcia - Tennessee Lookout - Dec. 14, 2023.
Roane County remembers Kingston Fossil Plant ash spill workers 15 years later. "The Roane County Commission announced a proclamation Friday marking Dec. 22 as a remembrance day for workers who helped clean up the Kingston Fossil Plant Coal Ash Spill. Friday marked 15 years since the incident, which remains the biggest industrial spill in U.S. history
. The spill happened when a barrier at the plant ruptured, releasing 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash." Survivors and surviving family members spoke at the Roane County Commission meeting, describing the numerous lasting and fatal health problems endured by unprotected workers and their families. Read more by Ella Wales - WATE TV - Dec. 22, 2023. Or watch the National Sierra Club video about the devastating Kingston coal ash spill [5 min].
Ansol Clark (1951-2021) and Tommy Johnson (1951-2023) were photographed standing in front of the Kingston plant at a memorial event in 2020. Both men suffered serious health complications that were ultimately fatal as a result of being denied protective equipment while cleaning up the Kingston coal ash spill in 2008. Over 60 former workers have died. Photo: Todd Waterman.
NPS proposes Environmental Assessment to justify construction of new Foothills Parkway Section 8D
Submitted by Melanie Mayes, HBG
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park has proposed to extend the Foothills Parkway Section 8D for 9 miles from Wears Valley to the Southbound Spur near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. GSMNP is shortcutting the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) with an Environmental Assessment (EA) for a project that clearly has major environmental and social impacts.
Specifically, unstable rock formations that are prone to rockslides; karst (cave and sinkhole) systems that endanger groundwater quality where most residents use well water; and acid-releasing rock formations. The GSMNP intends to rely on a 1992 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that lacks all modern technological assessments of these risks, and did not consider the effects of climate change. Selecting the correct NEPA pathway is fundamental to all federal planning.
The Harvey Broome Group submitted comments, protesting both the project and the process, on behalf of seven environmental groups: WaysSouth, the Center for Biological Diversity, the National Parks Conservation Association, The Wilderness Society, Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning, and Defenders of Wildlife. We suggest a full EIS and consideration of a bike/hiking trail instead. NPS plans to release its EA for comments in January and reach a quick decision in spring 2024. We encourage members to learn about this project here and comment.
Tennessee State Parks are Building Massive, New RV Campgrounds
Submitted by Melanie Mayes, HBG
Draft Tennessee State Park Management Plans were released for public comment this fall (see here). While the plans contain many good ideas, the Harvey Broome Group is concerned about the addition of new RV campgrounds for Frozen Head State Park & Natural Area in Morgan County, Pickett State Park in Pickett County, and Big Ridge State Park in Union County.
For Frozen Head, the proposed location is at Rocky Fork Field, which is widely used for public gatherings. More importantly, an RV park is inconsistent with Frozen Head’s mission “to protect and preserve the unique examples of natural, cultural, and scenic resources and to save one of the last vestiges of undisturbed landscapes in the Cumberland Mountain region.” Park and TDEC personnel could not produce a financial plan for the RV park or any justification for why it was proposed. In fact, they didn’t explicitly mention it in their public presentation. The public expressed opposition to the Frozen Head plan at the public meeting, and the Harvey Broome Group filed formal comments opposing the campground.
After the deadline for comments had passed, HBG learned that Big Ridge and Pickett plans both include RV parks, plus a huge boat slip at Big Ridge. We urge the public’s involvement in evaluating these plans.
In 2020, Frozen Head State Park was named by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to be State Park of the Year. It comprises 24,000 acres of mountain wilderness in Morgan County, and the park's beauty is often described as "primitive." It is one of three state parks being considered for the addition of a large new RV park, which HBG opposes due to several logistic, economic, and propriety concerns outlined
here. Photo from TN.gov.
Environmental Updates
Environmental groups want stronger rules for use of coal ash fill after EPA reveals new risks. "Coal ash, what’s left over after coal is burned to generate electricity, is one of the largest waste streams in the U.S., with hundreds of millions of tons of it lying in hundreds of sites across the country." Coal ash has been a cheap source of fill material, used "on everything from a golf course in Virginia to playgrounds in Tennessee and much of an
entire Indiana town
...Accumulation of coal combustion residuals (CCR) can result in elevated cancer risk from incidental ingestion of arsenic and radium, in addition to direct exposure to gamma radiation from radium...The EPA found cancer risks even when small amounts of ash (1 to 2% of the soil mix) are used." Read more by Robert Zullo - Tennessee Lookout - Dec. 21, 2023.
US Forest Service updates land management plans. The United States Department of Agriculture is proposing to amend all land management plans for the entire National Forest System (128 plans in total) with the goal of fostering "the long-term resilience of old-growth forest conditions and their contributions to ecological integrity across the National Forest System." Public comments accepted until Feb. 2. Read more or submit comments here. While there is work to be done to improve the proposal, this is a major step in the right direction for conservation!
SAVE THE DATE: Conservation Education Day is Feb. 27-28th. CED is the largest Tennessee environmental legislative event of the year for five environmental organizations. CED is your chance to meet with your state legislators in Nashville to promote the passage of bills which preserve and protect our water, air, and land, and to block those which would do it harm. There will be lobbying training and education on Tuesday evening, Feb. 27, 6:00-8:00 pm in-person in Nashville and via zoom, to prepare for Conservation Education Day on Wednesday, Feb. 28th. Registration here.
Volunteers clean up Dean's Woods in Knoxville.
On a cool, overcast day, twenty stalwart environmental stewards gathered to attack the invasive, exotic weeds that are smothering the native flora in Dean's Woods in South Knoxville. Dean's Woods is a 25-acre forest owned by the University of Tennessee that has one of the finest assemblages of vernal wildflowers outside of the Great Smoky Mountains. Our crew spent three hours cutting, pulling, and digging up invasive monsters like English ivy, Japanese honeysuckle, winter creeper, Chinese bush honeysuckle, and others in a portion of the woods near Love Creek. The crew also lugged large wads of pulled weeds across the creek and deposited them next to Woodson Drive so that the UT Composting program could pick them up, compost them, and turn them into fertilizer. -Submitted by Jerry
Thornton, HBG.
At Dean's Woods in South Knoxville, Harvey Broome Group volunteers joined in their first invasive weed control outing since the COVID-19 pandemic. Part 2 of Dean's Woods invasive cleanup is scheduled for Sat. Feb. 24, 9:30 am - 1:30 pm. Register here! Photo credit: Jerry Thornton.
Health & Justice
PFAS Nine Times Higher in Water From Sites Adjacent to Fields Spread With Sewage Sludge, Sierra Club Tests Show. "Water wells, streams and ponds adjacent to fields spread with municipal sewage sludge have levels of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ roughly nine times higher than non-adjacent fields, according to Sierra Club test results from dozens of sites in a section of Steuben County, [New York]." This is a serious issue in Tennessee as well.Read more by Peter Mantius - Dec. 21, 2023.
MATA board withdraws proposal for winter service cuts. "With public outcries before them during their Tuesday, Dec. 19, board meeting at One Commerce Square Auditorium, the Memphis Area Transit Authority’s Board of Commissioners voted to withdraw a proposal to reduce winter service...'What we witnessed today was not a victory, but it was a testament that people power works,' Johnnie Mosley, founder of Citizens For Better Service, said. 'It was a testament that if people worked together, things can happen.' Citizens For Better Service is one of the four organizations that make up the Better Memphis Coalition, along with Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope, Memphis Bus Riders Union, and Sierra Club Chickasaw Group.
Read more by Kambui Bomani - Daily Memphian - Dec. 20, 2023.
As climate risks increase, Mississippi River towns look to each other for solutions. "Cities and towns across the Mississippi River basin have always needed to weather the environmental disasters associated with living along a river. But the past few years have brought wild fluctuations between flooding and drought, bringing more stress to the communities nestled along the Mississippi’s 2,350 miles...The cost of those damages can run into the millions, if not billions. One potential solution [executive director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative] Colin Wellenkamp encourages the 105 individual communities in his organization to consider is to work with, rather than against, the river."
Read more by Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, Special to The Daily Memphian - Dec. 26, 2023.
The Tom Lee Memorial is pictured by the Mississippi River, at Tom Lee Park in Memphis. Lee is known as a local hero who saved 32 people after a steamer capsized in the river. He took multiple trips in his small skiff to save as many people as he could, despite not knowing how to swim himself. Photo credit:jjj_901 from Pixabay (edited).
More Job Listings
In addition to the Tennessee Chapter Director position currently open, ally environmental organizations are hiring for these two positions:
1. Senior Energy Analyst - Appalachian Voices. The Senior Energy Analyst supports the Energy Democracy program and will play a key role in efforts to advance utility policy changes and clean energy program implementation in rural communities throughout our region. This is a full-time position that may operate remotely from the Appalachian Region or be based from one of our offices. Travel within North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia is required. Learn more and apply here. Pay range is expected to be $72,500 to $85,000. For early consideration, candidates should apply by Jan. 5, 2024.
2. Climate Advocacy Coordinator - Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. The Climate Advocacy Coordinator will work to address critical issues and drive meaningful climate and clean energy policy changes, with a focus on the Nashville area and the state of Tennessee. The Climate Advocacy Coordinator will help develop, grow, and maintain our clean energy efforts in Tennessee and across the Southeast region. Salary range is $45,000 to $65,000 and is based on expertise and knowledge level. View job description and how to apply here.
January Events
Statewide environmental events listed chronologically.
Do you have an event you'd like publicized?
Send it to Enews.sierratn@gmail.com.
Sun. Jan. 7th from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM ET - Cherokee Group New Year's Event 2024. Join the Cherokee Group at Audubon Acres (900 N. Sanctuary Rd, Chattanooga, TN) for afamily-friendly gathering comprised mostly of merry-making and fun, with a little planning and dreaming at the end, including electing 2024 Cherokee Group officers. The dinner is potluck, so break out your favorite dish to share (vegan, vegetarian, and food sensitivities/allergies all considered). Not much of a cook, or burned out from holiday chef duty? Come anyway and enjoy!
Thurs. Jan. 11th - 14th - Lookout Wild Film Festival. "For over ten years the LWFF has brought the best outdoor adventure and conservation films from around the world to Chattanooga for one awesome weekend." The LWFF showcases international outdoor adventurers and the places they love. The tagline is "Wild Places and the People They Inspire." There are multitudes of films, ranging from two minutes to full length documentaries. Learn more here.
January 25th - 'Clean up TVA Tour' kicks off in Nashville. The tour will begin with the People’s Hearing in Nashville, followed by rallies, TVA board meetings & listening sessions, storytelling, and other actions related to TVA’s gas buildout and long-term energy plans. We hope you’ll join us! Please fill out this interest form to let us know what events you’d be most interested in, and ways that you’d like to support!
SAVE THE DATE: Conservation Education Day Feb. 27-28th. CED is your chance to join with other environmentalists to meet with your state legislators in Nashville to promote the passage of bills which preserve and protect our water, air and land, and to block those which would do it harm. There will be lobbying training and education on Tuesday evening, Feb. 27, 6:00-8:00 pm in-person in Nashville and via zoom, to prepare for Conservation Education Day on Wednesday, Feb. 28th. Registration here.
Species Spotlight
This month's featured species is: North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis)
River otters are sociable mammals who make slides out of snow or mud that they use for efficient transportation, or just plain fun. They also do belly flops, flips, and wrestling. These tricks help them build technical skills and social cohesion. Photo credit: Brigitte Jauffrineau via Pixabay.
The river otter is one of 13 species of otters worldwide. They are active year round, and are often nocturnal or crepuscular (active at dawn or dusk). They grow thicker fur coats in the winter for insulation.
River otters have webbed feet and weigh 10 - 25 pounds. They prefer woodland creeks and streams, or rivers and lakes.
River otters are predators that like to munch on fish, turtles, frogs, birds, and worms. They often eat the head first, and do not eat tail fins of fish.
Otters usually have two to four pups (up to six) in the spring, and live in small groups. Babies aren't born knowing how to swim; they learn around 7 weeks of age. Otters can dive up to 60 feet, swim 7 miles per hour, and stay underwater for up to 4 minutes (some sources say 8 minutes!).
There are two types of otters that live in North America: river otters and sea otters. Sea otters hold hands while sleeping so they don't lose each other in the current. River otters sleep on land in dens, holes, or hollow trees.
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