In 2005 TEC celebrated its 35th anniversary.

New Source Review – TEC was a lead organization in determining how new source review rules would be applied in Tennessee.  NSR involves new sources of air pollution and under which circumstances these sources will be regulated.  The federal administration issued rules that TEC disagreed with and sought to have amended before being adopted by Tennessee.  Subsequently, those federal rules were struck down by the courts as being a violation of the Clean Air Act.

TEC served as a member of the states NSR Advisory Panel, and worked closely with state officials and the regulated community.  The recommendations then were forwarded to the state Air Pollution Control Board for adoption.  This work sought to reduce air pollution across the state; therefore, all the citizens of the state will benefit from the work.

TEC, acting in its capacity as the lead environmental organization on the state’s CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) Advisory Board, continued to work to improve the rules for operating CAFOs and to prevent siting of new CAFOs in unsuitable locations.  This work included oversight of CAFO applications, litigation to prevent CAFOs and work with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Water Pollution Control Board to improve management of agricultural pollution.  As with the NSR rule, the CAFO management rules have been a matter of federal lititgation.  TEC continues to work to see that Tennessee has strict regulations that will prevent pollution from CAFOs, especially the threat of catastrophic dumps of untreated sewage into water ways.  Those people in rural communities where agriculture is a dominant economic activity (more than 50 counties in TN) will benefit from this protection of ground and surface water supplies.

TEC received grants from the World Wildlife Fund and from Patagonia, Inc. to work on this issue.

TEC worked as part of a larger coalition of groups focused on improving water quality in the state and was instrumental in writing new rules for consideration by the state and the Water Pollution Control Board.  Those rules were to be finalized in 2006.  During the year, TEC attended 8 coalition meetings, coordinated with 15 other organizations an laid out a long-term strategy for addressing persistent pollution problems affecting water quality. 

TEC organized a group of conservation leaders to begin consideration and promotion of a long-term land conservation strategy.  Several meetings were organized by TEC and its board members to consider immediate threats to land protection and the various administrative and legislative solutions.  These efforts resulted in a land conservation funding plan drafted by TEC that later (2006) was incorporated into legislation in the TN House and Senate.  TEC continues to be involved in efforts to protect Tennessee’s remaining open spaces, which serve as a benefit to all the public who utilize them for recreation activities.

2004

Air 
New Source Review – rules promulgated by the Bush Administration would weaken the restrictions regulating new or expanded sources of air pollution.  TEC opposed the rule changes that are being considered by TN at this time.  The Air Pollution Control Board likely will take this issue up at its June meeting.  TEC served on a joint committee to negotiate potential changes to the rules.

Non-attainment – TN has 18 counties out of attainment for ozone pollution and seven counties out of attainment for particulate matter.  TEC has been a strong voice for greater controls on the sources of emissions that cause these pollution problems.  For both ozone and particulate matter the EPA designated more counties than TN first identified, largely because some of the counties are close to violating standards and are contributors to the pollutants.  TEC pushed the department to establish stronger protections.                

Staley-Dupont – TEC is party to the appeal of a permit issued to a Staley facility in Loudon County.  This area already has high levels of toxic pollutants that have been investigated by the state health department and the EPA.  The new facility would increase emissions of aldehydes and volatile organic compounds that contribute to ozone.  Loudon is a non-attainment county, a concern that TDEC did not address in issuing the permit.

Citizens across the state of TN will benefit from this work, all of which is directed at reducing the pollutants emitted into the air in the state.  

Land 

Conservation Easements – The TN Conservation Easement Act allowed any citizen to intervene to protect an existing easement.  This statute was cited by the appeals court that ruled in our favor in a wetland destruction case in Chattanooga.  As a result, Tennesseans may continue to intervene to protect land where a conservation easement may be wrongfully broken.  

Again, any citizens in the state who want conservation easements protected may cite this case as reason for standing to keep these lands in conservation.

Water

Appeals – In November TEC began working with TDEC to encourage a direct appeal process for water permits (NPDES, ARAP, 401).  A bill was introduced by the administration and passed this week.  Despite efforts to
make it a better bill with no limits as to who may appeal
and to create stays of appealed permits, TDEC and many other environmental organizations agreed to a weaker bill.  The bill does take a step in the right direction by providing a direct appeal, but there are many hurdles to overcome,
and this approach is arguably less citizen friendly than the EPA rules.

 
2003
Ø Serving as a lead organizer in the movement to preserve the Wetlands and State Parks Land Acquisitions Fund, currently in danger of being eliminated from the state budget with all funds rerouted to the general fund.  The Fund is the state’s mechanism for leveraging the matching funds used to preserve wetlands and acquire new park lands.

Ø Leading an opposition movement to a proposed Louisiana Energy Services uranium enrichment plant in Hartsville, TN, together with Citizens for Smart Choices.  Activities include rallies, press conferences and press releases, citizen and legislator education, public hearings and forums, and research and dissemination of information on the uranium enrichment process and industry.

Ø Serving on Tennessee’s Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) panel to advise the state on the environmental and public health impacts of feed lots.

Ø Helping to organize and participating in briefings made to the new TDEC commissioner on critical air, land, and water issues selected by environmental and public health organizations around the state as most important for the new administration’s attention and action.

2002
Ø Co-sponsored a forum on the environment and public health for the general public and for health care professionals in collaboration with the Vanderbilt Center on Molecular Toxicology and the Trust for America’s Health to raise public awareness of the need for a stronger public health system infrastructure, particularly a health-tracking system.

Ø Successfully led an effort to prevent wastewater from a sewage treatment plant from being discharged into Dry Fork Creek (a tier II, high quality stream) and the Rumbling Falls Cave system in Fall Creek Falls State Park.

Ø Organized local opposition to the construction and operation of proposed power plants in Memphis and Jackson in collaboration with local organizations, preventing projected emission of more than 248 tons of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide pollution.

Ø Launched an innovative program to partner with houses of faith and social justice organizations in environmental stewardship efforts, resulting in presentations and mini-courses on environmental stewardship at congregations in Davidson County; new collaborative projects with local community gardening, recycling, and food security efforts; and media coverage in the Tennessean, the City Paper and the Scene.

Ø Hosted an Earth Day Symposium with former Vice President Al Gore.

2001
Ø Launched the Watershed Association Development Project (WADE), a collaborative effort with VISTA/Americorps* designed to facilitate the establishment of independent local watershed protection groups in each of the two watersheds surrounding Big South Fork, home to critically endangered habitats.

Ø Hosted an art exhibit together with the Alaska Coalition of Tennessee featuring the work of Juliana Ericson and her vision of the majesty of Alaska to raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling.

Ø Served as a partner organization in the Tennessee Clean Air Task Force (TCATF), visiting and encouraging Tennessee legislators in Washington, D.C. to support the Clean Smokestacks Act, the Clean Power Act, and legislative efforts to clean up haze in the Smokies.  The TCATF also coordinated ozone forecasting for metro Nashville together with the American Lung Association, TDEC, and TVA.

Ø Launched an email news update service -- Tennessee Environmental News (T.E.N.) -- to provide members with regular up-to-date information about current Tennessee environmental issues and educational opportunities.

Ø Helped establish an environmental advisory panel to guide the Department of Transportation in its 25-year road building plan

Ø Led an effort to urge the governor to reconsider the siting of new power plants in Tennessee

Ø Served as a lead advocate to have Tennessee’s state parks reopened and adequately funded by initiating advocacy strategies such as the "Penny for the Parks" program.

ØRepresented environmental interests on the TVA Green Group, a coalition of organizations that meets regularly with and provides input to TVA on their programs and policies.

2000
Ø Contributed to the formation of Health-Track in Tennessee, a national project working to build support for a comprehensive network to track the links between the environment and health by (1) monitoring chronic illnesses community-by-community and (2) identifying potential hazards and exposure to these dangers.

Ø Organized Tennessee participation in the National Environmental Trust’s multi-million dollar television ad campaign to heighten awareness and promote positive citizen action concerning global warming issues.

Ø Participated in press conferences for the release of the Tennessee Clean Air Task Force’s September 2000 report Death, Disease and Dirty Power linking particulate matter emissions from power plants to health effects in people.

Ø Served as co-host at the Clean Water Summit at the Scarritt Bennett Center and provided workshops for the community on water quality issues.

1999
Ø Coordinated, in partnership with the National Environmental Trust, the Jackson, TN and Cookeville, TN stops of the "Pollution Solutions Tour" which were highly successful in generating much publicity and public conversation about the value of taking global warming prevention actions.

Ø Through participation in the Clean Air Task Force and in conjunction with the Southern Environmental Law Center, led a statewide campaign to eliminate the loophole that exempts old power plants from full compliance with the Clean Air Act.

Ø Co-sponsored a public forum with the Vanderbilt University Center in Molecular Toxicology entitled "Causes of Cancer: Perceptions and Evidence" featuring speakers addressing oncological sources, the National Toxicology Program, and studies of carcinogenicity.

Ø Supported the efforts of an enterprising TEC member to create a paint recycling center in Memphis, TN.

1998
Ø Initiated an effort to bring regulation of air toxics to Tennessee by petitioning the state to develop rules for air toxics under the Clean Air Act, resulting in a series of negotiations between TEC and the Tennessee Association of Business (TAB).

Ø Played a central role in the passage of a law requiring TDEC to develop a master plan for state parks.

1997
Ø Successfully completed and led 37 organizations in a landmark two-year effort to clean up the Pigeon River on the Tennessee/North Carolina border which was heavily polluted by an upstream Champion International paper mill.

Ø Organized the Solid Waste Adult Education Task Force and produced the Adult Education Framework which was used in the Train the Trainers workshop at the April 1997 TDEC Solid Waste Conference in Gatlinburg, TN.

Ø Collaborated successfully with other organizations and agencies in developing a strategic plan for environmental education in Tennessee.

Ø Launched and served as a lead coordinator of Campaign for a Healthy Environment -- a coalition of public health, consumer, and environmental groups formed to increase public awareness of clean air issues and counter a multimillion dollar industry initiative to kill tougher federal clean air standards for ozone and particulate matter.

Ø Awarded the 1997 Clean Air Award from the American Lung Association for help in the promotion of lung health and the fight against lung disease.

1996
Ø Served as lead organization and host, together with TDEC, for the State Parks Forum at Cumberland Mountain State Park involving over 100 environmental leaders and resulting in a Mission and Action Steps plan for parks management and protection, and proposed legislation to enact the Action Steps into law.

Ø Participated in Watershed Work Group to assist Watershed Citizen Councils and helped organize a watershed citizen council forum in the fall.

Ø Developed and presented a paper at the "Loving Neighbors Across Time" conference on moral obligations to future generations on environmental issues that appeared as a chapter in the assembled Compassion Papers describing the results of the conference.

Ø Provided consultation in the research and compilation of a paper on residential development in the eight-county Middle Tennessee region that was used in later years as part of TEC’s growth management project.

Ø Served the community in an educational capacity through public presentations around the state, including: by the Vanderbilt Center for Environmental Management Systems; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Political Science Department; the Air and Waste Management Association Annual Meeting; 2000 Initiative Industry Outreach Seminar; Tennessee Economic Development Conference; the TDEC Solid Waste Assistance Division Staff Retreat; the Tennessee Department of Agriculture non-point source advisory committee; and the TN Recycling Coalition Annual Conference, Chattanooga.

Ø Served as a member of the 2000 Initiative, a voluntary assemblage of representatives from state agencies, universities, industry, and environmental organizations dedicated improving the quality of Tennessee’s environment.  TEC played a lead role in developing 2000 Initiative’s comparative assessment of TRI findings in order both to uncover risks hidden when releases are quantified by volume rather than by relative toxicity or other factors, and to supplement the TRI with important combustion sources and pollutants that were not at the time included in the TRI program.

Ø Worked with the Environmental Action Fund (EAF), a coalition of environmental organizations, to accomplish several legislative victories, including a bill adding an environmental representative to the Air Pollution Control Board and the Water Quality Control Board, and an amendment to the Solid Waste Act to allow TEC to nominate the environmental representative to the Solid Waste Advisory Committee.

Ø Awarded the Tennessee Trails Association 1996 TTA Award for "Possessing the Vision for Scott’s Gulf Based on the Conservation of Wilderness".

Ø Successfully halted a plan to build reservoirs on the Cumberland Plateau -- the Sequatchie Valley Pump Storage Project.

1995
Ø Celebrated 25th Anniversary of TEC with Earth Ball .

Ø Won largest settlement to date in a federal Clean Water Act citizen suit -- $1.125 million -- against the Dana Corporation for violations of its water discharge permit involving the discharge of lead into tributaries of the Duck River.  The $1.125 million settlement funded the Tennessee Environmental Endowment, a new nonprofit corporation dedicated to reducing pollution into the watersheds into which Dana discharges and reducing lead uptake by fish and wildlife in Tennessee.

Ø Successfully supported TEC member organization "Coalition STOP" in winning a lawsuit settlement brought against a landfill company in West Tennessee.  The $12,000 settlement was used for work on the West Tennessee Tributaries Project.

Ø Awarded a $4,000 grant from the Nashville Community Foundation to follow up on concerns about solid waste problems in Nashville as articulated in the Nashville’s Agenda planning process.

Ø Hosted 1995 Environmental Congress, featuring issues sessions on environmental audit privilege and air toxics legislation, TN Solid Waste Management Act reauthorization, takings issues, private property protection and citizen empowerment, forest issues, and growth management.

1994
Ø Anticipated the dawn of the 21st century by creating TEC’s website, now accessible at www.tectn.org.

Ø Served as a support organization in ACT for Clean Indoor Air -- a campaign to urge legislators to support a ban on smoking in all public buildings.

Ø Sponsored the annual Environmental Congress at the Scarritt-Bennett Center under the theme of Emerging Environmental Issues focusing on: transportation policy and growth management, sustainable agriculture, takings issues, and energy futures in the TVA.

Ø Provided technical expertise and oversight on mountain air quality issues through participation in the Southern Appalachian Mountain Air Quality Coalition, a gathering of environmental groups who monitor the Southern Appalachian Mountain Initiative (SAMI) which is an eight-state governmental coalition aimed at solving environmental problems in the Appalachians.

1993
Ø Hosted an environmental leadership conference in cooperation with the Institute for Conservation Leadership and the Division of Community Health Sciences at Meharry Medical College entitled "TOOLS: Leadership & Organizational Development" focusing on developing grassroots organizations, sharpening leadership skills, fundraising, and strengthening community organizing capabilities.

Ø Brought suit against Harmon International Industries in Hardeman County for violating permit regulations and thus illegally dumping chemicals including xylene, ethylbenzene, lead, and copper into the Hatchie River, resulting in a settlement in which the corporation paid $112,500 to the Tennessee Environmental Endowment and the permit violations ceased.

1992
Ø Won settlement forcing The Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) to pay $20,000 to Ijams Nature Center and clean up an old landfill leaking toxic PCBs into a creek feeding the Fort Loudoun Reservoir.

Ø Won settlement in lawsuit brought by TEC and Good Earth Defense against TDOT concerning the I-26 highway project in Unicoi County, resulting in the establishment of an environmental advisory committee to TDOT, a commitment from TDOT to forego an appeal of a recent TDEC order to improve stream protection measures, and TDOT agreement to consider modifying project design as justified by further study of black bear migration routes in the area.

Ø Secured passage by Tennessee House of Representatives of House Resolution 36, creating a legislative Study Committee to conduct public hearings on the health declines resulting from toxic pollution.

Ø Challenged the legality of the state’s proposed hazardous waste facility siting, leading to the temporary injunction on implementation of the siting rules, media attention to their ineffectiveness, and the establishment of another platform to educate the public on the importance of reducing the generation of all toxic chemical emissions.

Ø Provided Tennessee communities with training programs on doing "good neighbor agreements" in order to help them negotiate with industrial and commercial facilities whose operations impact the environment and quality of life in local communities.

Ø Organized press conference to call attention to the negative health effects of pesticide use, focusing on the stories of three citizens made severely ill by pesticide spraying and publicly opposing a bill that would prohibit cities and counties from restricting pesticide use.

Ø Developed the most wide-spread phone bank in state history in the environmental community to mobilize citizens around the state before critical votes on environmental issues.

Ø Through successful lobbying efforts, prevented passage of a bill that would block city and county governments from regulating pesticide use.

Ø Conducted a day-long workshop aboard the Queen of Clarksville riverboat for members of garden clubs in conjunction with the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs to provide education on environmental conservation strategies at local, state, and national levels.

Ø Served over four years as the main advocate for improvement of the state’s solid waste management, culminating in the passage this year of the state’s solid waste law limiting the import of out-of-state garbage into Tennessee and establishing waste reduction and recycling as priorities for solid waste management.

ØSuccessfully halted ash leachate discharge from the Nashville Metro incinerator from being discharged into local ponds and the Cumberland River, and instead filtered through the sewage treatment plant.

Ø Instrumental in making the state of Tennessee institute protective regulations accompanying all Aquatic Resource Alteration Permits.

1991
Ø Compiled and published Tennessee’s Groundwater: A Resource At Risk, a study on groundwater quality calling attention to contamination levels and sources in underground water supplies and arguing for a comprehensive plan to protect groundwater from leaking waste sites and other contaminants.

Ø Sponsored the Safe Drinking Water Project (SDWP), a comprehensive drinking water protection program addressing the deterioration of rivers and stream through the enforcement of current water laws and the establishment of a citizens drinking water coalition.

Ø Served as a lead agency in the creation and activities of the Tennessee Valley Energy Reform Coalition, a gathering of organizations dedicated to developing an alternative energy strategy for the Tennessee Valley including least-cost planning, protection of natural resources and public health, long-term sustainable economy, and better mechanisms for public participation in energy planning.

1990
Ø Initiated and sponsored the first two highly successful state recycling conferences which each drew over 350 people.

Ø In honor of the 20th anniversary of the first Earth Day, coordinated Tennessee events for Earth Day 1990 through a partnership with the international organization "Earth Day 1990" which promoted similar events in 83 countries around the globe.

Ø Led the effort in the state’s adoption of stringent solid waste landfill regulations, which ensured greater protection of groundwater.

Ø Organized the "Tennessee Commercial Recycling Project" -- a statewide campaign to encourage commercial efforts at waste reduction, reuse, and recycling by providing business leaders with key information on waste reduction and establishing model programs across the state with on-site assistance and training sessions.

Ø Hosted "Environmental Awareness Day"  at Vanderbilt University to celebrate the 20th anniversary of TEC by providing environmental education workshops for adults and activities for children to learn about what they can do to help protect the environment.

Ø Launched the Toxics Prevention Program (TPP) to address Tennessee’s serious toxic pollution problems by targeting key industries, determining and implementing the most effective strategies for reducing toxic emissions at each facility, and strengthening the toxics coalition.

1970s and 1980s
The early 1970s was a time of extraordinary growth for community-based environmental organizations like TEC that were forming in order to respond to foundational pieces of environmental legislation established by Congress such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act.  TEC was founded in 1970 by six community groups: the League of Women Voters, the Junior League of Nashville, the Tennessee Lung Association, the Tennessee Conservation League, the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs, and the Tennessee Botanical Gardens and Fine Arts Center (Cheekwood).  At this time, the organization was truly a "council" -- it functioned as an umbrella organization for dozens of member groups, providing coordination and communications among the members.  The member groups devoted their resources to lobbying and advocacy, while TEC provided environmental education both for the general public and for legislators drafting legislation to implement the new federal environmental laws.

During the 1970s, TEC successfully grew the organization financially and programmatically. Part of TEC’s support came from private membership sources and donors.  In addition, the EPA and the Department of Energy supplied TEC with significant grants, including a $100,000 grant from the DOE for education on energy resources and solar power.  These contributions allowed TEC to develop its capacities for education and community organizing, and TEC soon became well-known and respected for its workshops, its monthly newsletter, and its reliable, sound advice to regulators.  In 1973, TEC hosted the first annual "Intergroup" meeting of concerned citizens and environmentalists, later to be called the "Tennessee Environmental Congress".  This yearly gathering provided workshops on critical state environmental issues and an opportunity to set a statewide agenda for the state government and legislature.

TEC was born at a time when a new branch of environmentalism was emerging in the United States.  Traditional environmentalism handed down by great conservationists like John Muir  focused on land conservation, forest and parks protection, and the preservation of wilderness.  Yet as air, water, and land pollution problems mounted, new approaches were needed to meet these new challenges.  TEC devoted much of its efforts to this new area of environmental work by concentrating its programming on air quality, water quality, hazardous waste reduction, and toxic pollution reduction.  It focused on the protection and preservation of local natural spaces such as community natural areas, parks, trails, and rivers.  A significant amount of time was devoted to surface mining issues both before and after the Surface Mining Act.

Gradually TEC devoted greater resources to activism.  In 1977, the organization initiated a law suit against TVA to force TVA to comply with the federal Clean Air Act.  TEC won the suit, forcing TVA to reduce its emission of acid rain-making sulfur dioxide by one million pounds per year.  In 1980, TEC led the successful effort to ban lead-acid batteries from land fills and incinerators.  These early victories helped shape the direction, mission, and abilities of the organization for years to come, and TEC went on to many more successful endeavors in environmental protection and leadership in Tennessee.

Below are some highlights of TEC’s work from its founding through 1990.

1989 · Sponsored public information campaign encouraging citizens to participate in the formation of Tennessee hazardous waste laws.

1989 · Recognized by the Senate of the State of Tennessee for work as a member of the Special Joint Committee on Hazardous and Solid Waste for "dedication, cooperation, intensive work and thoughtful proposals to reduce and control the flow of hazardous waste and solid waste in our society."

1988 · Launched a recycling project which has helped 80 communities throughout the state establish or improve their existing recycling efforts.

1988 · Lead an effort for wilderness designation for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in collaboration with national environmental organizations, beginning a decade-long partnership to protect the Park from development projects.

1987 · Initiated a 4-year period of intense growth for TEC (1987-1990), including twice doubling the organization’s budget, quadrupling the number of full-time staff, increasing the scope and number of special projects, developing a strong talent in fundraising, expanding the board, increasing membership, and hosting annual environmental events with significant impact on the general public.

1982 · Began a 10 year effort to protect Tennessee’s wetlands, resulting in successfully stopping the channelization of over 200 miles of rivers which has resulted in a halting of drainage over and thus preserving 90,000 acres of wetlands.

1980 · Led the successful effort to ban lead-acid batteries from landfills and incinerators.

1977 · Initiated a law suit against TVA to force TVA to comply with the federal Clean Air Act.  TEC won the suit, forcing TVA to reduce its emission of acid rain-making sulfur dioxide by one million pounds per year.

1973 · Hosted the first annual Intergroup meeting of concerned citizens and environmentalists -- later to be called the "Tennessee Environmental Congress" -- featuring workshops on critical Tennessee environmental issues, and setting a statewide agenda for state and legislature.

1970 · Tennessee Environmental Council founded as an umbrella environmental organization by six Tennessee groups: the League of Women Voters, the Junior League of Nashville, the Tennessee Lung Association, the Tennessee Conservation League, the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs, and the Tennessee Botanical Gardens and Fine Arts (Cheekwood).