Environment
Memphis aquifer gains protection from Shelby Commission
Nearly a year of protests and political debates culminated in the Shelby County Commission passing a one-of-a-kind ordinance to protect the county’s sole source of drinking water. The Shelby County Commissions voted 10-0—Commissioners David Bradford and Amber Mills abstained—in support of an ordinance to prevent pipelines from being built within 1,500 feet of most residential […]
Shelby committee approves pipeline setbacks
The Shelby County Commission Land Use Planning, Transportation & Codes Enforcement committee members voted in favor of an ordinance to create distance between all future pipeline developments and residential areas, leading the way for an anti-pipeline ordinance to pass in the full commission meeting next week. On Wednesday, an ordinance to create 1,500-foot setbacks for […]
Commentary: Everyone deserves clean air and water, no matter their zip code
I grew up in a loving family — financially poor, but spiritually rich. My family was blessed with the abundance of having my two strong grandmothers who helped us make it out of poverty. But when they both died from pollution-related illnesses, I learned that simply having a good, strong family isn’t enough. You also […]
Longtime reporter Jamie Satterfield and Knoxville News Sentinel part ways
On the same day Knoxville News Sentinel news reporter Jamie Satterfield picked up yet another first-place journalism award for her relentless, ongoing coverage of the devastating fallout of a coal ash spill at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston plant more than a decade ago, the veteran reporter announced on Twitter that she had parted ways […]
After catastrophic flooding, Lee requests disaster funds from Biden
Deadly flash floods swept through Middle Tennessee, killing at least 22 people in Humphreys County and leaving others still missing. “We want to offer our condolences to the families that lost loved ones: the stories are horrific,” said Congressman Mark Green, R-CD7, who represents Humphreys County in a video message. “Ask our friends all across […]
Trade groups back TDEC’s rollback of construction regulations
Cindy Whitt and Judy Alexander, neighbors in the Westhaven subdivision in Williamson County for nearly 15 years, have watched their development grow from a small new-build subdivision of 500 homes to now more than 2,500. In that time, on their regular walks together, they’ve also witnessed the results of dwindling green space as construction has […]
Memphis City Council debates resolutions to protect aquifer
Stopping the development of the Byhalia pipeline in Memphis was a first step towards protection of the Memphis Sand Aquifer but environmental activists say the real battle now lies in politics, where the government still needs to create permanent protections for Shelby County residents. On Tuesday, the Memphis City Council once again delayed a final […]
Memphis City Council takes step to protect Memphis Sand Aquifer
The Memphis City Council made steps to pass an ordinance protecting the Memphis Sand Aquifer after environmental activists spent nearly a year fighting to protect it against a crude-oil pipeline. On Tuesday, the Memphis council passed on second reading an ordinance established the city government’s role in overseeing future developments in Memphis and how they […]
With growth comes the need for new drinking water sources in Marshall County
Marshall County, located outside what was once considered the boundary edge of growing suburbs circling Nashville, has seen explosive growth of its own in recent years — call it the Williamson County overflow effect, says County Mayor Mike Keny. Drawn by more affordable housing, jobs and the rural character of the county — about an hour […]
Wilson County residents push back against state efforts to approve limestone quarry
Marsha Midgett and her husband have been raising livestock on family land owned for generations in east Wilson County, but she now worries that the state’s steps toward approving a permit for rock mining quarry may put the future of their farm in jeopardy. The Midgetts rely on wells for drinking water. Ponds on their […]
Survey from Nashville community group details concerns about Fairgrounds track
A community engagement group figured people living near the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway had something to say about NASCAR racing returning to the track, and they were correct. On Tuesday, Stand Up Nashville (SUN) representatives presented results from a recent survey to the Board of Fair Commissioners meeting, detailing local resident’s concerns. In March, Metro Nashville […]
Controversial plan to expand Middle Point Landfill rejected
A regional board, meeting in Murfreesboro on Friday evening, rejected plans to expand a household waste landfill in Rutherford County — a decision with far-reaching consequences for surrounding counties that rely on the Middle Point facility to take in residents’ trash. The landfill is the only facility in Middle Tennessee that takes in household garbage. […]