COVID-19 Update: Read about the most recent Sierra Club guidelines here.
Tennessee News
Justin J. Pearson becomes one of the youngest lawmakers in Tennessee. "A Memphis community activist is making history by becoming one of the youngest state lawmakers [he's 28] elected to fill the Tennessee House District 86 seat formerly held by the late Barbara Cooper. Justin J. Pearson easily defeated nine other candidates..." Read more by Alex Coleman - WREG News - Jan. 25, 2023.
‘Tough choices’: Tennessee Rep. Chuck Fleischmann to lead energy development subcommittee. "U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Chattanooga, was named chairman of the House Appropriations Energy and Water Development subcommittee on Monday. He sat down with Knox News on Tuesday to discuss where the country is headed on nuclear energy and weapons, and how East Tennessee plays a key role in nuclear science."
Read more by Anila Yoganathan - Knoxville News Sentinel - Jan. 18, 2023.
TVA bet on gas for Arctic storms. It backfired. “The Tennessee Valley Authority holds the capacity for nearly 34 gigawatts of nuclear, fossil fuels and renewables. That capacity is supposed to hold up in worst case scenarios like Arctic blasts...'We have not seen much transparency out of TVA,' said Daniel Tait, COO of the nonprofit Energy Alabama....Energy efficiency programs could shave off 26% of demand from Tennessee houses.'"Read more by Caroline Eggers - WPLN - Dec. 29, 2022.
TVA turns to industry panel to review winter power performance. "Memphis Light, Gas and Water representatives will join other Tennessee Valley Authority customers at an in-person meeting later this month to review the federally owned power provider’s performance during December’s extreme winter weather. After Memphis faced rolling blackouts and spent days under a precautionary boil water advisory in late December, the responsible parties — the TVA and MLGW — both began examinations of their performance under extreme winter weather conditions...The panel members are Joy Ditto, president of the American Public Power Association; former U.S. Senator Bob Corker; and Mike Howard, retired CEO of the Electric Power Research Institute."
Read more by Keely Brewer - Daily Memphian - Jan. 18, 2023.
Tennes-Sierran readers will recall that the Sept/Oct 2021 edition featured a photo of Justin J. Pearson, co-founder of Memphis Community Against the Pipeline. The Byhalia Pipeline was defeated as a result of many communities and organizations speaking out. Pearson recently won a landslide victory to become Representative of District 86. Photo used with permission of Southern Environmental Law Center.
Winter Retreat a Success!
After a long hiatus from in-person retreats, the Chapter had a good turnout at Cedars of Lebanon State Park for the Winter Retreat. About 60 members came out and enjoyed a variety of educational and recreational activities. Save the date for the Spring Retreat, which will be April 28-30, hosted by the Harvey Broome Group at beautiful Fall Creek Falls State Park!
Group photo of some of the Winter Retreat attendees. Photo: Todd Waterman.
Dan Firth, Solid Waste and Mining Committee Chair, gave an important presentation about the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation, which will be a priority for Conservation Education Day (see 'Events' below). The Tennessee Chapter drafted the Tennessee Waste Reduction and Recycling Act, which would powerfully incentivize industry to reduce, reuse, and recycle packaging. Tennessee was recently ranked 47th in the nation for recycling. To learn more about EPR legislation, contact dan.firth.sierraclub@gmail.com. Dan Firth is quoted in this
Public News Service article by Danielle Smith (Jan. 30, 2023). See more coverage HERE and HERE. Photo: Todd Waterman.
Environmental Updates
Stay informed about Legislative updates! You can receive weekly updates on the doings of the TN General Assembly from our lobbyist Scott Banbury by signing up here
(scroll down to Tennessee Legislative Updates). You can also view Scott’s constantly updated list of pending state legislation here. You can support Scott’s legislative work
here.
To alleviate landfill woes, Murfreesboro wants to turn its trash into gas and ‘bio-coal’. "The Middle Point Landfill in Murfreesboro is the dumping ground for about a third of Tennessee counties, and officials claim it is running out of space fast. Some towns are looking for other options. Last month, the city of Murfreesboro entered into a contract with WasteAway, a company that says it diverts waste from landfills and turns it into energy. The city council recently approved a design contract for a new biogas property as part of the project."
Read more by Caroline Eggers - Jan. 13, 2023.
Commission passes protection measures for development near Duck River. "Passing a zoning resolution that would halt commercial and residential developers from building within a 1,000 foot reach of the river was met with some resistance but not enough to keep the resolution from passing 16 to 5 with 21 commissioners in attendance. The vote sealed the deal for setting up additional protections instead of sending the resolution back to the planning commission like some proposed." Read more by Dave Campbell - Special to Daily Herald - Jan. 3, 2022.
Sierra Club statement on EPA's 'Waters of the United States' rule. "On Friday, December 30th, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule which defines the various types of waters which fall under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act in a way that will preserve protections that have been in place for decades. This move reverses the Trump administration’s attempt to redefine “Waters of the United States” in order to restrict which waters are protected under the federal Clean Water Act, one of the country’s most critical bedrock environmental laws."
Read press release - Sierra Club - Jan. 4, 2023.
Rare snail slowly crawls back from near extinction along Northwest Georgia river. "In a stretch of north Georgia river lives a snail that has come back from the dead...The researchers located enough snails to begin breeding them in captivity, and they've been releasing them in the thousands in an attempt to give them a second chance at life, first through the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute and now through the Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center." Read more by Ross Williams - Georgia Recorder - Dec. 27, 2022.
WATCH: Chickasaw Group member Joe Ozegovich starts Youtube channel. In an effort to inform and engage the public on important environmental and sustainability issues in Shelby County and Tennessee, the Youtube channel "Joe O" covers topics like electric vehicles and energy efficiency. Consider watching, subscribing, and sharing to support the outreach efforts of a fellow TN Sierra Club member!
West Prong Little Pigeon River from Old Sugarlands Trail. Photo by Julie Elfin.
Health & Justice
Communities mourn two young people recently killed by police. In Atlanta, 26-year old forest defender known as Tortuguita ("little turtle") was fatally shot by police while protesting the development of proposed "Cop City," in South River Forest (Weelaunee Forest) in southeast Atlanta. Sierra Club Georgia Chapter released a statement in solidarity and has called for an independent investigation. Ben Jealous, Sierra Club's new Executive Director, has
shared this petition from our partner organization Color of Change, which you can sign to oppose the "Cop City" development. In Memphis, 29-year old Tyre Nichols was pulled over in a traffic stop and beaten by multiple officers. After three days of hospitalization, he did not survive the assault. Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis has called the incident "heinous, reckless, and inhumane." Sierra Club has
released a statement
condemning police brutality.
Small Tennessee farmers to USDA: Tyson's poultry contractors aren't family farms. "Residents in a historically Black farming community in West Tennessee are suing the federal government, alleging that a loan program meant for family-run farms is illegally subsidizing mass poultry operations for corporate giant Tyson Foods. The issue started early last year when Tyson opened a $425 million poultry processing plant in Gibson County." Read more by Kelly Puente - Nashville Tennessean - Jan. 18, 2023.
TVA seeks same limits on releasing pollutants from Bull Run power plant. "The Bull Run Fossil Plant is set to shut down by the end of 2023, but before it does, the Tennessee Valley Authority wants to modify its water permit to allow it to release pollutants into the Clinch River under the same limits allowed under an existing rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency." TDEC held a public hearing on Jan. 12. Read more by Anila Yoganathan - Knox News - Dec. 20, 2022.
Tennessee residents are tired of coal ash pollution. TDEC could help. "TVA has individual permits for each of its coal plants to legally pollute waterways at specified amounts. The utility is currently seeking a 'modified' permit from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for its Bull Run Fossil Plant, a coal stack on the Clinch River near Knoxville...TDEC will soon decide whether to approve TVA’s requested permit for the Bull Run plant." Read more by Caroline Eggers - WPLN - Jan. 26, 2023.
Tyre Nichols was a father, a skateboarder, and aspiring photographer. His
photography website
showcases many beautiful photos. This photo captures a sunset at DeSoto Bridge in Memphis. His homepage features a quote from Joel Strauss: "A good photographer must love life more than photography itself." Nichols died on January 10 from injuries sustained in an assault by five police officers. Photo credit: Tyre Nichols.
Events
Statewide environmental events listed chronologically.
Do you have an event you'd like publicized?
Send it to Enews.sierratn@gmail.com.
Transit Equity Day is Saturday, February 4th. Transit Equity Day is a national day of action and remembrance that honors Rosa Parks' birthday and promotes public transit as a civil right and strategy to combat climate change. On February 4th, Sierra Club and partners will hold a live virtual event featuring guests from around the country who are leading the fight for better transit in their states, cities, and towns. We'll celebrate organizing successes and uplift a positive vision for public transit that is safe, clean, reliable, and accessible to all. RSVP for an event here!
HBG Program: The Heat Is On! Mapping Urban Heat Risks in Knoxville, Tennessee. Join HBG for a presentation by Jennifer First, UTK Assistant Professor, College of Social Work. Knoxville was one of 14 US cities chosen to participate in the2022 Heat Mapping Campaign supported by the NOAA Climate Program Office and CAPA Strategies LLC. At this meeting, Jennifer First will provide the heat mapping project details, share results, and discuss next steps for building community capacity. Event held Tues. Feb. 14, 7:00-8:30 PM ET
at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (also virtual via Zoom). Please RSVP through this Campfire Event Link to get the Zoom link.
Conservation Education Day is Wed. March 1. This lobby day in Nashville is jointly sponsored by the Sierra Club, Tennessee Conservation Voters, Tennessee Environmental Council, Harpeth River Conservancy, and Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light. Please plan to participate, if you can. Training session will be Tuesday evening, February 28, to cover our issues and how to lobby your representatives. We will meet with our legislative representatives in their offices in the Cordell Hull Building to communicate our interests in bills before the House and Senate. Likely topics include an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill, private sewer systems, coal primacy and whatever else arises during the sessions. Join our new Facebook group,
Tennessee Conservation Education Day, to keep up with activities or contact Bill Moll at 404-401-7899 or whmoll@aol.com.
Tennessee Tree Day is March 17-18. Tennessee Tree Day 2023 is the largest community tree-planting project of its kind in America! Tennessee residents will collectively pick up and plant more than 95,000 native tree seedlings in all 95 Tennessee counties during the weekend of March 18th, 2023. The trees are yours to plant on your own property and will enhance our environment and communities for generations to come! Learn more here.
In Memoriam: Detlef Matt
HBG's Dr. Mary Headrick has lost her beloved husband and fellow Sierra Club climate champion Dr. Detlef Matt. Detlef was an experimental physicist who retired from Oak Ridge's NOAA Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division and was a prescient critic of natural gas methane leakage. He asked that memorial donations go to HBG or any group addressing man-made climate change. To donate to the Harvey Broome Group, you can
give online here. To donate to the Tennessee Chapter, you can give online here. Photo by Todd Waterman, courtesy of Mary Headrick.
Tennessee Chapter Fundraising Corner with Mac Post
The annual March Appeal fundraising letter will arrive in your mailbox later in February or early March. It outlines several of the Chapter’s priorities for the year. They include:
Fixing state laws so local communities are protected from the reckless siting of fossil fuel pipelines, landfills, and confined animal feeding operations.
Ensuring the proper clean up of TVA’s coal ash impoundments across the state.
Advancing legislation that moves Tennessee toward a truly circular economy by keeping packaging waste out of our landfills and environment.
Working with local and state governments to see that Tennessee takes full advantage of the opportunities available through the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
To accomplish these goals, we need for you to pitch in and help fund our activities. To save expense we send the March Appeal letter only to members that have contributed anything beyond their membership dues, in the past 3 years. If you want to donate using a credit card you don’t have to wait until you get this letter—you can donate now using the online Chapter web form!
Please donate today – this March Appeal 2023 link is available now to take your donation.
Special Features
Dear Eartha
Editor's Note: Eartha is taking a hiatus this month. In the meantime, send her some questions to investigate or ruminate! Submit your questions and comments to the Sierra E-News Editor [Enews.sierratn@gmail.com]. Stay tuned to see what topic she will cover next time! Dear Eartha is penned by Rita Bullinger.
Species Spotlight
This month's featured species is: Eastern Bluebird(Sialia sialis)
Bluebird on a snowy branch, March 12, 2022. Photo credit: Todd Waterman.
The Eastern bluebird is the state bird of New York and Missouri. Bluebirds can be found in the eastern parts of North and Central America, and the islands of Cuba and Bermuda.
Bluebirds start nesting around February, and breeding season runs from April through July or later. Eastern bluebirds that nest farther north or west have larger clutch sizes than bluebirds that nest further south.
Eastern bluebirds have incredible vision, and can spot a small insect from 60 feet away.
Female bluebirds have a grayish-blue back (blue is more visible during flight) and a white ring around the eye, and males have a deeper blue back.
Contact Us
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HBG's Dr. Mary Headrick has lost her beloved husband and fellow Sierra Club climate champion Dr. Detlef Matt. Detlef was an experimental physicist who retired from Oak Ridge's NOAA Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division and was a prescient critic of natural gas methane leakage. He asked that memorial donations go to HBG or any group addressing man-made climate change. To donate to the Harvey Broome Group, you can
