2008 State and Federal Legislation
Affecting Water Quality and River Health

HRWA is a part of several coalitions that focus on state and federal legislative activities. While we work with many organizations and represent our membership when we work with legislators, it is vitally important that legislators hear directly from you as a voter. Below are several important bills at the TN state legislature and one in Congress that needs your attention.

Please email, or call your legislator regarding each of these bills.

You can sign up to receive weekly state legislative updates on all conservation, environmental and energy related issues with the Tennessee Conservation Voters:

http://www.tnconservationvoters.org

For state legislative issues that focus on water quality, go to the Tennessee Clean Water Network:

http://www.tcwn.org

To be informed and help with water quality issues in Congress, go to American Rivers:

http://americanrivers.org

Don’t know who your state senator or representatives are or who your US Senators and House of Representative are? This link takes you directly to the various district maps and then from there you can easily get all the contact information you need.

http://www.legislature.state.tn.us

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Posted April 1, 2008 - CONTACT State legislators NOW!

URGE TO OPPOSE:

Elimination of protection of small streams: (SB 4119/HB 4185) proposes to add a definition of “Limited Resource Waters” to the state Water Quality Control Act that would exclude small streams from protection. It represents the single largest threat to water quality and aquatic life in the last 15 years. The bill does NOT conform to the federal Clean Water Act so the state will lose over $2 million in federal funds if the bill passes. The bill is being supported by coalition which includes the Tennessee Road Builders Association, some home builders, the Tennessee Farm Bureau, the Tennessee Forestry Association and representatives of the coal mining industry that are masquerading as a “water coalition.” Small streams are nature’s sponge that prevent flooding, and they are nature’s water filters by removing pollutants that keep large rivers clean where we all enjoy fishing and recreating.

Fact sheet: SB 4119/HB 4185

From The Tennessean:
Move to Reclassify Streams a Risk to Clean, Ample Water
Editorial

URGE TO SUPPORT:

Stop Work Orders Bill (HB 3521/SB 3651) grants the TN Department of Environment and Conservation the authority to issue stop work orders for construction and any other violation of the TN Water Quality Control Act. The state does not have the clear authority right now to stop such activities in order to stop the violation addressed in a timely manner.

Fact sheet: HB 3521/SB 3651

Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act ( SB 3822/HB 3348) prohibits mountain removal and cross ridge coal mining above 2000 feet above sea level in TN and requires a 100-foot stream buffer in surface coal mines that is just like the federal requirements.

Fact sheet: SB 3822/HB 3348

For more on this devastating form of coal mining, go to Save Our Cumberland Mountains:

http://www.socm.org

Container Deposit Bill (SB 1408/HB 1829) creates the TN Beverage Container Act to increase recycling rates and reduce litter. This bill would place a 5-cent refundable deposit on containers of beer, soda and other designated beverages. Over 80% of Tennesseans support a refundable deposit. Let’s get the bottles out of our creeks and rivers and recycled instead.

Fact sheet: SB 1408/HB 1829

Green Design Awards for Development (SB 3956) creates an incentive system to encourage developments that use approaches that protect natural resources and reduce runoff and pollution on their sites.

IN CONGRESS, URGE TO SUPPORT:

Clean Water Restoration Act (H.R. 2421/S. 1870) which fixes recent confusion with a Supreme Court decision to make it clear that small streams and certain wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act as has been the case since the regulation were adopted in the 1970s.

TN Governor Bredesen wrote in support of this bill which can be found on TCWN’s web site: http://tcwn.org.

Also see American Rivers for more details http://www.americanrivers.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AMR_CWARA.