The House Subcommittee on Conservation has delayed hearing the Responsible Coal Operators Act of 2012 until the afternoon of Wednesday, March 28th, immediately following the House Committee on Conservation and Environment meeting at noon cst. The Act would authorize the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to consider past practices when deciding whether to issue, renew or deny a permit for a coal mine.
The idea for the bill came, in part, from the massive black water spill into the New River in early January. The spill came from the Premium Coal's Baldwin Coal Preparatory Plant, which is owned by out-of-state operator James Justice II. Premium Coal, and its sister company National Coal, have numerous repeat violations and unpaid penalties.
Ask the House Subcommittee on Conservation to pass the Responsible Coal Operators Act out of subcommittee WITH the amendment presented by Representative David Hawk. Tennessee's air and water is being polluted repeatedly by the same out-of-state offenders.
Contact the subcommittee members:
Rep. Charles Curtis District 43 615-741-1963
Rep. Richard Floyd District 27 615-741-2746
Rep. Brenda Gilmore District 54 615-741-1997
Rep. David Hawk District 5 615-741-7482
Rep. Mike Kernell District 93 615-741-3726
Rep. Ron Lollar District 99 615-741-7084
Rep. Pat Marsh District 62 615-741-6824
Rep. Frank Niceley District 17 615-741-4419
Rep. Art Swann District 8 615-741-5481
Rep. John Tidwell District 74 615-741-7098
You can also email the representatives at rep.firstname.lastname@capitol.tn.gov.
Start Calling Your Representatives!
If the bill makes it out of the House Subcommittee on Conservation with the appropriate amendment on Wednesday, it will go to the full committee. Start calling and emailing your representatives to tell them to pass this bill. You can find your representative by going to the Tennessee Legislature website (www.capitol.tn.gov) and typing in your address. If you already know who your senator is, here is the directory.
