Great Smoky Mountains National Park could lose key staff members amid federal firings. "Were any Great Smoky Mountains National Park staffers among the thousands of federal workers terminated late last week? A spokesperson for the park declined to share how many, if any, staffers were let go, but an advocacy group for national parks reports that 1,000 National Park Service staffers were cut across the country...Great Smoky Mountains National Park has relied on 200 permanent employees and 140 seasonal employees, according to park statistics from 2024." Read more by Devarrick Turner - Knoxville News Sentinel - Feb. 18, 2025.
TVA develops separate electric rate class for data centers, which suck up power to train AI. "The Tennessee Valley Authority is developing a separate electricity rate class for data centers, which use huge amounts of power to process data for artificial intelligence platforms." Read more by Daniel Dassow - Knoxville News Sentinel - Feb. 20, 2025.
Three TVA nuclear reactors are shut down at once, pushing utility to ramp up fossil fuels. "Six of the 94 commercial nuclear reactors in the U.S. are putting no electricity on the grid as of Feb. 14, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission , and half of those six are owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority... Environmental groups have warned for years of a TVA power system in which aging sources of carbon-free energy – nuclear reactors and hydroelectric dams – are pushed to their breaking point before the utility adds a meaningful amount of solar power, leaving it with few options but for fossil fuels to fill the gap." Read more by Daniel Dassow - Knoxville News Sentinel - Feb. 17, 2025.
Duck River gains stronger protections in settlements between state, conservation groups. "Tennessee regulators will strengthen permit requirements for utilities that withdraw water from the Duck River, according to settlement agreements announced Tuesday. Conservation groups have been pushing for protections for the river — which hosts the largest variety of living organisms of any freshwater river in North America — for years." Read more by Cassandra Stephenson - Tennessee Lookout - Feb. 5, 2025.
Supporters of the Kingston coal ash workers stand on the site of the disastrous 2008 Kingston spill during the December 20, 2020 Kingston Memorial. Photo credit: Todd Waterman.
Concern for Wetland Protection at Carbon Rivers Research & Development Site in Oak Ridge
Submitted by Doug Colclasure. Edited by Sally Schiller, JoAnn McIntosh, and Virginia Dale.
Carbon Rivers, a recycling and composite manufacturing business headquartered in Knoxville, has purchased 360 acres of the former S-50 site in Oak Ridge (Figure 1). The company plans to use the site for research and development to improve their process for recovering glass fiber from retired wind turbine blades into material that can be used in composite manufacturing. They have received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Wind Energy's Technologies Office via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Carbon Rivers’ recycling process appears to be a net positive for green energy.
Figure 1. Google Earth image of area in question with wetland and forested ridge marked by red ballons and Powerhouse greenway trail marked by purple line in the lower right. The site is bordered by the Clinch River, Poplar Creek and TN 58.
Citizens are concerned, however, about the Carbon Rivers project at the former S-50 site because the area includes a wetland. Members of the Oak Ridge Zoning Board and Planning Commission are considering rezoning the site Industrial (IND-2). At the January Meeting of the Zoning Board, there was substantial public opposition to the rezoning plan. Carbon Rivers representatives attended the meeting and pointed out that their plant at this site will be research and development scale and not production scale. The company representatives made clear they favor zoning to preserve the wetland.
Please reach out to Wayne Blasius, Director of Planning and Development (wblasius@oakridgetn.gov), Steve Whitson, Chair Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission (stephen@whitsonconstruction.com), and Oak Ridge City Council (citycouncil@oakridgetn.gov) to voice your support to zone for preservation of the wetlands at this site.
Figure 2. Recent aerial photographs of the site; note stacks of wind turbine blades most visible in middle of second photograph. Retired windmill blades began arriving in May 2022. Photo credits: Charlie Hensley.
Trump’s Funding Freezes and Clawbacks: illegal, stupid, dangerous. "There’s a lot of lawbreaking going on, from usurping Congress’s constitutional 'power of the purse' to defying court orders. But administration efforts to freeze funding appropriated by Congress and claw back money already obligated under contracts threatens our national credibility." Read more by Ben Jealous - Sierra - Feb. 22, 2025.
Experts warn of widespread PFAS presence in Tennessee, urging support for regulations. "Unfortunately, there's over a decade worth of data that PFAS is present in our drinking water supply," Vanderbilt University Assistant Professor Yalonda McDonald said...She urges people to show support for the regulations set in place to make sure people are safe." Read more by Ray Collado - WTVC News Channel 9 - Updated Feb. 27, 2025.
Flood-weary Rives begins cleanup as officials call for levee improvements. "Flooding touched nearly every part of the 250-person town, left 25 homes significantly damaged." Read more by Cassandra Stephenson - Tennessee Lookout - Feb. 25, 2025.
The Lower Mississippi River’s largest ecosystem restoration project got the federal go-ahead. "The next hurdle: funding, The $63.7 million project would restore forests and wetland habitats along 39 miles of the Mississippi River." Read more by Cassandra Stephenson and Lucas Dufalla - Tennessee Lookout - Feb. 10, 2025.
Trout lilies along the Appalachian Trail on Great Smokies Eco-Adventure hike.Photo: Jaimie Matzko.
Health & Justice
Small but important win on water in ongoing XAI environmental justice fight. "After urging from the Sierra Club Tennessee Chapter and its Chickasaw Group, working in coalition with SELC, Young Gifted & Green, MCAP (Memphis Community Against Pollution) and Protect Our Aquifer, the Memphis City Council has approved a tertiary water treatment plant to be completed within 8 months. Instead of drawing from the precious Memphis Sand Aquifer, this facility will treat processed water to cool XAI's computer systems." Read more by Sierra Club - Feb. 19, 2025.
A storm named Trump hits the National Parks ahead of busy season. The mass firings taking place across the federal government this month have had a horrific effect on the agencies that manage and protect our public lands. "Overflowing toilets. Injured hikers stranded in the backcountry. Closed visitor centers. Those are just a few of the nightmare scenarios that are likely looming for the nation’s 433 national parks and sites, said Kurt Repanshek, the founder and editor of National Parks Traveler." Read more by Alexander Nazaryan - Sierra Magazine - Feb. 25, 2025.
Participants in last month's Conservation Day on the Hill in Nashville on Feb. 25, 2025. 120 environmentalists lobbied 85 State Legislators. Photo by Todd Waterman, edited.
Fundraising Corner
March Appeal Letters Are on Their Way to Your Mailbox
By Mac Post, Chapter Fundraising Chair
Most of you will be getting our annual March Appeal letter in the mail shortly. You can also give online at our secure webpage. 100 percent of your gift stays in Tennessee to mobilize hundreds of volunteers who will invest thousands of hours of service for our local environment!
Together we can protect wild lands, advocate for clean energy, dramatically reduce landfill waste, and ensure clean air and water for future generations.
March Events
Statewide environmental events listed chronologically. Do you have an event you'd like publicized? Send it to Enews.sierratn@gmail.com.
Daylight Savings is coming on Sunday, March 9th (at 2 AM)!
March 19th is the State of the Environment Conference, hosted by Vanderbilt Law School's Energy, Environment & Land Use Program.
March 20th is the first day of spring!
April 5th (11am - 7pm) - Chattanooga Outdoor Festival. "Outdoor enthusiasts, nature lovers and adventure seekers of all ages are invited to come out and experience something new at the Chattanooga Outdoor Festival. This exciting one day event will celebrate the diverse outdoor recreational opportunities Chattanooga has to offer, with activities, vendors, demos, live music, a beer garden, food and so much more!" The festival will be held at the Chattanooga Choo Choo gardens. Learn more here.
May 2-4 - Tennessee Chapter Spring Retreat at Fall Creek Falls State Park.
Species Spotlight
This month's featured species is: Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolinia)
The colors of Eastern Box Turtles vary greatly. They are often dark brown, with orange or yellow spots. You can tell the difference between males, and females by the color of their eyes; males have red eyes and females have pale brown or orange eyes. Photo Credit: Ally White from Pixabay.
The Eastern Box Turtle is the state reptile of Tennessee (and North Carolina) and can be found across the entire state. Box turtles emerge in early spring, and mating occurs from spring through early fall. Egg laying happens in May-June.
Eastern Box Turtles have a unique ability to fully enclose themselves in their shell, because the plastron (lower shell) is hinged toward the front which allows it to seal tightly. The carapace (upper shell) has a ridge that runs down the middle.
Eastern Box Turtles are omnivores and eat a diverse diet of fruits, plants, mushrooms, insects, slugs, and roadkill. Since turtles don't have teeth, they use their beak to tear food into smaller pieces to swallow.
Box turtles belong in the wild and should not be kept as pets. It's okay to help an Eastern Box Turtle cross the road, just be sure to move it in the direction it's already going. Support its underbelly while you move it, and wash your hands afterward to get rid of bacteria!
Going Digital!
Did you know the Tennes-Sierran is available online? The digital version is in color and has clickable links! Do you wish to opt out of the paper copy and go digital instead? View current and past issues or request paperless delivery here!
Contact Us
Do you have a program or speaker idea for your Group? An issue you're particularly passionate about? Do you have a story idea for the Tennes-Sierran or the e-newsletter? Let us know! Look through our past programs for inspiration. Submit your suggestion here!
Questions or comments for Sierra Club in Tennessee? We want to hear from you! Chapter E-news Editor: Allie Stafford Photo Editor: Todd Waterman
The views expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sierra Club.
We are the Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club, the world’s oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization. With over 3.8 million members and supporters, the Sierra Club has the resources to empower people and to influence public policy through community activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation.
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