In response to concerns about lack of clarity and conflicting interpretations, the Program Department convened a Nuclear Waste Working Group to assist Chapter staff and volunteers with decision-making and advocacy around applying Sierra Club policy on the management of hazardous High-Level Radioactive Waste from nuclear power plants.
Following a nearly 2-year period of research and deliberation, the Working Group has developed a Draft Guidance document, providing (1) key background information for evaluating the risks posed by spent nuclear fuel (SNF), and (2) guidance on engaging in local risk reduction and management decision-making consistent with Sierra Club policy.
All Sierra Club volunteers and staff are invited to submit comments HERE on the draft policy. The Working Group and Program Department Co-leads will coordinate to review all comments, make any revisions that are indicated, and bring the revised Guidance on Management of High-Level Nuclear Waste forward for final review and adoption by the end of the year.
For questions, contact Bruce Hamilton at bruce.hamilton@sierraclub.org or Robin Mann at robinlmann@gmail.com.
Latest News
Honoring Kingston coal ash spill cleanup workers in Knoxville
By Todd Waterman, Harvey Broome Group
On Monday, December 23, the 11th anniversary of the horrific Kingston Coal Ash Spill, over 60 protesters gathered near Jacobs Engineering, the TVA cleanup contractor whose officers reportedly denied cleanup workers respirators or other protection from coal ash’s deadly cocktail of toxins and heavy metals, telling them they could eat a pound of it a day. We came to memorialize the 44 workers who have now died and to advocate for the 400 more who are sick. Sadly, because they’re suing Jacobs, none of them were legally free to join us.
For additional coverage: watch video of the memorial from WATE Channel 6, and see video coverage from WVLT-8. Jamie Satterfield's excellent article from Dec. 24th also covered the event in the Knoxville News Sentinel. For background, read Satterfield's November article. Sierra Magazine also recently published an in-depth article telling the stories of those affected by the coal ash spill.
Rev. John Gill of the Church of the Savior began with eloquently evoking the plight of unprotected Kingston cleanup workers and their families as Jamie Satterfield of KnoxNews photographs. Knoxville station WATE-TV takes video, and Maggie Longmire confers with event lead Jim Sessions. The 44 LED candles we held honored the 44 deceased Kingston cleanup workers.
Board pauses Carrier plan to inject treated wastewater into Memphis Sand Aquifer
By Toby Sells - Memphis Flyer - Dec. 10, 2019
Carrier Corp.’s plan to inject 400 gallons of treated wastewater into the Memphis Sand Aquifer every minute was paused Monday by the Shelby County Groundwater Quality Control (SCGQC) board.
The air-conditioning and refrigeration system manufacturer’s Collierville plant is a federal Superfund site with high levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) and hexavalent chromium. Both contaminants have been found in shallow parts of the aquifer under the plant.
Its current water-treatment process could be more efficient, a consultant to the company said. But the new plan would inject its treated wastewater deep into the aquifer, the source of Memphis’ famously pure drinking water. Experts familiar with the plan at the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) said the plan could put the “Memphis Sand Aquifer at risk of greater contamination.”
Building the new Whitehouse Cliffs Trail in Rocky Fork
By jpbodacious of Rocky Fork Journal [edited & abridged]
We are so fortunate to live in an area with a great deal of public land where we can get out and experience the natural world—more often than not by hiking the many trails. For many hikers there comes a time when they realize the government does not build and maintain those trails, volunteers do, and the hiker becomes a trail worker. Trail workers find the enjoyment of working in the woods with their friends equal to, if not greater than, that of a simple hike, and the satisfaction of giving something back can be downright addictive...
...One of the more popular existing trails in the park, the Whitehouse Cliffs Trail posed some very serious problems, running right up a small creek, crossing property lines, and eventually going very steeply up a rocky slope to a spectacular 360-degree view. Being the closest trail to the park entrance and offering the best view in the park, a new trail was needed.
99 volunteers and 4 park staff contributed a total 2,496 hours of work over 58 work days to build just over one and a quarter mile of trail. The trail includes 175 stone steps, hundreds of feet of rock cribbing to support the trail on steep slopes, and 75 locust-log steps.
As we approach the new year, a gift for everyone is completed: A beautiful new trail to a spectacular 360-degree view of the Southern Appalachian Mountains at their finest—cost to the tax-payers essentially zero. The park staff anticipates opening the trail on January 1, 2020.
Transportation News from TDEC's monthly transportation newsletter
Tennessee Awarded $16.2 Million for Bus and Vehicle Replacements. The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $16.2 million to TDOT for the replacement of 25 buses and 279 demand response vehicles at 10 transit agencies across the state. Currently, 54% of Tennessee’s transit vehicle population is operating past the vehicles’ useful life expectancy; vehicle replacements under this grant will reduce that number to 31%.
Rural Transportation Electrification in the Upper Cumberland Region. U.S. DOE recently awarded nearly $800,000 for a transportation electrification project in the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee. Research partners will demonstrate and evaluate the applications of several types of electric vehicle in rural communities in the region. Electric technologies tested will include light duty passenger vehicles, a light duty truck, a battery electric transit bus, and a small charging station network.
Franklin Special School District Commended for Anti-Idling Policies. Between 2018 and 2019, the Franklin Special School District implemented an anti-idling protocol on its school premises to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality around the schools and in the proximity of students. Some of the protocol’s requirements include limiting idling time of school buses in student pick up lanes to two minutes or less and restricting idling of school buses waiting for students on field trips.
Southern cities' renewable energy push could be stifled by TVA's shift to longer contracts. "As cities in the South start exploring ways to expand renewable energy, some are running into an obstacle that could set those plans back decades: The nation's largest public utility, concerned about its income base, has started pressuring its customers to lock in long-term contracts that critics say could leave the region relying on fossil fuels for years to come." Read this article by James Bruggers in Inside Climate News from Dec. 16, 2019.
TVA investigates contamination concerns, plans new coal ash dump at Cumberland power plant. The Tennessee Valley Authority plans to begin construction of a new coal ash dump at its Cumberland coal-fired plant in 2021 and is investigating whether its current waste storage system is threatening private and public water sources, officials announced Tuesday. TVA gave media a tour Tuesday of its coal ash waste storage facilities at the utility's Cumberland Fossil Plant — TVA's largest coal-fired plant — in Stewart County. The tour is part of an ongoing effort by the utility and its new leader, chief executive officer Jeff Lyash, to answer growing public concerns about its handling of coal ash waste, worker safety issues and water contamination worries. " Read morefrom Jamie Satterfield for the Knoxville News Sentinel on Dec. 10, 2019.
Early site permit issued for small TVA reactor in Oak Ridge. "Federal regulators have approved the nation's first early site permit for a small modular reactor in Oak Ridge, Tenn. TVA, which submitted its request three years ago, is expected to obtain a site permit in the next few days to potentially construct and operate a new, smaller reactor capable of generating 800 megawatts on the site of the abandoned Clinch River Breeder Reactor in Oak Ridge." Read more by Dave Flessner for the Times Free Press, Dec. 17, 2019.
Environmental group sues TVA over support for industry group. "The Energy and Policy Institute filed a lawsuit this week in federal court in Knoxville, claiming TVA is violating the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by not releasing records regarding TVA's support for an industry group fighting stricter controls on coal combustion products." Read more by Dave Flessner in the Times Free Press from Dec. 13th, 2019.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper launches efforts to curb climate change. "Mayor Cooper says his administration will take several steps to tackle climate change and reduce Nashville's greenhouse gas emissions. Metro Government, Cooper said, will work toward reducing its emissions by 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. He also announced he will include funding in the next capital improvements budget for a solar power array on the Metro Courthouse roof, as well as create an "Energy Savings Program” to support energy efficiency efforts in government facilities — and a sustainability advisory board." Read more in the The Tennessean article by Yihjun Jeong on Dec. 7, 2019.
Conservation Education Day, scheduled for Wed. Feb. 19th, will teach citizens how to meet and have impactful conversations with their state legislators. Training will be held the evening beforehand to discuss lobbying tactics and relevant bills. Read more in the Event section below or contact whmoll@aol.com to sign up.
Join the TN Chapter as we meet for our Winter Retreat at the Group Camp of Cedars of Lebanon State Park, just north of Murfreesboro. Come for training, hiking, relaxing close to nature, and the company of good friends, old and new. Be a part of the fellowship, hikes, fireplace chats, meetings, and stargazing!
Register by Jan. 18th for early bird discount
We’ll be at the Group Lodge, with bunk dorms for women and men, including 2 breakfasts and Saturday dinner -- bring your own trail lunches. Bring your sleeping bag or linens, towels and personal items. Register online here. You may pay by cash or check when you check into the Group Lodge, where you will also need to sign a liability release.
Wilderness hikes will be led on Saturday and Sunday by TN State Naturalist, Randy Hedgepath. Saturday will also include important meetings: “Beyond Coal” strategies, Conservation Education Day (workshops to prepare us to hit the ground running in February), “Know Nuclear” Committee, Sierra Club political training, and Budget Committee. There will also be discussion of the upcoming session of the Tennessee State Legislature. You may participate in interesting conversation, strategizing, attend hikes, or just relax by the fire.
Discounts are available for students, first-time attendees, partial attendance, and children (free under 16). See pricing and information HERE.
Conservation Education Day (CED) is your chance to join other environmentalists in meeting with your state legislators in Nashville face to face to promote the passage of bills which protect our water, air and lands, and to block those which would do it harm. The goal is to have a meeting with every Tennessee legislator and develop a state-wide program to support building these relationships. That is the best way to ensure they will listen to you when an important issue arises.
Last year, we had a record number of participants meet with a record number of legislators. Despite the hostile political climate in DC, all but one of the Tennessee legislators were friendly and engaged in real conversations. They don’t always agree, but there is an exchange of ideas, and that is the purpose of our day on the hill.
There will be lobbying training and “ask” education in Nashville on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 18th, plus information and discussion on Sierra Club Listservs about pending relevant bills. Meetings will be held Wed. Feb. 19th between 8 am and 4 pm, and we will try to schedule them to fit your travel schedule.
We would love more CED participation by Sierra Club members from suburban and rural areas, since these legislators get fewer constituent visitors and they appreciate you taking your time to meet with them.
The legislator meetings, each about 10 minutes long, cannot be arranged unless there will be a constituent at the meeting, so come join us! We will be contacting members across the state about this important and satisfying event, so please don’t hang up. Can you help organize Conservation Education Day? Join us there? Fill this form to contact Bill Moll.
This year is going to be a very active year for elections. In order for the TN Chapter to have the maximum impact, we need to communicate with our full list of supporters, not just members. In order to do that, we need to have a Political Action Committee (PAC). The Chapter had a PAC years ago with the goal of making significant contributions to endorsed candidates. It was unable to collect sufficient donations and was disbanded.
The goal of this PAC is not to make donations to candidates, but to pay for the use of Sierra Club mailing lists to support our endorsed candidates. That requires much less money. David Bordenkircher will be the PAC Treasurer, which will be registered at the beginning of January. We will have some donation rules to make the PAC reporting tasks simpler. Those rules will be announced when the PAC is officially created.
Please consider making room in your budget to give to the 2020 Chapter PAC. Details will be on the Chapter Listservs, website and Facebook after the PAC is created.
Are you a Sierra member who has been receiving our bi-monthly print publication, TheTennes-Sierran? You can now opt out of getting a paper copy of the newspaper and instead receive it digitally as an email attachment. To request paperless delivery, click this link to open the form to make your paperless request.
Check out AddUp activism tool
Want to add your support to Sierra Club Campaigns around the USA? AddUp is an online platform debuted by the Sierra Club in 2015 that informs readers of campaigns and events locally, regionally, and nationally. It creates easy opportunities to share and grow those campaigns through social media.
You can find information about our campaigns on our AddUp website. Read about each of them and add your signature to show support. Your signature will be added to messages to your representatives and you can easily share the campaign to your social media accounts.
You can also find interesting Sierra Club activities and adventures. The AddUp map displays events locally such as meetings, programs, hikes and social gatherings. It also lets you find events across Tennessee and surrounding states. And if you are really adventurous you can find hikes and trips from Maine to Montana to California – and even Hawaii! Check out AddUp here.
Dear Eartha, I’m feeling really conflicted about my passion for fashion and the negative impact that indulgent consumption has on the environment and factory workers around the world. How can I express my fashion sense, while also buying eco-sustainably? Eco-Fashionista in Training
Dear Eco-Fashionista, Great question! I love to give advice on stuff I know very little about, so thanks for raising my consciousness on this important topic. While I shop frequently at REI and recently bought clothing from two fair trade companies, Prana and Toad & Co, I had to look up the importance of eco-fashion, also called sustainable or ethical fashion.
As a general definition, eco-fashion refers to any brand or line that attempts to minimize the impact on the environment, including the health of consumers and working conditions of the mostly third-world workers who make the clothing. Here’s what the experts suggest:
Consider used clothing. Shop consignment and thrift stores or yard sales for some really unique and affordable options. Buy from neighbors, friends, or strangers (check out Facebook marketplace or other online retailers like Poshmark or thredUP. Although the environmental cost of shipping is a drawback.) Attend or host a clothing swap – I used to do this in the ‘90s. Throw a party with nibbles and wine; friends bring their unwanted clothes, shoes, and purses, then you swap! It’s lots of fun trying on and modeling clothes on the living room runway.
Choose materials wisely. Avoid polyester, nylon, and spandex – they’re made from polymers and chemicals and take a long time to break down. Plus, they tend to store perspiration and don’t let your skin breathe. Instead, buy clothes that are cotton, hemp, or linen, or innovative fabrics such as Pinatex made from pineapple leaves. Buy vegan leather – the process of transforming leather into wearable clothing takes a lot of energy and toxic chemicals and is of course harmful to animals.
Quality over quantity. Create a “capsule wardrobe” by choosing a timeless, essential wardrobe you rotate seasonally, using a less-is-more philosophy. Shop from sustainable clothing brands; Style Bee can help. Look for Fair Trade Certified – these are companies who give back to the workers and their communities and engage in a democratic process to determine how funds are invested. They prioritize community development for farmers, factory workers, and their families.
We can also push back on our culture making us want more. By shopping less and wearing fashion that’s sustainable, we can live out our values, while refusing to support companies that wreck the planet, don’t pay workers a living wage, and don’t truly give back to the communities making the product. Hope this helps, dear reader. I’m definitely going to pay more attention to what I buy and wear thanks to your letter.
Yours till next time, Eartha
Readers, if you have suggestions to add to my list, please send them along and we can keep the conversation going! Got an environmental query for Eartha? Submit your question to "Dear Eartha" via Enews.SierraTN@gmail.com
The Kanjiro Camellia is currently in bloom in the yard of Allie Stafford, the editor of this e-newsletter. It began blooming once it finally got chilly in early December.
There are over 3,000 varieties of this small evergreen tree, in an array of colors and sizes.Hailing from Asia, this plant thrives in much of the Southern US and is the state flower of Alabama.
Due to their modest size, Camellias can make wonderful container plants. They generally prefer partial shade, cover from strong winds or extreme afternoon heat, and moderate amount of water.
The International Camellia Society contains a trove of information about the history, care, & identification of camellias worldwide.
We are the Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club, the world’s oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization. With over 3.5 million members and supporters, the Sierra Club has the resources to empower people and to influence public policy through community activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation.
Our mission is to Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet.
