Current Situation

Due to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic situation, we are sensitive to our constituents during this challenging crisis…

Sierra Club COVID Operations Update

The Sierra Club National Office guidelines below were last updated in September 2021. With the Omicron variant spreading fast even among the fully vaccinated and boosted, HBG suggests added caution pending updated guidelines.

“Based on feedback from employees and in consultation with our safety staff, we have decided to extend the Sierra Club’s current Covid response plans through February 28, 2022.  Given the current Covid situation, we recognize the need to offer continued flexibility for you to balance and manage your individual needs. We will continue on the path we launched in July--slowly reopening our offices, methodically ramping up events & in-person activities, and being cautious in travel planning.  Doing so patiently allows our mission-critical work in these areas to continue.

It is our hope that the expansion of vaccine access to young children this fall and winter will enable us as an organization to quickly ramp back up our operations--and scale back our response--in the spring. Barring any unforeseen complications, we expect to share an update with you all by February.”

Read more about reopening guidelines here. 

Sierra Club COVID Info Hub (requires Campfire login).

Virtual meetings and events:
Online (via Zoom) Tennessee Chapter ExCom Business meetings
Online (via Zoom) Harvey Broome Group ExCom meetings
Online (via Zoom) Harvey Broome Group Program Meetings - note online program meeting info below
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March 2022 Virtual Program

What: Pioneering a Continental-Scale Ecological Library, by Margaret Cumberland, NEON Field Ecologist

When: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 7:00-8:30 PM ET

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.

Field Technician at work on a plant survey. Photo credit NEON Science.

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) provides publicly available expert ecological data from 81 field sites across the United States, including Southern Appalachia (Domain 07, East Tennessee and SW Virginia). NEON data cover a wide range of subject areas within ecology, including organismal observations, biogeochemistry, remote sensing, and micrometeorology. NEON’s data collection is planned to span 30 years and provide valuable data to support a variety of research and environmental management goals, as well as enable forecasting of future ecological conditions. Margaret Cumberland will provide a brief overview of NEON as a whole and discuss how NEON operates in our region - Domain 07. She will also provide information about how NEON addresses important concepts in ecological and environmental monitoring. Lastly, Margaret will provide some personal anecdotes from the field and interesting findings over Domain 07’s seven years of sampling.

Margaret Cumberland is a Field Ecologist for the NEON Program operating out of Domain 07’s field office in Oak Ridge, TN. She received her Master’s degree from the University of Georgia researching fire ant interactions with longleaf pine ecosystems. Within NEON, Margaret is Domain 07’s botanical expert. She utilizes her plant ecology skills to manage and run the domain’s 10 plant sampling protocols and assist with a variety of others.

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

Chapter ExCom Endorses Candidates

The Tennessee Chapter recommends a vote for Cheyenne Skye Branscum (OK) [Board nominated candidate] and Kathryn Bartholomew (NY), Michael Dorsey (MI), Maya Khosla (CA) and Aaron Mair (NY) [petition nominated candidates] in the upcoming election for the Sierra Club’s Board of Directors.

The national Sierra Club Board of Directors consists of 15 members, with five Board members being elected each year for three year terms. This election is held each spring. A committee created by the Board nominates some candidates and other candidates can be nominated by a petition process.

Sierra Club members may vote either online or by mail. You will be receiving details on how to vote later from the Sierra Club or at https://www.sierraclub.org/board-directors-election-2022. The final date to vote has not yet been set, but will be no later than June 1. At least 5% of the membership must vote to have a valid election. The Chapter encourages you to vote!


Reach Out: Chair the HBG Outreach Committee!


Harvey Broome Group table at Earthfest 2017. Photo by Todd Waterman.

Shout it OUT from the mountaintop! Or from a tabling event, or from a community fish fry! Sierra Club OUTREACH, that is. HBG is looking for an excited and engaged chairperson for our Outreach Committee. There is a loosely-formed committee to support the chair.

The Outreach Committee reaches out to communities in the HBG region to inform and educate about the history of the Sierra Club, our past achievements, and our current initiatives. In 2019, before COVID shuttered many in-person activities, the Outreach Committee participated in 9 events scattered throughout the year, mainly around Earth Day. There is funding in the current HBG budget to expand Outreach events and to support other HBG committees, like the Political and Membership committees. The Outreach chair will decide the level and type of activities.

If you understand the importance of the Sierra Club’s mission to explore, enjoy, and protect our planet and can put some time and energy into chairing this important committee, please contact Joan Tomlinson at joanptomlinson@gmail.com for more information. HBG needs you! Please get involved!


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

Tennessee Conservation Education Day
Cordell Hull State Office Building
425 5th Ave N, Nashville
Wednesday, March 2, 7:30 AM CT

From Bill Moll, Chapter Conservation Chair:

“Conservation Education Day is a lobby day in Nashville jointly sponsored by the Sierra Club, Tennessee Conservation Voters, Tennessee Environmental Council, Harpeth River Conservancy, and Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light.

 “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 coal primacy, private sewer systems, an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill, Neonicotinoid regulations and whatever else arises during the sessions.

 “We will have a training session [at 6:00 PM] on Tuesday night, March 1, covering our issues and how to lobby your representatives. Join our new Facebook group, Tennessee Conservation Education Day, to keep up with activities.”


UT Libraries Wilma Dykeman Stokely Lecture: Kathleen Dean Moore in conversation with WOUT journalist Chrissy Keuper
Thursday, March 3, 7:00 PM ET
Virtual


Kathleen Dean Moore. Image courtesy of UT Libraries.

“Kathleen Dean Moore is a writer, moral philosopher, and environmental thought-leader, devoted to the defense of the lovely, reeling world.
 
“Moore published two books in Spring 2021. Earth's Wild Music: Celebrating and Defending the Songs of the Natural World is a love song to a vanishing world of birdsong, wolf call, and whale bellow. Bearing Witness: The Human-Rights Impacts of Fracking and Climate Change is a devastating indictment of fracking. Her next book, Take Heart: Encouragement for Earth's Weary Lovers, is slated for fall publication.
 
“Moore holds a PhD from the University of Colorado. For many years, she taught environmental ethics, climate ethics, and critical thinking as a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Oregon State University. But her sense of the moral urgency of climate action led her to leave the university for a full-time career as a writer and public speaker.
 
“The lecture is hosted by Friends of the Knox County Public Library and the John C. Hodges Society of the University of Tennessee Libraries. The lecture honors the late Wilma Dykeman Stokely (1920–2006), writer, speaker, teacher, historian, environmentalist, and long-time friend of the Knox County Public Library. Her papers are part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives at the University of Tennessee Libraries. Speakers at the Wilma Dykeman Stokely Memorial Lecture represent a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and work, but all have a deep connection to one or more of Stokely’s passions: Appalachia, the environment, and racial and gender equity. Moore’s books are available to purchase at Union Ave. Books.”
 
Register here


Reach for the Peaks Hiking Lecture: Jennifer Pharr Davis
Saturday, March 12, 2:00 PM ET
Knoxville Museum of Art

“Jennifer Pharr Davis is an internationally recognized adventurer, speaker, author, and entrepreneur who has hiked more than 14,000 miles of trails on six different continents. In 2011 she set the overall fastest known time on the Appalachian Trail by finishing the 2,185-mile footpath in 46 days (an average of 47 miles a day). She has also been named National Geographic's Adventurer of the Year.”

This event is hosted by the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians and requires a donation to attend. An additional Meet-and-Greet lunch with Jennifer at 12:30 PM is also available. The registration fee includes a Reach for the Peaks knapsack and patch, plus Jennifer’s book: Called Again, A Story of Love and Triumph.

Register here


SEEED’s Green Gala
Friday, April 8, 7:00-10:00 PM ET
Jubilee Banquet Center, 6700 Jubilee Center Way, Knoxville, 37912


Poster by Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development

The annual Green Gala by Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development (SEEED) raises funds to provide pathways out of poverty for young adults through career readiness training.
Hallerin Hilton Hill will host the gala, which will include live music by Lynnez & The Good Fellas and DJ Von, a silent auction, dinner and a photo shoot. The young adults also will be honored.

Tickets are $65 Buy tickets here.

Attire: Dressy, black tie optional, cocktail.


Great Smokies Eco-Adventure
Sunday, April 10 - Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smokies Eco-Adventure 2021 participants. Image by Will Kuhn (edited).

Experience the Smokies like never before! Spend your days exploring the wilds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and your nights glamorously camping off the grid. Discover Life in America is partnering with A Walk in the Woods to bring you this exclusive 3-day, 2-night adventure that will include guided hikes and nature walks, camping in a luxurious off-grid setting, great local food and drink, and much more. All proceeds from this fundraising event will help DLiA discover and conserve the rich biodiversity of the Smokies.

Tickets are $950 per guest. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.dlia.org/event/eco-adventure-2022  

Discover Life in America is a nonprofit organization based in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our flagship project is the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, a joint effort with the park to identify and catalog each of the 60,000+ species living here! We work with park staff, researchers, and volunteers to study biodiversity in the Smokies, to educate others about its importance in our lives, and ultimately to conserve the richness of life on Earth.


Submit Your Comment: Tell EPA to Protect Communities from Toxic Coal Ash

“Good news: the EPA is for the first time proposing to require the coal industry to clean up toxic coal ash waste. This dangerous pollution has been leaking into groundwater and drinking water sources for decades, wreaking havoc on our communities.

“Thanks to the support of people like you, the EPA passed new rules in 2015 to regulate coal ash. Although the Trump EPA – led by a former coal lobbyist – tried to roll back these rules, the Sierra Club and our allies around the country fought back. And, because we won, the EPA is now telling several coal plants to follow the 2015 rules that require dangerous ash ponds to be cleaned up and safely closed.

“Across the Midwest, coal plants have tried to escape the 2015 rules. They’ve delayed the safe cleanup and closure of ash ponds, choosing instead to leave them in a condition that can permanently plague local communities with hazardous chemicals. Thankfully, the Biden-led EPA has said enough is enough. It’s proposing to reject coal plant schemes that have failed to contain the coal ash waste that is polluting our waters with toxic waste.

“Tell the EPA that enforcing the 2015 rules to hold coal plants accountable for their toxic waste is the right thing to do for our communities.”

Submit your comment here by February 23rd.
 
 
Sierra Club Action Alert: Stop Cumberland & Kingston Pipelines!
 
“TVA is exploring replacing coal plants with gas plants & pipelines. TVA's Board just delegated authority to make the decision for coal plant retirement and replacement generation to TVA’s CEO Jeff Lyash.
 
“Let's say NO to more fracked gas, and YES to renewable energy in Tennessee!
 
“The proposed gas pipelines total almost 150 miles. The Kingston pipeline would cut a 117 mile-long swath through Trousdale, Smith, Jackson, Putnam, Overton, Fentress, Morgan, and Roane Counties to the Kingston plant- the site of the largest industrial spill in US History. The potential Cumberland pipeline would split farms for 32 miles through Dickson, Houston, and Stewart Counties.”
 
Submit your comment here.
 
 
Public Comment on Federal 30x30 Conservation Proposal
 
The Department of Interior will accept public comments until March 7th on the “first-ever national conservation goal, calling for the conservation of ‘at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.’ ”
 
“The [Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful 2021] report emphasizes that there is a continuum of conservation in America that aligns with the guiding principles of the initiative. These core principles commit the effort to:

• Pursue a Collaborative and Inclusive Approach to Conservation
• Conserve America's Lands and Waters for the Benefit of All People
• Support Locally Led and Locally Designed Conservation Efforts
• Honor Tribal Sovereignty and Support the Priorities of Tribal Nations
• Pursue Conservation and Restoration Approaches that Create Jobs and Support Healthy Communities
• Honor Private Property Rights and Support the Voluntary Stewardship Efforts of Private Landowners and Fishers
• Use Science as a Guide
• Build on Existing Tools and Strategies with an Emphasis on Flexibility and Adaptive Approaches” 

KWEA has been able to obtain some of the data we need in order to know how utility disconnections are impacting our community through public records requests.  But in these open records exchanges KUB has claimed that they do not have the capability to share data by census tract, even though they were sharing this same data with KWEA previously.  

From January to September of 2021, KUB disconnected 9,150 households (some more than once) from their utility services. This means that tens of thousands of people in our community lost access to their power and water because they were not able to pay their bills. This is a critical time for KUB customers, nonprofit organizations and elected leaders in our community to have access to detailed disconnection data!


Pass the Build Back Better Act
 
“Right now, we have a pivotal opportunity to shape our democracy, society, and economy for decades to come. Congress is nearing a vote on the Build Back Better Act to tackle climate change, create jobs, and address racial injustice, but it's under huge pressure from corporate interests and just one Democratic Senator.

“Demand your elected officials act for our climate! A just, livable future requires our Senators to support climate justice investments in the Build Back Better Act. We have no time to waste. Will you call now?

“Text SENATORS to 69866 OR directly dial 855-980-2275”

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Environmental Newsflash

*** Note to readers about accessing these articles

Seas could rise up to a foot by 2050, posing 'a clear and present risk' to U.S.: A new federal report says climate change means rising flood dangers for millions of coastal residents, and even many living inland. Zack Colman, Politico, February 15.
 
“Sea levels along U.S. coasts will rise by as much as a foot in the next 30 years as climate change accelerates, leading to a “dramatic increase” in millions of Americans’ exposure to flooding, scientists warned in a federal report published Tuesday.
 
“Climate change driven largely by burning fossil fuels will raise average sea levels adjacent to the U.S. shoreline as much in the next 30 years as they rose in the previous century, according to the study led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Even more certain is the projection that melting ice sheets, heavier rainfall and higher storm surges from rising temperatures risk lives and billions of dollars of property and infrastructure, the scientists wrote.”

 
Southwest drought is the most extreme in 1,200 years, study finds the past 22 years rank as the driest period since at least 800 A.D. Diana Leonard, Washington Post, February 14.
 
“The extreme heat and dry conditions of the past few years pushed what was already an epic, decades-long drought in the American West into a historic disaster that bears the unmistakable fingerprints of climate change. The long-running drought, which has persisted since 2000, can now be considered the driest 22-year period of the past 1,200 years, according to a study published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.
 
“Previous work by some of the same authors of the new study had identified the period of 2000 through 2018 as the second-worst megadrought since the year 800 — exceeded only by an especially severe and prolonged drought in the 1500s. But with the past three scorching years added to the picture, the Southwest’s megadrought stands out in the record as the “worst” or driest in more than a millennium.
 
“ ‘Without climate change, this would not be even close to as bad as one of those historical megadroughts,’ said Park Williams, a climate scientist at the University of California at Los Angeles, and the study’s lead author. ‘The thing that is really remarkable about this drought period is that temperatures have been warmer than average in all of the years but one.’ ”

Wolves Will Regain Federal Protection in Much of the U.S.: A federal judge has overturned the Trump-era decision that removed the predators from the endangered species list. Catrin Einhorn, New York Times, February 10.
 

Gray wolf. Photo by Scott Calleja CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

“Gray wolves will regain federal protection across most of the lower 48 United States following a court ruling Thursday that struck down a Trump administration decision to take the animals off the endangered species list.
 
“Senior District Judge Jeffrey S. White, of United States District Court for the Northern District of California, found that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in declaring wolf conservation a success and removing the species from federal protection, did not adequately consider threats to wolves outside of the Great Lakes and Northern Rocky Mountains where they have rebounded most significantly.
 
“ ‘Wolves need federal protection, period,” said Kristen Boyles, an attorney at Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization that has helped lead the legal fight. ‘The Fish and Wildlife Service should be ashamed of defending the gray wolf delisting.’ ”

 
Scientists say the ocean must play a role in removing more CO2 to reduce the impacts of climate change. Here’s how… Daniel Hentz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, February 10.
 
“A new report from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) says the need to use the ocean in removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is no longer a suggestion. It’s a necessity.
 
“On December 8, 2021, a special committee from the academy concluded an 18-month assessment of ocean-based solutions that would help remove excess carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, keeping planetary warming below 2°C, per the Paris Climate Agreement. That won’t be achievable without using some combination of both land and sea-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) techniques, say report authors.  
 
“ ‘There’s no doubt we are in the middle of a climate crisis that requires immediate greenhouse gas reductions and carbon dioxide removal,’ says [Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute] marine chemist and NASEM committee member Ken Buesseler during a recent presentation. ‘We need to get CO2 out of the atmosphere.’ ”

 
Scientists raise alarm over ‘dangerously fast’ growth in atmospheric methane: As global methane concentrations soar over 1,900 parts per billion, some researchers fear that global warming itself is behind the rapid rise. Jeff Tollefson, Nature, February 8.
 
“Methane concentrations in the atmosphere raced past 1,900 parts per billion last year, nearly triple preindustrial levels, according to data released in January by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Scientists say the grim milestone underscores the importance of a pledge made at last year’s COP26 climate summit to curb emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas at least 28 times as potent as CO2.
 
“The growth of methane emissions slowed around the turn of the millennium, but began a rapid and mysterious uptick around 2007. The spike has caused many researchers to worry that global warming is creating a feedback mechanism that will cause ever more methane to be released, making it even harder to rein in rising temperatures.”

 
Opinion: The Exploitation of ‘Freedom’ in America. Elizabeth Anker, Guest Essay, New York Times, February 4.
 
“The ugly freedoms in American politics today increasingly justify minority rule, prejudice and anti-democratic governance. If we don’t push back against their growing popularity, we will have ceded what freedom means to those who support monopolistic rule and furthered the country’s downward slide toward authoritarianism. Creating and supporting democratic alternatives to ugly freedom, both in legislatures and on the streets, are urgent tasks for all who value equality, community health and the shared power to construct a free society that truly values all its members.”

 
In Argentina’s ‘Land of Fire,’ photos reveal the beauty of bogs: Images from National Geographic photographer Luján Agusti document “magical” Argentine peatlands. Sarah Gibbens, National Geographic, February 2.

 
“Peatlands, like those found in South America’s remote mountain wilderness, have the potential to fight climate change—or accelerate it if they’re disturbed. Compared to all other ecosystems combined, peatlands comprise the largest stores of terrestrial carbon. Despite occupying just 3 percent of the world’s land, they store more than 30 percent of global carbon, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Already, an estimated 5 percent of annual global emissions comes from drained peatland.
 
“While many of the peatlands in Tierra del Fuego remain pristine, they face a number of threats: proposed roads traversing the heavily touristed region; invasive animals such as beavers that dig holes through peat; and few legal protections to guarantee that they remain untouched by humans in the future.”


Stain- and water-resistant products plagued by PFAS: study. Sharon Udasin, The Hill, January 26.

Raindrops on a water-resistant jacket. Photo by Glutnix CC BY 2.0.
 
“A wide range of products — from hiking pants to mattress pads — labeled as stain- or water-resistant tend to contain toxic substances known as “forever chemicals,” a new report has found.”

 
In rare show of bipartisanship, 34 Tennessee lawmakers slam TWRA plans to clearcut: A letter sent by lawmakers accuses the TWRA of “breaching its duty” and a “shameful lack of communication.” Anita Wadhwani, Tennessee Lookout, January 25.
 
“A bipartisan group of state lawmakers on Tuesday urged Tennessee wildlife officials to immediately halt all plans to clearcut 2,000 acres of hardwood trees at the publicly-owned Bridgestone Firestone Centennial Wilderness Area in White County [to create ‘quail habitat’].
 
“The land in question was a gift to the state of Tennessee by the Bridgestone company that came with the condition it be preserved as a wilderness area. The nonprofit Tennessee Wildlife Foundation, appointed an independent overseer of the state’s use of the land, determined the plan met the conditions of the company’s gift. Neither the TWF nor the TWRA has released any analysis or written documents that describes how that conclusion was reached.”

 
Four Senior Nuclear Officials Say Nuclear Is Not A Climate Solution. Ken Johnson, Below2C.org, January 22.
 
“Nuclear is not a strategy that will help with the climate crisis. Renewables are a better alternative to nuclear small modular reactors for two main reasons: cost and speed of deployment. While the costs of renewables are plummeting, nuclear costs have steadily been on the rise. And during a climate emergency and Canada’s dash to a 40-45% emissions reduction by 2030, renewables can be set up much faster and more reliably.”

 
Rich, Polluting Nations Still Owe the Developing World: Here’s why follow-through on a $100 billion–per–year climate finance promise, from collecting data to determining success, remains complex but critical. Courtney Lindwall, Natural Resources Defense Council Blog, January 21.

“There’s no denying it: Wealthy countries, particularly the United States and Western European nations, have emitted the lion’s share of greenhouse gasses that led to the climate crisis. In fact, just 23 developed countries are responsible for half of all historical CO2 emissions. Yet it’s developing nations that are being hit hardest by the effects—and are the least ready to respond.
 
“This is why rich nations made a promise at the 2009 United Nations climate summit, or COP15, in Copenhagen. Together, they agreed to mobilize $100 billion per year, officially beginning in 2020, to help developing countries reduce their emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
 
“Then they broke their promise.
 
“They not only failed to meet the 2020 funding target but also did not clearly define what they would pay for or how to measure success. Here’s what you need to know about this funding pledge and why, even with all its flaws, climate experts believe it remains critical.”
 

Power companies back EPA climate authority at Supreme Court. Niina H. Farah and Lesley Clark, E&E News Energywire, January 19.
 
“Public and private power companies yesterday called for the Supreme Court to uphold EPA’s authority to broadly regulate how they produce electricity for the nation.
 
"‘Power companies, including the Power Company Respondents, favor emission-reduction approaches that allow for trading because these market-driven approaches enable the greatest emission reduction at the lowest cost,’ the companies wrote in a brief docketed yesterday in the case West Virginia v. EPA.
 
"Biden’s EPA has said it plans to issue a proposed carbon rule this summer, which is around the same time the Supreme Court is expected to hand down its ruling in West Virginia v. EPA."
 

The U.S. is divided over whether nuclear power is part of the green energy future. Associated Press, via National Public Radio (NPR) website, January 18.


TVA’s $5 billion plus, never completed Bellefonte Nuclear Reactor in Hollywood, AL. “Bellafonte nuclear plant” photo by Dystopos CC BY-NC 2.0 (edited).

"Tennessee Valley Authority President and CEO Jeff Lyash puts it simply: You can't significantly reduce carbon emissions without nuclear power.
 
" 'At this point in time, I don't see a path that gets us there without preserving the existing fleet and building new nuclear," Lyash said. ‘And that's after having maximized the amount of solar we can build in the system.' …
 
"Nuclear technology still comes with significant risks that other low-carbon energy sources don't, said Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists. While the new, smaller reactors might cost less than traditional reactors to build, they'll also produce more expensive electricity, he said. He's also concerned the industry might cut corners on safety and security to save money and compete in the market. The group does not oppose the use of nuclear power, but wants to make sure it's safe.
 
“ ‘I'm not optimistic we'd see the kind of safety and security requirements in place that would make me feel comfortable with the adoption or deployment of these so-called small modular reactors around the country,' Lyman said.’ "
 
 
Over 13 years, coal ash cleanup workers have endured to forge a legacy of public good. Anila Yoganathan, Knoxville News Sentinel, December 22, 2021.


Participants pray at Kingston coal ash spill anniversary vigil. Photo by Todd Waterman.

Yoganathan’s otherwise excellent, in-depth coverage doesn't mention the pioneering and award-winning coal ash investigations of the reporter she replaced at KnoxNews, Jamie Satterfield, or Satterfield’s powerful keynote speech at the event.
 
“Thirteen years ago this week, a dike burst at the Kingston power plant, unleashing a flood of coal ash slurry across 300 acres and sending hundreds of workers scrambling to contain and clean the damage. Even today, those workers carry a heavy burden from their effort, but their legacy also includes changes to public health policy, environmental regulation and pure science that would never have happened without them.
 
“The costs have been incalculable.
 
“More than 50 of the workers have died, and many are sick - the direct result, they say, of frequent exposure to dangerous elements in coal ash, the waste left behind when power plants burn coal to produce electricity.
 
“Their experiences have led the workers and their families to force a reckoning with how America views coal ash and its dangers to both human and environmental health.”
 
 
Land Transfer to Protect Environment, Benefit Oak Ridge Community. Press release, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management, December 21, 2021.
 
“The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) has signed an agreement with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) that lays the groundwork to transfer more than 3,500 acres of scenic land to the state.
 
“Transferring this federally owned land moves EM closer to its ultimate vision for the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) as an asset that benefits the community. The transfer will designate areas for greenspace and mixed-use recreational opportunities and put the land under the oversight of an agency whose mission is to preserve, conserve, manage, protect and enhance the fish and wildlife of the state and their habitats for the use and benefit of the public.”
 

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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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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