Wednesday, March 30 is a crucial day in the fight to end mountaintop removal mining in the high elevation ridgelines of Tennessee, and we need you in Nashville! The Senate Environment, Conservation, & Tourism Committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. Central Time with the two anti-mountaintop removal mining bills on their agenda. The coal industry will have their testimonies and experts ready. We need YOU to show up and wear an "I Love Mountains" button in support of these bills. Let's put a stop to this destructive form of mining in our beautiful state!  

 

Take Action!

All mountain lovers, RSVP to Stacey at stacey@socm.org and let us know if you need a rideshare option, including where you need a ride from. If you cannot make it, please call or email the legislators listed below, and make sure to mention if you are a constituent. We also need your help to refute the claims by the coal industry that mountaintop removal mining does not exist in Tennessee.

 

 

The Voices of the Mountains Need Your Support! 

Carol Judy at Appalachia Rising

"I'm a root digger; it's what little way I have to make a living and that

living is being taken away from me. I don't see how they can say that

there is no mountaintop removal mining here when they are taking the whole mountain and

leaving nothing but a pile of rocks where no roots or herbs will grow. We mountain people need to support this bill so our home places are protected," said Carol

Judy, SOCM Campbell County member.

Vickie speaks to OSM Director, Joe Pizarchik

"Mountaintop removal is very scary stuff. I go up there every day to take pictures of those mountains in my backyard, and I almost always cry when we see the smoke move up and hear the dynamite go off. I see tears in my husband's eyes watching those mountains come down," said SOCM member Vickie Terry.

"Mountaintop removal coal mining is the wrong approach to mining in Tennessee. This destructive practice is going on in our backyards, ruining our ridge tops and water quality. Please, join us Wednesday in calling for our representatives to pass this bill," said SOCMmember Landon Medley.

SOCM Member Wanda Hodge

"Mountaintop removal coal mining is one of the most devastating forms of coal mining and it takes people dedicated to the protection of our precious mountains to stop it. Only by joining together in this course can we make a difference," said SOCM member Wanda Hodge.



The following bills will be considered:  

Tuesday, March 29, 10:30 a.m. Central Time, House General Subcommittee of Conservation & Environment:
HB 0291 McDonald: Prohibition on surface mining at specified elevation levels. Prohibits the commissioner of environment and conservation from issuing or renewing a permit, certification, or variance that allows surface coal mining operations that will disturb ridgelines above 2,000 feet elevation above sea level with exceptions made for underground mining.

Wednesday, March 30, 3:30 p.m. Central Time, Senate Environment, Conservation, & Tourism Committee:
SB 0577 Stewart E. (Prime Co-Sponsors: Finney L, Berke, Barnes): Prohibition on surface mining at specified elevation levels. Prohibits the commissioner of environment and conservation from issuing or renewing a permit, certification, or variance that allows surface coal mining operations that will disturb ridgelines above 2,000 feet elevation above sea level with exceptions made for underground mining.
(HOUSE: HB 0291, McDonald: Placed on House General Subcommittee of Conservation and Environment calendar for 3/29.)

SB 0578 Stewart E. (Prime Co-Sponsors: Finney L, Barnes): Prohibits surface coal mining if it disturbs ridgeline. Prohibits the commissioner of environment and conservation from issuing or renewing a permit that would allow surface coal mining operations to alter or disturb any ridgeline that is over 2,000 feet elevation above sea level. Allows the commissioner to issue or renew a permit that would authorize the construction or maintenance of ridgeline crossings including utility, rail or pipeline crossings or road crossings necessary to obtain access to underground or surface mining activities or to obtain access to reclamation activities.
(HOUSE: HB 0290, McDonald: Assigned to House General Subcommittee of Conservation and Environment.)

Contact your legislators:

House General Subcommitee of Conservation & Environment:
- Ron Lollar Bartlett 214 WMB 741-7084
rep.ron.lollar@capitol.tn.gov
- Richard Floyd Chattanooga G-24 WMB 741-2746 rep.richard.floyd@capitol.tn.gov
- Charles Curtiss Sparta LP 34 741-1963 rep.charles.curtiss@capitol.tn.gov
- Brenda Gilmore Nashville LP 22 741-1997 rep.brenda.gilmore@capitol.tn.gov
- David Hawk Greeneville 219 WMB 741-7482 rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov
- Mike Kernell Memphis LP 38 741-3726 rep.mike.kernell@capitol.tn.gov
- Pat Marsh Shelbyville 110 WMB 741-6824 rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov
- Frank Niceley Strawberry Plains 108 WMB 741-4419 rep.frank.niceley@capitol.tn.gov
- Art Swann Maryville 214 WMB 741-5481 rep.art.swann@capitol.tn.gov
- John Tidwell New Johnsonville LP 22 741-7098 rep.john.tidwell@capitol.tn.gov

Senate Environment, Conservation, & Tourism Committee:
- Steve Southerland Morristown LP 10 741-3851 sen.steve.southerland@capitol.tn.gov
- Jack Johnson Franklin LP 11 741-2495 sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov
- Jim Summerville Dickson LP 11 741-4499 sen.jim.summerville@capitol.tn.gov
- Mike Bell Riceville 302 WMB 741-1946
sen.mike.bell@capitol.tn.gov
- Mike Faulk Kingsport LP 10 A 741-2061 sen.mike.faulk@capitol.tn.gov
- Kerry Roberts Gallatin LP 3 741-1999
sen.kerry.roberts@capitol.tn.gov
- Roy Herron Dresden 309 WMB 741-4576 sen.roy.herron@capitol.tn.gov
- Beverly Marrero Memphis 312 WMB 741-9128 sen.beverly.marrero@capitol.tn.gov
- Eric Stewart Winchester 310A WMB 741-6694
sen.eric.stewart@capitol.tn.gov

Italics = especially important to contact   

 

We appreciate all calls to our state representatives and efforts to show up Wednesday to make sure the voices of the mountains are heard!  

 

Sincerely,  

Your SOCM Team