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

Sierra Club National’s current COVID safety guidance extends through May 31, 2022. The plan allows for limited in-person gatherings. Groups may hold events such as ExComm meetings and tabling with the approval of the Chapter chair. Certain larger gatherings may occur with approval by Sierra Club safety staff.

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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May 2022 Virtual Program

What: The Smokies ATBI: a 24-year exploration of the biodiversity of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, by Will Kuhn, DLiA Director of Science & Research

When: Tuesday, May 10, 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.Image by Discover Life in America.

Discover Life in America’s Director of Science & Research, Will Kuhn, will describe the massive project that's helped discover more than 11,000 species in the nation's most-visited national park: the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory. He'll talk about why the Smokies region has such an incredible diversity of life, why that matters, and how park visitors like you can be part of the discovery process. He'll also discuss some of his favorite finds in the park and what makes them so interesting.

Please RSVP at the following link and you will receive information on how to link to this virtual presentation:

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

Knox County Primary Elections
 
It’s primary season in Knox County! Early voting lasts until April 28th, and election day is May 3rd. HBG is in the process of endorsing candidates for local races. Find more information on our group website and watch your inbox for an email from the Sierra Club announcing our endorsements.
 
Find polling places and more information here.


AFORR Update: Development in Oak Ridge’s Horizon Center
By Virginia Dale, Ellen Smith and Jimmy Groton


A Pink Lady's Slipper and a Great Horned Owlet, eloquent Advocates for the Oak Ridge Reservation, photographed by Doug Colclasure and Virginia Dale respectively, .

The Horizon Center industrial park is on Oak Ridge land once owned by the US Department of Energy (DOE) that was transferred to Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board some decades ago. The initial transfer was contingent on mitigation conditions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requiring that certain “natural areas” be protected. Several years later, the Black Oak Ridge Conservation Easement (BORCE) was created adjacent to the Horizon Center. It includes 3,073 acres of land on Black Oak Ridge and McKinney Ridge, containing interesting community types including hemlock-rhododendron forest, beech maple forest, and cedar barrens, as well as species that are unusual for the Ridge and Valley region. The border between the Horizon Center and BORCE is a DOE gravel road that has become a greenway popular for hiking, biking, and viewing wildlife.
 
For many years, Advocates for the Oak Ridge Reservation (AFORR) and Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning (TCWP) have been concerned about environmental implications of an electric transmission line that the City of Oak Ridge seeks to build to increase power supply to the Horizon Center. As a member organization of AFORR, the Harvey Broome Group (HBG) is also interested in the impact of this power line. The proposed line would follow the DOE gravel road on the boundary between Horizon Center and BORCE. It would encroach into Horizon Center “natural areas” and require tree-cutting in both the natural areas and BORCE.
 
Recently, the City of Oak Ridge explored 5 alternatives for supplying power to the Horizon Center. The HBG, AFORR, and TCWP believe option 5 has the least impact on environment and recreation. Information about the alternatives can be found at Power to Horizon Center | AFORR
 
On April 2, the HBG and AFORR sponsored a walk along the route of two of the alternatives (the city’s preferred alternatives: 1A and 1B). Attendees saw wetlands, streams, upland forests, and cultural resource sites that could be compromised by a power line.  
 
On April 4, it was announced that a local company, TRISO-X (subsidiary of X-Energy), plans to acquire some Horizon Center land and build a large industrial facility that would require additional power. The HBG, AFORR, and TCWP hope this company will endorse option 5 for providing added power.  
 
What you can do:

• Communicate to Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson (mwatson@oakridgetn.gov) 
• Thank the City of Oak Ridge for exploring alternative routes for the power line
• Urge the City to adopt option 5

KAT Reimagines the future of transit in Knoxville
By Kent Minault, State Transportation Chair
 
Last month, Mayor Kincannon sent invitations around Knoxville asking for people to advise Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) toward a better future. They were holding a series of public listening sessions called “KAT Reimagined.” Our transit district is already on track to complete electrification by 2030; now we can help it improve service and expand ridership.
 
From a Sierra Club point of view, I wanted clean energy and a boost in service to low-income communities. I’d spoken briefly with Councilwoman Amelia Parker, who formerly sat on KAT’s board, about their plans, and she thought the biggest challenge would be to get them out of the headset of budgetary limitations. Infrastructure money is coming, they should get it.  
 
The first event was on March 29th. Julie Elfin reported that it was a visioning exercise with little specific discussion of routes, but the general idea was to bring more frequent service to the busiest areas of town. This was born out by the KAT handouts which analyzed the two alternative Approaches: “Ridership” and “Coverage.”  Their website summarizes:
 
Service that goes everywhere but operates infrequently doesn't work for many people, but only a few routes with really great service may not reach enough people. How do we find that balance to encourage transit use in Knoxville and make it work effectively for as many people as possible?
 
I attended a session on the 9th at the Transit Center. It quickly became apparent that they tilted toward “Ridership” so as to get more passengers on popular routes, and away from “Coverage” which would open more underserved areas to service. If we assumed the agency’s limited budget, it made sense to oppose the two approaches, since doing both would be too expensive.  They wanted bang for the buck – the most people moved to their destinations per dollar spent.
 
But in the conversation at the Transit Center, the public challenged that analysis. Ricky Anquiera from Equitable Cities did a PowerPoint presentation of the two alternatives and mentioned that getting people to jobs was the highest priority. The Ridership concept got more people to jobs over more of the city than did the Coverage concept. I commented that the Sierra Club’s carbon reduction goals would be addressed by the Ridership concept because it got more people out of their cars, but our racial and social justice goals would be better addressed by the Coverage concept, which would open more underserved areas to service.
 
The presenters also covered micro transit, which uses smaller vehicles called up by smartphone and engaged by riders on an occasional basis like for medical appointments or job interviews.  Ricky pointed out that the cost was high per passenger, but micro transit would give more people access to transportation.
 
Testimonies from people with long experience as bus riders, like my friend Tiara-Lady Wilson, pictured below, were invaluable in assessing these alternatives.

Photo used with permission from Tiara-Lady Wilson.

She talked about how much time her daughter spent on the bus getting home from school. And the difficulty involved in arranging her own medical appointments. If a rider needs to transfer, the trip time jumps sharply. And with two transfers, the whole day is shot. We also started to see that KAT had other needs like better bus shelters and infrastructure work on curbs and sidewalks to make accessing buses safer.
 
The man next to me, also in a wheelchair, described the emotional difficulties faced by seniors in public housing who needed a strong and reliable transit system to get out of their rooms and engage with services and cultural opportunities around town. He pointed out that wheelchair accessibility was much better on the new electric buses and praised the district for bringing them into service. He also asked about economic impacts from the higher price of the electric buses. “They’re a million bucks apiece, right?” The people from KAT couldn’t recall the price, but I pointed out that they were paid for by an FTA grant, so they didn’t come out of taxes or fares.  And that raised the issue of budget limitation. My neighbor said, “They got a grant for everything.” And we all recalled that the Biden administration’s Infrastructure Bill was sending billions into the economy and that a big portion of it was for transportation. If the city went after that federal money, KAT might not have to limit itself to the local budget.
 
This led us into a larger discussion of the city’s apparent bias toward abstractly counting the various trips in the different approaches rather than directly prioritizing benefits to the people in the most need. The Ridership approach inevitably benefited more prosperous segments of the city. What if we tried describing the transit system we all wanted, which seemed to be a hybrid of the two approaches, and then went after the funds necessary to create that system? Wasn’t this the method used for electrifying the buses, a goal everyone applauded? Why not make the goal a transit system so attractive that everyone wants to ride it, then make that system serve the needs of poor people? Then we’d start shaking the money for it out of the transportation allocations in the infrastructure bill.
 
That last idea seemed to spark enthusiasm from the KAT staff and facilitators present. Belinda Woodiel-Brill from KAT had brought together a great team of people who created a welcoming atmosphere that fostered detailed testimony about personal experience and possible solutions.  Folks present showed serious intellectual skill in discussing transportation issues. We left the room very enthusiastic about our exchange of ideas.
 
If you missed the opportunity to speak at any of the public input sessions, take this link to the project website and put in your two cents:
 
https://www.katreimagined.com
 
Try to enter your opinion about micro transit. The link is easy to miss.


Public Comment Opportunity: Great Smoky Mountains National Park Fee Changes

Laurel Falls. Photo by Pete LaMotte CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

From park press release:
 
“Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking public input on proposed fee program changes for 2023, including a new parkwide parking fee and an increase to existing fee rates at frontcountry and backcountry campsites, picnic pavilions, and day-use cabin rentals. All revenue generated through these user fees would remain in the Smokies to directly support operational costs for managing and improving services for visitors including trail maintenance, custodial services, trash removal, and supporting more law enforcement staffing across the park.  
 
“ ‘Great Smoky Mountains National Park is at a crossroads,’ said Superintendent Cassius Cash. ‘We’re proud to be the most visited National Park, but it does present challenges due to wear and tear on aging facilities and a strain on park resources and employees. Parking tag sales, at a modest fee, would provide critically needed support to protect and enhance the visitor experience not just for tomorrow, but for generations to come. We appreciate the public’s input throughout this process.’   
 
“The park would continue to be entrance fee free. The parking tags would not be required for motorists experiencing the park through a scenic drive or using park roads as a commuter route. Parking tags would also not be required for pedestrians or cyclists.
 
“Public comment on the proposed Smokies Parking Tag, camping fee, and day-use facility rate changes is open from April 6 through May 7 and includes the opportunity to submit written comments online or via postal mail:
 
“Online (preferred method):

Submit your comment here.  
 
“Select “Open for Comment” on the left menu bar, open the Proposed Smokies Fee Program Changes for 2023 folder, and click on the green “Comment Now” button to access the online commenting form.   
 
“Send postal mail comments to:  
 
“Superintendent Cassius Cash  
Attn: 2023 Smokies Fee Program Changes Proposal
107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738”
 
Find the full press release here.
 

Krewe de Cattywampus Parade
Photos by Todd Waterman


Ready to go! Several folks collaborated on the Jeff Lyash puppet (left); Jennifer Alldredge carried a Sun Goddess borrowed from Cattywampus; Marty Pierce made the two windsocks; Jesse Noble and Nikki Luk made big and little solar panels; Jennifer did a wind generator; others made signs and pitched in everywhere.


Fittingly, the Jeff Lyash puppet couldn't see where he was going, and needed to be guided by us environmentalists.

On Saturday, March 26th, dozens of passionate artists and activists gathered in Knoxville’s Old City for the Krewe de Cattywampus Parade. The handmade puppets centered on the theme of “Our Wildest Dreams.” For the HBG members and allies forming the parade’s environmentalist contingent, dreams for the future included locally generated renewable energy that works for the people of the Tennessee Valley. Photos above showcase the wonderful creativity of the puppet makers and the joy of coming together to imagine and advocate for a better world.
 
More photos and updates from the Cattywampus Puppet Council.


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

Sierra Club Action Alert: Protect Tennessee's Mountaintops From Coal Mining!

Ask the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to reject this permit.
 
“A coal company wants to mine on federally protected lands in Tennessee.
 
“The North Cumberland Plateau is a spectacular area home to the Cumberland Trail and to diverse habitats and headwater streams that are vital to our region's tourism economy and safe water.
 
“In fact, this area is so important that the Department of the Interior designated much of it as an area unsuitable for coal mining. But now the state is considering granting a permit for a new 422-acre coal mine that would fall mostly within the protected area.
 
“The North Cumberland Plateau is a popular hiking destination, is known for its diverse habitation, headwater stream, and abundant wildlife including one of the highest concentrations of endangered species in North America.  
 
“Maintaining the integrity of our state parks, wild and scenic rivers, and national recreation areas supports tourism and brings needed jobs and economic opportunity to a transitioning region.
 
Sign the petition.
 
 
Tell FERC: don't back down to gas industry pressure!
 
"FERC is currently considering permitting the Cumberland Gas Pipeline in Tennessee. This action will help us stop it!" – Axel Ringe, HBG Conservation Committee Chair
 
From Earthjustice action alert:
 
“For decades, The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rubber stamped gas projects without adequately reviewing their environmental impact or whether new pipelines are even needed. This has been a boon for the industry, as FERC has approved more than 99% of the gas projects it has reviewed. But more recently, FERC’s rash approval of gas projects is being rejected and FERC and the gas industry keep losing in court.
 
“Rightfully, the courts have effectively directed FERC to better balance the pros and cons of building new gas pipelines. In response, FERC recently proposed policies that, if finalized, would require a more detailed analysis of pipelines’ adverse effects.
 
“Predictably, the fossil fuel industry and its political allies came out in full force to attack the new policies and pressure FERC to weaken and delay implementation of its rules. Gas companies claimed the new policies create uncertainty and will reduce investment in new pipelines and export terminals. Industry-allied politicians then fear mongered about non-existent threats to national security these policies would cause. But the reality is that the policies will reduce uncertainty for all stakeholders by ensuring that new projects are legally sound.
 
“Unfortunately, all of this overblown criticism worked. Just weeks after passing its pipeline policy, FERC took a step back and said it would consider changes based on industry and other feedback. And it decided not to apply the policies to pending projects until after it takes comments and finalizes the policies. As a result, FERC may continue to approve new gas projects without a thorough environmental review or showing that they are needed.
 
“For too long, FERC has gotten away with this sort of behavior because its work is hard for the public to track. This time, it’s simple — the fossil fuel industry is afraid of what a thorough analysis of gas projects would show, and it is desperate to keep the rules rigged in its favor. We need your help to make sure things go differently. Tell FERC it’s time to hold the gas industry accountable.”
 
Add your comment before the April 25th deadline.
 
 
Support the Expansion of Conservation Fisheries, Inc!

Smoky Madtom. Photo credit Conservation Fisheries, Inc.

In East Tennessee, we are blessed with the presence in Knoxville of CFI – Conservation Fisheries, Inc – the premier protector and propagator of threatened and endangered species of fishes in all the Southeastern United States! For over 30 years, led by college buddies Pat Rakes and J.R. Shute, CFI has collected, propagated, and released into new or improved habitats dozens of species of threatened or endangered fish, saving several from extinction!
 
For the last 20 years, CFI has operated its aquatic rearing facilities in a 5,000 square foot building that has become inadequate. CFI has begun a capital campaign to double the size of its building and update its operating systems. Because most of CFI’s funding is from grants that are limited to use for fish rearing and propagation, it does not have a big stash of money to use for a capital project.
 
HBG urges you all to support CFI with your dollars so that they can expand their facilities and continue the great work of protecting our native fishes!  Visit www.conservationfisheries.org and make a generous donation today!

Tennessee Chapter Google File Structure Meeting
Wednesday, April 27, 1:00 PM ET
Online via Zoom
 
Learn about the online resources our SIerra Club chapter has to share! This meeting will cover files to support all Chapter, Group and Regional Conservation Committee files.
 
Join the Zoom Meeting here.


KUB Community Solar Groundbreaking
Friday, April 29
3:30 - 5:00 PM ET
3131 Morris Ave, Knoxville, TN 37921

 
“KUB is constructing Knoxville's first community solar array, in partnership with TVA and the City of Knoxville.
 
“Community Solar programs allow community members to voluntarily participate in solar projects through subscription to solar shares. Programs like these are a great way for customers who may be unable to invest in solar panels at their homes or businesses to support renewable energy.”
 
To RSVP for the Community Solar event, send to: Elizabeth.Hannah@kub.org
 
Learn more at www.kub.org/communitysolar


City Nature Challenge at South Doyle Middle School
Saturday, April 30, 10 AM - 12 PM
South Doyle Middle School
3900 Decatur Dr, Knoxville, TN 37920

Poster by Jennifer Sauer
 
Help students and staff at South Doyle Middle School identify animals, plants, and other species near their school and in Baker Creek! If you have experience using the iNaturalist mobile app and would like to guide other participants, email Ms. Sauer at jennifer.sauer@knoxschools.org.
 
This event is just one of many ways to get involved with the City Nature Challenge (https://citynaturechallenge.org/) in East Tennessee.


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Environmental Newsflash

*** Note to readers about accessing these articles

Rightwing populist parties blight climate policy, study finds. Researchers say Brexit politicians now pushing against net zero amid cost-of-living crisis. Helena Horton, The Guardian, April 14.
 
“The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released its first report describing the financial impact of climate inaction in the U.S. The analysis outlines the taxpayer cost should climate change remain unchecked, and it amounts to over $2 trillion per year by 2100.
 
“ ‘Climate change threatens communities and sectors across the country, including through floods, drought, extreme heat, wildfires, and hurricanes that affect the U.S. economy and the lives of everyday Americans,’ wrote Candace Vahlsing, OMB’s associate director for climate, energy, environment, and science, and Danny Yagan, OMB’S chief economist. ‘Estimated damages from a subset of these events have grown to about $120 billion a year over the past five years. Future damages could dwarf current damages if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated.’
 
“The analysis outlines three main points: the economy could face decline, program costs, such as for disaster aid, would rise, and some impacts remain vague and unaccounted for.”
 
 
Scientists Risk Arrest to Demand Climate Action. A growing international movement called Scientist Rebellion calls on world leaders to end the burning of fossil fuels. Chelsea Harvey, E&E News, April 11.
 
“Rose Abramoff drove from her home in Knoxville, Tenn., to the nation’s capital last week to chain herself to the White House fence.
 
“The climate scientist was among seven demonstrators arrested on April 6 (and later released). Their motivation: the dire warning that time is swiftly running out to meet the world’s climate goals, as detailed in a major report last week from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
 
“ ‘It was my first experience with civil disobedience for any reason,’ said Abramoff, a climate scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.”
 

I Would Have Never Bought This Home If I Knew It Flooded. Elizabeth Rush, Guest Essay, New York Times, April 11.
 
Homes flooded in Minot, ND. Photo by USACE HQ CC PDM 1.0.
 
“Last fall, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is in charge of national disaster preparedness and response [...] asked the public how the government can do a better job at identifying flood risks and protecting homeowners, renters and businesses from danger. Now that the comments are in, the agency, which oversees the National Flood Insurance Program, has a singular opportunity to reduce the risks people face from current and future flooding.
 
“As it is now, the risk to properties is much greater across much of the United States than the federal government estimates. Nearly twice as many properties face danger from potential inundation as FEMA predicts — a 1 percent chance of flooding in a given year — according to a group of experts at the First Street Foundation in New York City. And because premiums do not fully reflect the flood risks of its insured properties, the flood insurance program owes nearly $21 billion to the U.S. Treasury. That’s us, the taxpayers.”
 
“Perhaps the most damaging of the out-of-date regulations is one that requires that new structures in flood-prone areas be built just above the anticipated water line of what was once known as a 100-year flood. FEMA determines those water lines on its flood maps, but many of them are years or decades out of date and fail to reflect future sea or flood levels. A home built in a floodplain today has at least a one-in-four chance of inundation from a 100-year flood over a 30-year mortgage. According to a recent study in the journal Nature, what was once considered a 100-year flood is likely to, in New England, for example, occur as often as annually by century’s end.”
 

Editorial: There’s little time left to save Earth from climate catastrophe. What U.S. politicians can do now. Editorial Board, Los Angeles Times, April 8.
 
“The latest United Nations climate report couldn’t be clearer: We are at a planetary crossroads.
 
“If we don’t act now to go beyond current pledges and cut fossil fuel emissions in half by 2030, it will be impossible to keep the heating of the Earth below a crucial 2.7-degree Fahrenheit limit and avoid increasingly severe devastation and suffering. We can still avert catastrophe, but there is only a narrow window left to end the era of fossil fuels.
 
“Politicians, and the self-interested fossil fuel companies they serve, are the reason we are spiraling toward calamity. Wealthy countries like the United States, whose dumping of pollution into the atmosphere has done the most to cause the climate crisis, have a responsibility to take the lead, and our elected leaders need to overcome resistance from dirty industries.
 
“There are steps President Biden and Congress can and should take immediately to spur the adoption of renewable energy, like wind and solar, electric vehicles, water heaters, heat pumps and battery storage, while taking on the oil, gas and coal industries whose products are fueling wildfires, storms, heat waves, drought, global instability and war.”
 
 
Climate Inaction Could Cost the U.S. $2 Trillion Per Year, Study Finds. Paige Bennett, Eco Watch, April 7.
 
“The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released its first report describing the financial impact of climate inaction in the U.S. The analysis outlines the taxpayer cost should climate change remain unchecked, and it amounts to over $2 trillion per year by 2100.
 
“ ‘Climate change threatens communities and sectors across the country, including through floods, drought, extreme heat, wildfires, and hurricanes that affect the U.S. economy and the lives of everyday Americans,’ wrote Candace Vahlsing, OMB’s associate director for climate, energy, environment, and science, and Danny Yagan, OMB’S chief economist. ‘Estimated damages from a subset of these events have grown to about $120 billion a year over the past five years. Future damages could dwarf current damages if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated.’
 
“The analysis outlines three main points: the economy could face decline, program costs, such as for disaster aid, would rise, and some impacts remain vague and unaccounted for.”
 

Senate considers new TVA board nominees as environmentalists push for carbon-free power. Dave Flessner, Chattanooga Times Free Press, April 6.
 
Image credit Clean Up TVA Coalition.
 
Flessner quotes Clean Up TVA Coalition spokespersons Maggie Shober, Sudeep Ghantasala, Pearl Walker, and Amy Kelly from the April 5 coalition launch webinar. Current coalition partners are Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Appalachian Voices, Sierra Club, Sunrise Knoxville, Sunrise Nashville, Center for Biological Diversity, Sowing Justice, Statewide Organizing for Community Empowerment, Knoxville Democratic Socialists of America, Energy Alabama, Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light, Memphis NAACP and One Knox Legacy Coalition.
 
Clean Up TVA coalition website.
 
 
Related - Clean Up TVA Coalition Launch: Groups and community members unite to propel TVA into just, equitable, fossil-free energy future. Press Release, Sierra Club website, April 5.
 
 
What Dolly Parton wants us to know about the Smoky Mountains: From her Tennessee mountain home, the nature-loving singer says mistreating Earth is like ‘being ugly to your mama.’ Amy Alipio, National Geographic, April 6.
 
“Although the wilds may sometimes be hard to discern amid touristy glitz and kitsch, what drives Parton is a genuine desire to invite visitors to ‘one of the most beautiful places in the world,’ she says. ‘When I come here it’s a feeling like nothing else. It has grown, as all things must. But the Smokies will never lose their charm and their magic.’
 
“ ‘We got the most radiant flowers, the biggest assortment of trees,’ she says. ‘The Smokies have a heart of their own. It’s the way the water flows, the way it sounds, and the way it feels when you get in it. I don’t know if it’s just because it’s my home—but I really don’t think so. I think it’s just one of those special places that God put here for us to enjoy.’ ”
 
 
WATCH: IPCC warns Earth is ‘firmly on track toward an unlivable world.’ Frank Jordans and Seth Borenstein, Associated Press, PBS website, April 4.
 

“Temperatures on Earth will shoot past a key danger point unless greenhouse gas emissions fall faster than countries have committed, the world's top body of climate scientists said Monday, warning of the consequences of inaction but also noting hopeful signs of progress.
 
“U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change revealed ‘a litany of broken climate promises’ by governments and corporations, accusing them of stoking global warming by clinging to harmful fossil fuels.
 
" ‘It is a file of shame, cataloging the empty pledges that put us firmly on track toward an unlivable world,’ he said.”
 
Guterres’ powerful speech begins at 3:45.
 

Report - Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change, Summary for Policymakers: Working Group III contribution to the WGIII Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. IPCC website, April 4.
 
 
Monarch Protections Across States Aim to Prevent Federal Rules. Kristian Hernández. Stateline (Pew Trusts), March 28.

Monarch Butterflies. Photo by dave and rose CC BY 2.0.

“In the past two years, some state transportation departments, local governments and energy companies across 23 states have committed to preserving monarch habitat in hopes of protecting the species and preventing it from being added to the federal endangered species list.

“Nearly three dozen organizations have agreed to preserve some 815,000 acres of monarch habitat along energy and highway corridors since the initiative launched. …

“Under the so-called Monarch Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances, or CCAA, public and private landowners voluntarily commit to certain conservation actions, including pest and vegetation management to protect the monarch and its habitat. The agreement also requires companies to reduce or remove threats related to the butterflies’ survival. In return, the feds guarantee the landowners will not be required to implement additional conservation measures even if the species is listed. …

“But some conservationists are wary of the agreement. Jeffrey Glassberg, president and founder of the North American Butterfly Association, an advocacy group, said while conservation agreements can be effective tools for advancing environmental goals, the most important way to save these butterflies is through large-scale and intensive efforts to re-create prairies in the northern plains that will support their populations.”


How Joe Manchin Aided Coal, and Earned Millions: At every step of his political career, Joe Manchin helped a West Virginia power plant that is the sole customer of his private coal business. Along the way, he blocked ambitious climate action. Christopher Flavelle and Julie Tate, New York Times, March 27.

“While the fact that Mr. Manchin owns a coal business is well-known, an examination by The New York Times offers a more detailed portrait of the degree to which Mr. Manchin’s business has been interwoven with his official actions. He created his business while a state lawmaker in anticipation of the Grant Town plant, which has been the sole customer for his gob ['a type of low-grade coal mixed with rock and clay'] for the past 20 years, according to federal data. At key moments over the years, Mr. Manchin used his political influence to benefit the plant. He urged a state official to approve its air pollution permit, pushed fellow lawmakers to support a tax credit that helped the plant, and worked behind the scenes to facilitate a rate increase that drove up revenue for the plant — and electricity costs for West Virginians.

“Records show that several energy companies have held ownership stakes in the power plant, major corporations with interests far beyond West Virginia. At various points, those corporations have sought to influence the Senate, including legislation before committees on which Mr. Manchin sat, creating what ethics experts describe as a conflict of interest. …

“The documents and interviews show that at every level of Mr. Manchin’s political career, from state lawmaker to U.S. senator, his official actions have benefited his financial interest in the Grant Town plant, blurring the line between public business and private gain.”


EXPLAINER: UN ‘house on fire’ climate report key to action. Seth Borenstein and Frank Jordans, Associated Press, February 28.
 
“While these reports often can come across as depressing, to scientists and world leaders, the idea isn’t to lower people’s spirits. The reports are designed to help the world navigate a dangerous future, back away from some cliffs where harms are irreversible and severe, and mostly to give leaders negotiating deals on how to curb future warming a sense of what can be done and why scientists say something must be done.
 
“It’s really about hope not doom, said German vice chancellor and minister for economy and climate, Robert Habeck. Canadian climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe of The Nature Conservancy and Texas Tech agreed.
 
“ ‘Hope can lead to action,’ Habeck said in an interview with The Associated Press. ‘If you’re afraid of something, then you hide away, you shy away, you run away. If you hope for something, then you can find some motivation, power and energy in yourself. And this is what we need: hope that we can achieve great things that the problems of the moment can be overcome by building up a new renewable world.’ ”
 

Read about other events in Tennessee in our Chapter e-newsletters.

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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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