Current Situation
Due to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic situation, we are sensitive to our constituents during this challenging crisis. . . .
Revised COVID-19 pandemic situation extends moratorium on gatherings to July 4, 2021. Sierra Club in-person events have been cancelled or postponed, and the cancellations extend to July 4, 2021. Some group and chapter business meetings that have been restructured for online participation will take place. The work goes on! Most group and chapter business meetings have been restructured for online participation.
Cancelled Events (at least through July 4, 2021):
Harvey Broome Group Outings
Face-to-Face Harvey Broome Group Program Meetings
Events not cancelled:
Online (via Zoom) Harvey Broome Group ExCom meetings
virtual online program meetings (see info below)
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“Virtual” April 2021 Program: Tuesday, April 13, 2021, 7:00-8:30 PM
What: Ecology and Chemistry to Care for Landscapes and Gardens by Dr. Elizabeth Hamilton, Better Nature LLC
When: Tuesday, April 13, 2021, 7:00-8:30 PM
Where: Virtual via Zoom. Please RSVP through this Campfire Event Link. You will receive information on how to connect to this program and be notified via email if there are any changes.
Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is a way to use ecology and chemistry to care for landscapes and gardens. It's used as part of a regenerative agricultural approach and is a necessary paradigm shift in local landscape industry standards. This presentation gives an introduction as to how to nurture the menagerie of organisms below- and above-ground when creating a yard/garden habitat. Dr. C. Elizabeth Hamilton has a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology and a patent with ORNL for the use of microbial mutualists to decrease nitrogen inputs in agriculture while increasing plant drought-tolerance. Dr. Hamilton is now using her knowledge to help drive a paradigm shift in landscape management here in Knoxville and surrounding areas. 
Note: Consult the HBG website Calendar for updates to our calendar. Questions regarding HBG events should be addressed to HBG Chair Jerry Thornton (gatwilcat@aol.com).
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HBG and Local Issues & Business
Call for Nominations for the Harvey Broome Group (HBG) ExCom by Bonnie Swinford, Senior Organizing Representative The HBG Nomination Committee is seeking self-nominated candidates and suggestions for nominees! This year, 6 of HBG’s 12 ExCom members will reach the end of their terms. The Sierra Club’s democratic process ensures it is held accountable to its membership with viable candidates who best represent our members’ interests. Any HBG member in good standing is eligible for nomination for the HBG ExCom. Any HBG Member wishing to be considered as a candidate should indicate their intent by July 31, 2021. Email Jerry Thornton at gatwildcat@aol.com, or send paper mail to 413 Sugarwood Drive, Farragut, Tennessee 37934. More information is available here.  photo courtesy of Will Skelton
Volunteers Needed to Hike Trails for New Edition of HBG’s Cherokee National Forest Hiking Guide
By Will Skelton
The first comprehensive hiking guide to the Cherokee National Forest (CNF) was published by the University of Tennessee (UT) Press in 1992 as “Wilderness Trails of Tennessee’s Cherokee National Forest.” A second edition was likewise published by UT Press in 2005 as “Cherokee National Forest Hiking Guide.” With over 15 years having passed since the last edition and it being sold out, and with new Wilderness areas designated by Congress, it is appropriate that a new edition be published, reflecting changes in newly designated trails, decommissioned trails, trailhead changes, and physical changes in trails. Accordingly, the Harvey Broome Group of the Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club, which wrote and produced both editions, is planning to prepare a revised manuscript over 2021-2022. Will Skelton, Don Barger and Joan Tomlinson will be organizing the effort. We especially need volunteers to re-hike in 2021 all of the approximately 192 trails and over 600 miles of trails in the CNF. Some hiking experience will be necessary and, since we’ll be double-checking the trail mileage (which were originally done by rolling a measuring wheel along all the trails), familiarity with using a GPS or a willingness to learn such will be necessary (using a separate GPS device like a Garmin or a cell phone GPS program like Avenza or Gaia). If interested, please contact Will Skelton at 865-523-2272/whshome@bellsouth.net or Joan Tomlinson at 865-567-8051/joanptomlinson@gmail.com
HBG has Concerns about DOE’s Proposed “Environmental Management Disposal Facility” (EMDF)
By Virginia Dale The Department of Energy (DOE) wants to build a new landfill on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) for radioactive and hazardous waste from ongoing cleanup. The proposed site is largely forested in an area of the ORR that DOE agreed would be kept uncontaminated and has hydrology unsuitable for waste disposal. Because the landfill would be a remedial action under CERCLA (the Superfund law), it would be built and operated without public involvement and regulatory oversight that apply to ordinary landfills. Furthermore, DOE will ask for waivers from some substantive regulations. The HBG would prefer that radioactive and hazardous wastes go to licensed facilities in the arid west instead of wet, populous Tennessee. DOE has not answered questions from environmental groups about waste acceptance criteria for the landfill, comparative costs and jobs for onsite versus offsite disposal, the environmental regulations that DOE wants to have waived, and plans for putting mercury waste in the landfill. Even so, DOE will likely announce a final Record of Decision in the coming month. Concerns about the EMDF should be submitted to DOE's John Japp (John.Japp@orem.doe.gov), TDEC's Colby Morgan (Colby.Morgan@tn.gov), US EPA's Connie Jones (jones.constance@epa.gov), and elected officials. Further information can be found at https://aforr.info/hazardous-waste-landfill-emdf/.  Image courtesy of Zenos Cars via Wikimedia CommonsMotorsports Complex in Oak Ridge a Cause for Concern to HBG
By Jerry Thornton and Virginia Dale
The HBG opposes a proposal to build a motorsports racetrack and a 7,000-person amphitheater in the Horizon Center. This land was transferred from the US Department of Energy (DOE) for industrial use but retains restrictions to minimize environmental impacts. The area proposed for the racetrack is adjacent to the Black Oak Ridge Conservation Easement, which is protected for both wildlife and recreation and has popular high-quality greenway trails. It is likely that loud noises and exhaust from racing cars and noise and lights from concerts would seriously harm the natural attributes of the forest and greenway. Before this project can proceed, the Oak Ridge City Council (ORCC) must first approve a new Special Recreation District and then approve the racetrack at the site. After that, the DOE will make its decision on approval of the project. If you live in Oak Ridge, please pay attention to this project and call or email your opinions on it to the ORCC (citycouncil@oakridgetn.gov) and the DOE (john.shewairy@science.doe.gov). The ORCC had a working session on this project on March 16th and may vote on the Special Recreation District on April 12th. Information about the proposed racetrack can be found at https://aforr.info/motorsports-complex/.
Potential Projects in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Garner Sierra Club Attention
By Jerry Thornton Great Smoky Mountains National Park is now considering several projects that may have adverse consequences to the environment of the park. Thanks to the new funding that passed Congress in 2020, NPS will have money to do things that have been put off for years. While most are likely benign, we are concerned about a proposal, currently undergoing environmental analysis, to build off-road bicycle trails adjacent to the park in the corridor acquired decades ago for the Foothills Parkway in Wears Valley. More threatening is a proposal to build a new entrance road into the park from Wears Valley to Metcalf Bottoms. Such a road would devastate the mountainside and a corridor now containing mature forest, a stream, and hiking trails. That proposal will be up for environmental analysis later in 2021. The HBG will analyze and comment on this and other proposals as they are presented to the public. For information about the bike trails see https://parkplanning.nps.gov/WearsValleyBikeTrails 
RECLAIM: Could Sorely-Needed Congressional Help for Former Tennessee Coal Mining Communities Be On the Way?
After years of groundwork laid by the Sierra Club and our partners and allies across the country, we are pleased to share that two pieces of legislation were introduced in Congress to help ensure historic coal producing regions across the country are part of the economic recovery following the COVID-19 crisis that has accelerated the closure of coal mines and plants.
The legislation includes the RECLAIM Act and a bill to reauthorize the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Fund. The bills were reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-PA). Here’s the Sierra Club's statement in support of these bipartisan bills.
According to a recent Sierra Club analysis, passage of the RECLAIM Act and the Abandoned Mine Land reauthorization legislation would create an estimated 13,000 new jobs immediately in reclamation alone.
Call your representative today and urge them to pass legislation to reclaim Abandoned Mine Lands: Call 1-888-464-1997 or text RECLAIM to 69866.
To learn more, you can watch the Abandoned Mine Lands Action Webinar livestream recording here.
KUB posts intentions with respect to disconnections for non-payment.
They also include their suggestions for “assistance” for those in need, and how those of us in better circumstances can assist those in need via “Project Help."
For utility companies in other counties and municipalities in Tennessee, e.g., Alcoa, LaFollete, Lenoir City, Maryville, Clinton, and more, links to pandemic response policies can be found here.
Federally Funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
This federal program provides federally funded assistance in managing costs associated with: home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization and energy-related minor home repairs.
Read about other local events in Tennessee in our Chapter e-newsletters.
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Events and Actions
 SEEED trainees celebrate their diplomas in a 2019 SEEED Facebook photo. (Courtesy of SEEED)
For Earth Day, SEEED Breaking Ground on a Low-Income Solar Home - and a New Vision
By Kent Minault
Let’s join Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development (SEEED) in creating “development without displacement” in East Knoxville! SEEED is helping local folks start owning homes in their own neighborhoods. This way, the development of housing in the area no longer creates “gentrification” but helps low-income residents stabilize their communities and develop generational wealth through home-ownership.
HOW DO WE MAKE IT HAPPEN?
HELP – VOLUNTEER – DONATE!
And especially, come to the groundbreaking for their first house, which will be on Earth Day, April 22nd at 1:00 PM at 1122 Texas Avenue 37921!
This will be an advanced energy-efficient home with solar power and battery storage. It’s designed to be sustainable and affordable. This is the cornerstone of SEEED’s operational plan to create a pathway out of poverty. When SEEED students work on building the house, they’ll also get the chance to forge a career path in the construction industry. By bringing together all the processes involved in acquiring the lots, financing and constructing the homes, and mentoring families through the process of acquiring the property, SEEED has formed a powerful tool for community self-determination. Let’s roll up our sleeves, join our partners, and help make it happen!”
Sierra Club Action Alert: Tell Your Senators: Fix Our Broken Democracy and Pass the "For The People Act"
“Congress has a duty to restore the promise of American democracy.” “It's past time we take action to ensure everyone's voice -- no matter your zip code, race or background -- is heard in our democracy.”
https://act.sierraclub.org/actions/National?actionId=AR0307194&id=70131000001Lp1FAAS
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State and National Newsflash
*** Note to readers about accessing these articles
Feeding cows seaweed could cut their methane emissions by 82%, scientists say: researchers found cows belched out 82% less methane after putting small amount of seaweed in their feed for five months. Oliver Millman, The Guardian, March 18.
“Feeding seaweed to cows is a viable long-term method to reduce the emission of planet-heating gases from their burps and flatulence, scientists have found. Researchers who put a small amount of seaweed into the feed of cattle over the course of five months found that the new diet caused the bovines to belch out 82% less methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.”
‘Reading the writing on the wall’: why Wall Street is acting on the climate crisis. Dominic Rushe, The Guardian, March 16.
"The industry has backed polluters for decades. Now, amid growing pressure, Wall Street says it’s going green. It used to be the protesters outside Davos and annual shareholder meetings who talked about greenhouse gases and rising sea levels. Now it’s the bankers. And when money talks, corporations listen. But can Wall Street really save the planet?... 'I think there is reason to be optimistic but also to be extremely cautious. It’s both moving in the right direction and greenwashing,' said Josh Axelrod, the senior advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council."
Deb Haaland Confirmed As 1st Native American Interior Secretary. Nathan Rott, NPR, March 15.
“Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexico's Laguna Pueblo, has become the first Native American Cabinet secretary in U.S. history. The Senate voted 51-40 Monday to confirm the Democratic congresswoman to lead the Interior Department, an agency that will play a crucial role in the Biden administration's ambitious efforts to combat climate change and conserve nature. Her confirmation is as symbolic as it is historic. For much of its history, the Interior Department was used as a tool of oppression against America's Indigenous peoples. In addition to managing the country's public lands, endangered species and natural resources, the department is also responsible for the government-to-government relations between the U.S. and Native American tribes.”
The Misinformation Campaign Was Distinctly One-Sided: In 2020, false propaganda about voting came almost exclusively from the right, putting tech companies in a bind. Renée DiResta, The Atlantic, March 15, 2021
Trumped-up 2020 voter fraud disinformation was an unprecedented attack on our democracy - in the name of democracy. But because political disinformation campaigns come primarily from the right, controlling their viral new tools triggers biased censorship lies - in the name of the truth.
Al Gore and Justin Pearson at the Memphis rally (courtesy of MLK50.org)
Al Gore calls proposed Byhalia Connection pipeline 'reckless, racist rip-off' at rally. Max Garland, Memphis Commercial Appeal, March 14.
Gore’s fiery and inspiring speech (video included) is a must-watch. He invokes climate change, water protection, and racial justice in condemning the pipeline and exhorting locals and their officials to resist it with all they have. “This resistance ain’t nothing compared to what they’re going to see if they try to keep going with this.” The pipeline would run through predominantly Black Memphis communities and risk contaminating the local water supply.
Motorsports park would be like 'candy store' for car lovers. Does it make sense for Oak Ridge? Brenna McDermott, Knoxville News Sentinel, March 13.
The proposed motorsports park in Oak Ridge’s Horizon Center would bring revenue and tourism to the area, but draws concern over noise, property values, and environmental impact. The park’s primary use would be for private individuals, not professional races.
Climate change: 'Default effect' sees massive green energy switch. Matt McGrath, BBC, March 13.
“When Swiss energy companies made green electricity the default choice, huge numbers of consumers were happy to stick with it - even though it cost them more. . . . Before the switch, the numbers choosing to have green power were at around 3%. Afterwards, this rose to 80-90% of customers. . . . Over the six-year period of the study, the researchers found no evidence of greater consumption among those using renewable power. The authors also believe that moving to a green default setting would have a major impact on carbon dioxide emissions, particularly in countries with a high reliance on fossil fuels such as the US, China or Germany.”
This Ruling Is For the Birds. Rachael Bale, National Geographic, March 11.
“It’s been a whiplash few months for native birds in North America. This week, the U.S. government announced its plans to reverse a rule formalized just three months ago, under the previous administration, that aimed to let oil companies, wind farms, and others off the hook for accidental bird deaths. . . . That rule went into effect on Monday. The same day, the Fish and Wildlife Service—now serving a new administration—announced it was planning to reverse the rule and to no longer defend it in court.”
Nokian's Dayton, Tennessee, tire factory called one of most eco-friendly worldwide, company says. Mike Pare, Chattanooga Times Free Press, March 9th, 2021.
“Nokian Tyres' factory in Dayton, Tennessee, is now one of the most eco-friendly in the tire industry worldwide after reaching another key environmental mark Tuesday. The Dayton facility's solar-powered administration building has landed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4 Gold certification, according to company officials. Already, the plant that makes tires for the auto industry received LEED v4 Silver certification for its production facility from the U.S. Green Building Council. Inspectors highlighted the administration building's innovation in design, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality as key drivers of the high certification level, the company said. Design innovations include solar power, low-emitting building materials and a high level of natural lighting throughout the facility, according to Nokian.”
Texas's power disaster is a warning sign for the US: America’s power grid is not ready. Vox YouTube video, March 4.
Vox’s easy-to-understand animated graphics show how power grids work, why they fail, and how better regulation can prevent those failures.
House Democrats introduce bill with pathway to 100% clean energy by 2035. Utility Dive, March 3.
“House Democrats unveiled legislation on Tuesday that would bring economy-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero by 2050, and cut emissions 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 or sooner. The CLEAN Future Act proposes a national Clean Energy Standard that would require all retail electric providers to generate 100% of their power from zero-emissions resources by 2035, and 80% by 2030. It would also require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to update U.S. transmission policy in order to better integrate renewables onto the grid, and direct greater investment in energy storage, microgrids, distributed energy resources and more. The bill also targets transportation electrification, environmental justice, economic transition for fossil fuel workers, building efficiency and more. It would also include major changes to the Federal Power Act (FPA) and the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA).”
Battling America’s ‘dirty secret’: Climate change raises the risk from failing sewage systems. Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, Dec. 17, 2020.
Catherine Coleman Flowers and others in her small Alabama town are raising awareness and creating solutions to a little-known environmental issue: the impacts of climate change and rising water tables on outdated sewage systems. In low income, rural communities like Flowers’, people use septic systems that leach into surrounding soil, or have no sewage treatment at all, creating human and ecosystem health concerns. Now they are working with Columbia University’s Wastewater Innovation and Environmental Justice Lab to develop new technologies that could clean sewage systems around the world.
Read about other events in Tennessee in our Chapter e-newsletters.
*** A democracy with informed citizens requires the professionalism that we have historically expected of credible news sources. Most “local" newspapers today are asking folks who access their online news stories to purchase a subscription to their paper. This is understandable generally, and reminds us that we should do our part to pay for the resources that result in publication of local news. Those of us who use summaries of published print news, as we do, are no exception, and we ask the same of our readers. However, we also believe that a person who only wants to see an occasional article published in a newspaper should not be required to subscribe. So if you believe that you are in the latter category - only an occasional reader - you may be able to read an article without a subscription if you "browse anonymously" or clear your browser cache before activating a link to an article. This may help you avoid many "pay walls" at these news sources (some sources restrict access even with anonymous settings). Another approach is to search for alternate source on the particular news item. But we recommend that our readers who find themselves accessing an online news source on a regular basis subscribe to an online version of the paper, which is generally much cheaper than a print version.
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HELP THE HARVEY BROOME GROUP
PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT
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Can't donate now? Sign up for Kroger Community Rewards. Kroger donates a portion of what you spend to the Harvey Broome Group as long as you designate HBG as your preferred charity.
Here's how:
1. Go to the Kroger Community Rewards web page
2. Register (or Sign In if you already have an account.)
3. Enroll in Community Rewards (or Edit if you're already enrolled.)
4. Enter HBG's Community Rewards Number 27874.
That's it. Swipe your Kroger Card when you shop and know that you're helping protect your environment.
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Who We Are
Founded by legendary conservationist John Muir in 1892, the Sierra Club is now the nation's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization -- with more than two million members and supporters. Our successes range from protecting millions of acres of wilderness to helping pass the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. More recently, we've made history by leading the charge to move away from the dirty fossil fuels that cause climate disruption and toward a clean energy economy.
The Harvey Broome Group (HBG) is one of four Sierra Club Groups within the Tennessee Chapter. HBG is based in Knoxville and serves 18 surrounding counties. HBG's namesake, Harvey Broome, was a Knoxvillian who was a founding member of the Wilderness Society and played a key role in the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Visit our website
Join HBG
Donate (click the Donate button on the HBG home page)
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