In Tennessee, poll hours vary by county, but all polls close at 7 pm CST / 8 pm ET. To see what time your county's polls open, refer to this chart from the Division of Elections. Make sure you are IN LINE at 7 pm CST / 8 pm ET in order to cast your vote.
On election day, you must vote at your assigned polling location. You can verify your polling site here.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is at a critical crossroads in developing its long-term energy plan, which will determine how our power is produced in the Valley for decades to come. TVA's energy plan — also called the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) — will have a big effect on our communities. The plan will impact whether we pay for more dirty fossil energy or invest in clean energy.
This is not a done deal! With TVA's energy plan still in development, we can demand a transition to affordable, renewable energy that truly benefits our community. We are calling on supporters to take two important actions:
Attend one of TVA's IRP Open Houses: Join us at one of the upcoming open houses to express your concerns about the current focus on costly methane gas projects.
Submit public comments: Submit a comment advocating for a transition to renewable energy sources like solar. Share your personal stories and the impacts of rising energy costs on your family or community. TVA is taking comments until December 11, 2024.
With rising energy costs and a continued focus on expensive methane gas projects, our community faces significant challenges that threaten financial stability and environmental health.
Many families, particularly those in low-income and marginalized communities, are already feeling the strain of escalating electricity bills, making it essential for us to advocate for a more equitable energy future.
Take action now: Tell TVA to invest in our future by choosing clean, affordable energy!
Tennessee News
Sierra Club voting underway! While you're in the swing of casting ballots, be sure to vote for Sierra Club Chapter and Group leaders! There is no online voting option this year, so paper ballots must be received by December 13th (allow time for mailing). Ballots and instructions are in the Nov/Dec Tennes-Sierran you recently received in the mail. Ballots may also be printed from the digital Tennes-Sierran.
Digging into Middle Tennessee's trash crisis: Can the region keep from getting buried? "Five major landfills in Middle Tennessee have a combined lifespan of less than 10 years. With no clear plan for the future, taxpayers could end up paying higher prices for trash pickup." Read more by Kelly Puente - Nashville Tennessean - October 27, 2024.
Wetlands lessen floods. Tennessee lawmakers plan to erode the regulations that protect them. "Earlier this year, state lawmakers proposed a developer-backed bill to remove protections on more than half of Tennessee’s wetlands. That bill was defeated, but another version of the bill is expected by spring." Wetlands are "the ecosystems between land and water, like swamps, bogs and marshes. Wetlands soak up flood waters, improve water quality, recharge streams and aquifers, and provide habitat."
Read more
by Caroline Eggers - WPLN - October 10, 2024.
Projects supporting Tennessee’s Duck River, sustainable farming receive $66M in USDA awards. "Conservation efforts benefiting Tennessee’s Duck River and sustainable farming are among 92 projects to receive new funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the department announced Wednesday. The Duck River Watershed Society was awarded $20 million to support stream restoration in the Duck River, which is among the most diverse freshwater rivers in North America."
Read more by Cassandra Stephenson - Tennessee Lookout - October 24, 2024.
The Tennessee Chapter had a successful fall retreat in October! Park Naturalist Matthew Thomas, foreground in the far left, led the Saturday morning hike on Wheeler Farm Trail. Pictured is Nancy Bell in front, followed by Pat Cupples and Michelle Loeske. Photo credit: John Todd Waterman.
Environmental Updates
Sierra Club Defenders need you!Many thanks to the Defenders who have sent in their donations to help fund the Tennessee legislature’s only full-time lobbyist for the environment, Scott Banbury. As of October 23rd, we have collected $7860 toward our goal of $16,000. Please help us reach our goal! Donate to the Defenders Fund here, or mail your check to TN Chapter Sierra Club, P.O. Box 113, Powell TN 37849, Attn: Defenders. The Defenders is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization and donations are not income-tax deductible.
Photographer's 265-mile journey along Duck River raises awareness of endangered status. "The Duck River was most recently named as one of the nation's top three most endangered rivers by the American Rivers report, meeting the criterion of drying riverbanks, endangerment of aquatic life, nutrient pollution and decreasing water quality. Through his almost two-week journey, John Guider intends on raising awareness about the imminent environmental threats to the river." Read more by Kerri Bartlett - Columbia Daily Herald - October 18, 2024.
Neighbors rally around stronger protections for Duck River. Advocates seek limits to how much water utilities can pump out of the river in times of drought. Read more by Cassandra Stephenson - Tennessee Lookout - October 18, 2024.
Permits put on hold for planned pipeline to fuel a new Tennessee natural gas power plant. "A federal appeals panel has temporarily halted two permits needed to begin construction on a pipeline project in Tennessee that will supply a natural gas plant. In a split 2-1 decision, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel delivered a ruling Friday that, for now, prevents Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company LLC from starting to build its 32-mile (50-kilometer) pipeline through Dickson, Houston and Stewart counties." Emily Sherwood, Sierra Club senior campaign organizer, said in a news release, "This pause is a crucial opportunity to rethink the risks of fossil fuel development and prioritize the health and environment of Cumberland and our region."
Read more by Jonathan Mattise, AP - WPLN - October 17, 2024.
TVA smokestacks at the former Bull Run plant. Photo credit: John Todd Waterman.
Health & Justice
More states ban PFAS, or ‘forever chemicals,’ in more products. "The thousands of chemicals categorized as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, do not naturally break down and are found in the blood of 97% of Americans. Some PFAS compounds can harm the immune system, increase cancer risks and decrease fertility...Legislative momentum against PFAS has surged this year, as at least 11 states enacted laws to restrict the use of 'forever chemicals' in everyday consumer products or professional firefighting foam."
Read more by Shalina Chatlani - Tennessee Lookout - October 23, 2024.
University of Tennessee professor sues TVA for records of incentives to bitcoin miners. "Melanie Faizer, a journalist and professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, is suing the Tennessee Valley Authority for what she asserts are violations of the Freedom of Information Act
, a federal law that empowers members of the public to gain access to a federal agency's documents. Faizer, a former interim news director at UT's NPR member radio station WUOT, first requested access in April 2023 to documents related to TVA's secretive economic incentive grants to cryptocurrency companies."
Read more by Daniel Dassow - Knoxville News Sentinel - October 29, 2024.
County establishes 5,000-foot distance requirements for land uses such as quarries, cryptocurrency mining, landfills, and others under County Powers Act.
"County residents in favor of regulations to prohibit land uses such as rock quarries and cryptocurrency mining operations from locating near their homes have reason to be pleased today...The county commission, by a two thirds majority, for the first time ever voted to forbid such companies from moving in within 5,000 feet of a residence, school, church, and other places identified (outside municipalities) under the 'County Powers Act' as recommended by the county’s health, education, and public welfare committee. According to the historic new regulations for DeKalb County, the distance requirement becomes effective immediately for any land use named in the resolution not already in operation."
Read more by Dwayne Page - WJLE - October 29, 2024.
BOOK RELEASE —Valley So Low: One Lawyer’s Fight for Justice in the Wake of America’s Great Coal Catastrophe, by Jared Sullivan. The New York Times describes Sullivan's book as a "scrupulous account of the aftermath of the Kingston disaster." In his book review
, Nathaniel Rich writes that Sullivan had "not only to dramatize a convoluted series of abstruse, drawn-out legal cases. He also had to contend with his villains’ shameless lack of originality. The TVA, and the firm it hired to clean up its mess, Jacobs Engineering, played their assigned roles with great dedication. Nearly every strategic decision they made, Sullivan suggests, seemed calculated to be 'cartoonishly wicked.'" Valley So Low is available at many bookstores and online. Sullivan was also interviewed by Demetria Kalodimos on the podcast Banner & Company
(35 min audio).
On October 17, Jared Sullivan, along with former Knoxville mayor Victor Ashe, spoke at his book release event in Knoxville at the East Tennessee History Center. Photo credit: John Todd Waterman.
November Events
Statewide environmental events listed chronologically.
Do you have an event you'd like publicized?
Send it to Enews.sierratn@gmail.com.
Nov. 6th, 6:00-8:00 pm CST - Sierra & Suds. On the first Wednesday each month, the Middle Tennessee Group hosts Sierra & Suds, a fun meet-and-greet for people who want to learn more about local Sierra issues and activities, share ideas, or just share a cold beverage with like-minded conservationists. Every pint raised raises $1 for the Middle Tennessee Group. Sierra & Suds is held at Fat Bottom Brewery, 800 44th Ave North in Nashville. Questions? Call or email Rebecca Newton at rebeccanewton8@icloud.comor 615-579-1327. See you there!
Nov. 10th, 1pm - Cedars and Donuts at Cedars of Lebanon State Park. Meet at Pavilion 1 for cider and donuts and a brief conversation of all things Sierra Club Tennessee, with Chapter Director Pat Cupples. We invite participants to explore the Cedars of Lebanon State Park on their own following our conversation. More info and RSVP here.
Nov. 14-15th - Under One Canopy 2024 Annual Conference. This conference is an annual gathering of urban and community forestry leaders and tree advocates from across Tennessee. "This year’s theme is Under One Canopy, which will highlight how individuals, organizations, and municipalities are engaging with diverse stakeholders and cross-sector partners to make an impact in communities." To attend, you must be a current member of the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. Learn more here.
Nov. 20-21st - TenneSEIA 2024. The Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club is a Support Organization for the annual conference of the Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association in Huntsville, AL. The focus of the Tennessee Valley Solar & Storage Conference is to bring together people who are interested in growing solar business opportunities in the Tennessee Valley to discuss strategies, market trends, and policies that impact the solar industry. Attendees will participate in in-depth and forward-looking discussions on TVA policy and processes and evolving technical opportunities facing the industry in the Tennessee Valley region. Visit
TenneSEIA.com for more information.
Species Spotlight
This month's featured species is: White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Deer eat vegetation, fruit, and some nuts. The average weight for white-tailed deer is 140 pounds for males (bucks) and 100 pounds for females (does). Males grow antlers in the spring and shed them in the winter each year. Photo credit: CongerDesign via Pixabay.
White-tailed deer is present in all 95 counties in Tennessee. Deers have great hearing and vision; thanks to eyes on the sides of their heads, they have an almost 310-degree viewshed. When startled, they wag their tails.
White-tailed deer can live up to 12 years of age, though in the wild they rarely live past the age of seven.
Deer are considered crepuscular, meaning they are most active around twilight or dusk. November is their breeding season, or "rut."
Deer is the most popular big game animal in North America. Hunting has a large economic impact in many states. But environmental contamination is becoming a concern. Due to elevated PFAS detected in the animals' muscle tissue, the state of Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has issued a warning to local hunters to avoid eating deer and turkey. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are chemicals that persist in the environment and are linked to human health problems including cancer and low birth weight (
Patrick Whittle - AP News, Oct. 29, 2024).
Contact Us
Do you have a program or speaker idea for your Group? An issue you're particularly passionate about? Do you have a story idea for the Tennes-Sierran or the e-newsletter? Let us know! Look through our past programs for inspiration. Submit your suggestion here!
The views expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sierra Club.
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