Environment
Memphis residents wage fight against TVA coal ash storage
Activist Justin J. Pearson had barely finished one environmental fight before he realized he needed to get involved in another. Pearson, co-founder of Memphis Against the Pipeline, was a leader in a community pushback against the Byhalia Pipeline, a 49-mile oil conduit through historically Black Memphis neighborhoods. Activists said it was a prime example of […]
Williamson County land use battle pits utility district against owners of historic farm
Holly Tree Gap is a quiet, three-mile stretch of winding road flanked by woods, meadows and horse pastures, with only a few of the spacious homes that characterize much of the rest of Williamson County along its path. But in recent weeks, a proliferation of white signs with black lettering have begun to appear, signaling […]
U.S. House sends $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill to Biden for his signature
WASHINGTON—The U.S. House cleared a $1.2 trillion physical infrastructure bill and took a major step toward passage of a landmark $1.85 trillion social spending and climate bill late Friday, following months of wrangling between Democrats’ progressive and moderate wings. The votes marked a milestone in the marathon negotiations among members of the House Democratic caucus—and […]
Waverly residents still struggle to recover from flooding as local unions help out
Following devastating flooding that killed 20 people in Waverly, TN, in late August, volunteers from local unions are helping fill in the gaps in rebuilding efforts. AP News reported that 17 inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours on August 21, 2021, on the small town in Middle Tennessee and took out homes, […]
Lawmakers weigh in to oppose TWRA clearcutting
Elected officials who occupy positions on hunting-oriented caucuses are weighing in on a controversial plan to clear hardwood trees in order to create a grassy habitat for quail — a game bird — on popular wilderness area in White County. U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, and state Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Nashville — members, respectively, of […]
Congressional sportsmen’s group endorses clearcutting plan
A controversial plan by state wildlife officials to raze portions of a popular recreational area in White County got a surprising stamp of approval from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to support the hunting and fishing policy objectives advanced by federal and state lawmakers The endorsement came as a surprise because […]
Memphis Sand Aquifer, Memphis’ source of drinking water, at center of growing number of disputes
The Memphis Sand Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for Shelby County residents, is the subject of a growing number of disputes. Memphis City Councilmembers on Tuesday clashed with Tennessee Valley Authority representatives over plans to relocate coal ash to a local landfill over fears it could contaminate the aquifer. The Southern Environmental Law […]
TWRA officials face pushback over plans to raze old-growth forests in White County
SPARTA, Tenn. — Officials with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency faced considerable pushback Monday night at a public meeting in Sparta over plans to raze old growth forest in a popular hunting and recreation area located about about halfway between Nashville and Knoxville. A standing room-only crowd of more than 200 people filled the town’s […]
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency plans to raze old-growth forest
SPARTA, Tenn. — It’s a pretty bird, easily recognizable by dark stripes on rust colored feathers and a distinct two-syllable chirp that announces its name: “bob” (the high note) then “white” at a lower pitch — also known as the Northern Bobwhite, a species of quail. The otherwise unassuming bird is now at the center […]
Tennessee lawmaker says Virginia needs to do more to fix Bristol landfill’s malodorous emissions
Not satisfied with how Virginia officials are handling the complaints, a Tennessee state senator wants his state agencies to investigate a Bristol, Virginia, landfill linked to air pollution and foul odors plaguing residents on both sides of the border. “In addition to the landfill causing odor nuisance issues, I believe it presents a health and […]
Memphis Council bridges regulatory gaps that have threatened water
The Memphis City Council approved an ordinance to bridge regulatory gaps that have left the city’s drinking water vulnerable and added protections for residents living near toxic materials. On Tuesday, council members debated three ordinances created as a result of protests against a pipeline set to be built near a historic Black neighborhood. In late […]
U.S. House Dems propose $28.6B in disaster aid for recovery from hurricanes, wildfires, floods
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats unveiled a short-term spending measure on Tuesday that would keep the federal government operating through Dec. 3 and provide $28.6 billion for costs related to recent natural disasters. That disaster relief money is slightly more than the $24 billion that the Biden administration asked Congress to approve for extreme weather events […]