HBG ExCom meetings: In-person at Church of the Savior, 934 N Weisgarber Rd, Knoxville, TN 37909 (with Zoom option)
HBG Program meetings: In-person at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919 (with Zoom option)
Tennessee Chapter ExCom Business meetings: Online (via Zoom)
February 2023 Program
What: The Heat Is On! Mapping Urban Heat Risks in Knoxville Tennessee by Jennifer First, UTK Assistant Professor, College of Social Work
When: Tuesday, February 14, 2023, 7:00-8:30 PM
Where: Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville TN and virtual via Zoom.
Please RSVP through this Campfire Event Link to get the Zoom link.
Last summer, University of Tennessee researchers teamed up with community members to map what are called urban heat islands, areas that can be up to 20 degrees hotter than nearby rural areas, and collect the data necessary to protect disproportionately affected communities. This city-wide heat mapping campaign involved volunteer citizen scientists to map areas in Knoxville where excessive heat occurs. Using special sensors mounted to their cars, citizen scientist volunteers collected thousands of temperature and humidity data points in the morning, afternoon, and evening on Aug 27, 2022, covering the entire City of Knoxville. At this meeting, Jennifer First will provide the heat mapping project details, share the results, and discuss next steps for building community capacity.
Knoxville was one of 14 U.S. cities chosen to participate in the 2022 Heat Mapping Campaign supported by the NOAA Climate Program Office and CAPA Strategies LLC.
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HBG Business & Local Issues
Welcome 2023-2024 Ex Com!
The 2023-2024 HBG Executive Committee (and bonus volunteers who attended the retreat). Photo by Todd Waterman (not pictured, also an Ex Com member).
HBG’s new Executive Committee got off to a strong start at our January 7th planning retreat. Our top priorities for the coming year include:
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Actively engaging with our members across East Tennessee
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Regular attendance at local political meetings
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Strengthening relationships with ally organizations
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Spending time together outdoors through our outings program
The Executive Committee forms the core of our successful group, but we can accomplish much more with help from other volunteers. Want to get involved? Scroll down to our Call for Volunteers.
HBG's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Thanks to all who made HBG's 50th anniversary celebration in December a great success! The evening's highlights included beautiful music from Maggie Longmire and RB Morris and our co-founder Will Skelton receiving awards from both HBG and the Tennessee Chapter for his dedicated advocacy throughout the years. We hope the next 50 years of HBG are even better!
TDEC Hears From Water Pollution-Concerned Bull Run Neighbors
In-person commenters Sharon Todd, Kent Minault, Tracy Wandell, and Mark Watson. Photos by Todd Waterman.
We can be proud we got so many concerned and inquisitive folks to TDEC's Public Hearing on Bull Run's Polluted Water Discharge Permit, including public officials and media: WIVK (at 3:24) and WATE (at about 7:40 ) Anila Yoganathan of KNS/Gannett; and toward the end, Ben Pounds of Hellbender Press and John Houtari of Oak Ridge Today. Regional Director of External Affairs Director Robert Becker showed me his attendance tally: 2 media, 27 public, 7 staff, 20 online. WBIR had done pre-coverage - scroll down also for Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch's concerns. TDEC Solid Waste lead Pat Flood, CCR lead Robert Wilkinson, and permit writer Vojin Janjic (pronounced "Voyin Yanyic") drove in from Nashville despite stormy weather. After I and several others expressed concerns about TVA's Environmental Assessment on the deconstruction and decommissioning of Bull Run (including plans to tear up the railroad tracks that could otherwise be used to safely remove fly ash to high, dry, lined storage well away from people and waterways), TVA extended their comment period on the Environmental Assessment until February 2.
While some of the more scientifically critical of us found TDEC's presentation and Q&A answers incomplete or evasive, I found the Q&A generally reassuring, and believed the TDEC folks earnestly wanted to inform us better. After my comment's incredulity that TVA/TDEC weren't even testing allegedly highly toxic leachate before dumping it into the reservoir, Vojin showed me what he said were pages of leachate test data finding "zero." I'm hoping we and SELC will be able to take a critical look at that data on the Data Viewer for the permit. I was struck by Vojin's statement that the exceedances they'd found were no threat at all to our water supply - and never would be, which I thought was a stretch.
I do believe we should all build warm, sincere relationships with the TDEC folks, who appear to genuinely want to do what's right. After the meeting I asked a few TDEC folks including Robert Wilkinson about their backgrounds and what it was like to work together. Robert came across as a serious, long-time environmentalist. Each said they found working together at TDEC gratifying and fulfilling. I petitioned some TDEC folks to offer recordings of not just the comments but also the Q&A. Pat Flood was worried TDEC folks might be quoted saying something inaccurate, and said they were required by law to record only the comments. But I think overall the chance to be heard would be a boon to TDEC and all concerned, including the press - who will be videotaping, scribbling notes, and quoting anyway. I think we should request full, posted recordings of all TDEC hearings.
In Memoriam: Detlef Matt
Photo by Todd Waterman.
HBG's Dr. Mary Headrick has lost her beloved husband and fellow Sierra Club climate champion Detlef Matt. Detlef, a retired physicist from NOAA Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division in Oak Ridge and a passionate and prescient critic of natural gas methane leakage, asked that memorial donations go to HBG or any group addressing man-made climate change.
Donate to HBG
Advance Knox Public Input Summary
This report summarizes the input received through the second round of public input for Advance Knox, a comprehensive, long-term land use and transportation plan for Knox County. The data represent over 3,900 people who attended events or participated online in the month of October 2022. This input, the second of three rounds in Advance Knox, serves as feedback on the proposed scenarios for Knox County, and demonstrates robust support for walkable, multi-use development.
Call for Volunteers
Are you passionate about local conservation issues? Do your public comments and letters to the editor shine? Is chatting up strangers at community events your favorite hobby? The Harvey Broome Group wants YOU!
No matter what your talent is, we want to get to know you. Reach out to our group chair, Jerry Thornton, or find a relevant committee chair on our website.
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
HBG Outing: TVA Songbird Trail
Saturday, February 11th
9 AM
Rocky Top, TN
 Rankin Bottoms. Photo © Ron Shrieves. Join HBG for a relaxing walk on TVA’s Songbird Trail, an outdoor recreation area located just downstream from Norris Dam. Non-birders who are curious about birding are welcome. We'll take our time and enjoy the scenery along the greenways while looking for birds.
Access to the trail is off US 441 (aka Norris Freeway) and is only a few minutes from I-75 north, exit 122. The packed gravel trail is a 2-mile loop, and is well known by local birders as a birding hotspot. This prime birding area, adjacent to the Clinch River, offers both meadow and woodland habitat. 177 species of birds have been spotted on this trail!
No expertise in birding is required, but bring water and binoculars (if you have them). I'll bring a couple of extra pairs for anyone who would like to borrow. I emphasize that you don't have to be a birder! The only prerequisite is that you would like to find out what it's all about. If some of you are already birders, you can share your experience with others. Driving distance from downtown Knoxville is 23 miles. This outing is rated easy.
Pre-register on Campfire or by contacting Ron Shrieves: 865-922-3518; ronshrieves@gmail.com (email preferred).
Songbird Trail Map
HBG Outing: Old Sugarlands Trail, Great Smoky Mountains NP
Saturday, February 25, 2023
9 AM - 6 PM
 West Prong Little Pigeon River from Old Sugarlands Trail. Photo by Julie Elfin.
This moderate hiking trail ultimately climbs about 1,000 feet to its junction with the Bullhead Trail. There are several interesting historical relics to examine along the way. These are mostly remnants of CCC facilities used during the construction of park infrastructure in the 1930's and 40's. Also, there's the option of visiting the "Stone House," a bit of a mystery, and also an old cemetery along the way. The total distance will be between six and eight miles out-and-back, depending on how far up the trail we go.
Pre-register with Ron Shrieves: 865-922-3518; ronshrieves@gmail.com (email preferred) and RSVP on Campfire.
Conservation Education Day
Wednesday, March 1
Cordell Hull State Office Building
425 Rep. John Lewis Way N, Nashville, TN 37243
This lobby day in Nashville is jointly sponsored by the Sierra Club, Tennessee Conservation Voters, Tennessee Environmental Council, Harpeth River Conservancy, and Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light. Please plan to participate, if you can. There will be a training session on Tuesday evening, February 28, to cover our issues and how to lobby your representatives. 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 an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill, private sewer systems, coal primacy and whatever else arises during the sessions. Join our new Facebook group, Tennessee Conservation Education Day, to keep up with activities or contact Bill Moll at 404-401-7899 or whmoll@aol.com.
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Environmental Newsflash
*** Note to readers about accessing these articles. Gift links provide a link that allows access for a single time, even if you have reached your limit.
“Johan Rockström, the director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and chief scientist at Conservation International, which manages a number of carbon offsetting projects, says that offsetting can be valuable but only if companies are already cutting their carbon emissions by at least half each decade, from now to reaching net zero in 2050. They can buy offsets as an additional effort, beyond those reductions, but the offsets cannot be used as a substitute for those stringent emission-reduction requirements.
“Simon Lewis, professor of global change science at UCL, says carbon offsetting can bring benefits, particularly in funding forest protection, but with strong caveats.
“Kevin Anderson, professor of energy and climate change at the University of Manchester, says that offsets are actively dangerous. ‘My take on offsets, even supposedly good ones, is that from a climate perspective they are worse than doing nothing.’ ”
“Even as climate change is supercharging weather extremes and driving record years for billion-dollar disasters, and even as concerns are raised repeatedly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and environmental groups, the nation's largest federal utility is planning once again to just trade one fossil fuel for another. TVA is merely trading coal for natural gas.
“The Tennessee Valley Authority formally announced Tuesday it will begin building a gas plant to replace one of the two coal-fired generators at the Cumberland Fossil Plant in Middle Tennessee by 2026.
“Georgia, unlike TVA, sees future opportunity in solar power, not gas power. Bloomberg uses Georgia and Tennessee as examples where even some red-state governors are buying in -- seeing it also as a political opportunity. At least when it brings jobs.”
TVA will replace coal-fired Cumberland Fossil Plant with gas-fueled turbine, environmental groups object. Jake Foster, Clarksville Now, January 13.
“The Clean Up TVA Coalition has spoken out against the plans, expressing concern about recent rolling blackouts for millions of customers caused by several coal and gas plants going offline during the record-breaking winter storm Elliot.
“ ‘Energy Information Administration data shows solar energy helped prevent more serious power outages over the holidays,’ the coalition said in a news release. ‘TVA currently produces less than 3% of its energy from wind and solar. The federal utility’s environmental review for the Cumberland Plant has attracted significant attention, with concerns raised in comments by the Environmental Protection Agency, environmental organizations, local power companies, elected officials and over a thousand private citizens.’
“Members of the coalition are actively speaking out against the pipeline.
“ ‘TVA was unprepared for the storm, even though the TVA Board commented last May that extreme weather events are no longer anomalies and so urged for examination of their own system resiliency,’ said JoAnn McIntosh, a volunteer with Sierra Club. ‘The proposed gas build-out at Cumberland, near my home, is yet another example that TVA has not connected the dots between the negative impact of their own fossil fuel emissions on their ability to serve Tennessee residents.’
“ ‘This is a reckless decision that will have devastating impacts on our region,’ said Bri Knisley, Tennessee campaign manager for Appalachian Voices. ‘Families in the Tennessee Valley just suffered a summer of substantially higher electricity bills that were a direct result of TVA’s increased gas costs. This Christmas, households lost electricity because TVA’s gas and coal plants couldn’t produce. Who is holding TVA accountable?’ ”
“The world remained firmly in warming’s grip last year, with extreme summer temperatures in Europe, China and elsewhere contributing to 2022 being the fifth-hottest year on record, European climate researchers said this week.
“The eight warmest years on record have now occurred since 2014, the scientists, from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, reported, and 2016 remains the hottest year ever.
“Overall, the world is now 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.1 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than it was in the second half of the 19th century, when emissions of planet-warming carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels became widespread.”
“A federal utility’s decision to resort to rolling blackouts after coal and natural gas units went offline during dangerously cold conditions has intensified questions about the Tennessee Valley Authority’s recent decision to double down on fossil fuels.
“ ‘The Tennessee Valley Authority’s coal and gas plants failed us over the holiday weekend. People across the Tennessee Valley were forced to deal with rolling blackouts, even as temperatures plunged into the single digits,’ Southern Environmental Law Center Tennessee Office Director Amanda Garcia said in an email. ‘Despite this obvious failure, the federal utility is still planning to spend billions to build new gas plants and pipelines.’
“ ‘TVA’s CEO Lyash does not need to move forward with a massive new gas plant decision at Cumberland as early as January 9 before the new board is fully seated and when we just learned the mandatory blackouts were due to coal and gas failures,’ Amy Kelly, with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, said in a statement.”
Takeaways include the success of the 30x30 proposal – protecting 30% of Earth’s land and water area by 2030 – and strong participation from China.
They Fought the Lawn. And the Lawn’s Done. After their homeowner association ordered them to replace their wildlife-friendly plants with turf grass, a Maryland couple sued. They ended up changing state law. Cara Buckley, New York Times, December 14.
“Janet and Jeff Crouch do not know which flower or plant may have pushed their longtime next door neighbor over the edge, prompting him to pen complaint after complaint about the state of their yard.
“The Crouches were given 10 days to convert their front yard into a lawn that looked like everyone else’s. But instead of doing what they were told, the couple fought back, and ended up paving the way for a groundbreaking state law.
“Dozens of states have passed legislation to promote the health of pollinators, which include bees, wasps, bats and butterflies, while some have curbed the authority of homeowner association edicts during droughts. But the Maryland law was the first in the country to limit homeowner association control over eco-friendly yards, said Mary Catherine Cochran, former legislative director for Maryland State Delegate Terri L. Hill, a Democrat who co-sponsored the legislation. The measure gained bipartisan support, passed with near unanimity, and became law in October 2021.”
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. You can click on the gift link, which assumes that you plan to "gift" the journal or magazine or newspaper to someone, or you can "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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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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