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Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Save the Date for SOCM's Public Meeting
Saturday, May 18th 

 

A Public Meeting is a powerful way to showcase SOCM's work while providing accountability to our members, supporters, sister organizations, and legislators. SOCM will hold its first Public Meeting on Saturday, May 18th in the Nashville area. Our goal is to turn out 300 SOCM members, funders and community leaders to take a serious look at how the organizing work SOCM members are doing is impacting communities across the state. We are also inviting stakeholders and decision-makers to demonstrate their commitment to our issues. It is sure to be an incredibly exciting day so make sure you save the date!

 

To prepare for the Public Meeting, we are in the process of identifying who needs to be in the room. We need your help. Who is the most powerful person you are in a relationship with? What public officials or heads of departments do you know? Who do you know that might be interested in or can help move SOCM's work forward? We want to send them an invitation. Email Kazi Wilkins at [email protected] with your ideas by February 15th.

 

To learn more about our Public Meeting, see the SOCM website.

SOCM Monitors Proposal to Open up the Cumberland Forest to Fracking

The Universityof Tennessee has proposed to open up the Cumberland Forest, a UT-owned research station in Morgan and Scott counties, to hydrofracking. The royalties from any gas produced from the wells would help fund a research project that would study fracking. From this proposal, SOCM members are concerned about the health and environmental effects of fracking, industry-funded research, and opening up public lands to be leased to oil and gas companies for profit.
 
The issue was supposed to come up at a meeting of the Executive Subcommittee of the State Building Commission last week, however UT requested that it be delayed. Thanks to all the SOCM members and friends who contacted the Subcommittee members to voice their concerns about the proposal. SOCM will continue to monitor this issue.

For more information, see the SOCM website or contact Parker Laubach at [email protected].
The Cumberland Forest. Picture taken from forestry.tennessee.edu
People's Public Hearing on Gallatin Fossil Plant Scheduled for Thursday, February 7th  

 

On Thursday, February 7th, a People's Public Hearing will be held in Nashville to allow area residents to voice their concerns about TVA's proposal to invest $1.1 billion in pollution control upgrades to the 53-year-old Gallatin Fossil Plant in Gallatin, Tenn. Despite such a big price tag on such a contentious issue, TVA did not allow for a Public Hearing on the proposal so residents organized one themselves. The Hearing will be held at the Looby Theater (2301 Rosa L Parks Blvd.) and begin at 6 p.m. CST.  

 

TVA is continuing to move forward with their plan to invest in pollution controls that would merely extend the life of the Gallatin plant for a few decades. The proposal also includes an expansion of coal ash dumps in the Gallatin area, displacing the Cumberland River Aquatic Center. TVA has claimed it is working to improve its energy efficiency, but is doing exactly the opposite with its decision to invest billions in this dirty plant instead of energy efficiency measures. 

 

Organizers Kazi Wilkins and Parker Laubach wll be attending the Hearing, along with several SOCM members. In addition to hearing from residents, attendees will also hear testimonies from health experts. University of Tennessee Environmental Law Professor Dean Rivkin will moderate. It is open to the public. 

 

Contact Parker at [email protected] for more information.

SOCM Members Make Progress on Water Problems
in Mt. Pleasant 

  

Last July, SOCM members organized a cookout with Mt. Pleasant residents to discuss how to address the city's water problems. 
Since last spring, SOCM members and allies in Maury County have been organizing for economic and environmental justice in the town of Mt. Pleasant. They see the city's water as a serious threat to their health and only drink bottled water. In a town with the highest percentage in the county of school children who are on free and reduced lunch plans, most people in the community find it difficult to purchase the amount of bottled water they need, in addition to the water they already pay for through the city. Residents feel that their high bills, a product of sewer rates that are more than double those of other towns in the area, add insult to injury.

Maury Chapter members now want the city and state to 1) cut sewer rates in half, and 2) clearly demonstrate that the drinking water is safe. Water quality complaint forms are being collected and presented to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been contacted. SOCM members have met regularly with city and state officials and look forward to continuing to work with them in the coming weeks and months to protect children and families and improve quality of life.

We are pleased to report that some really good work is happening in Mt. Pleasant. To learn more or get involved in organizing for justice in Maury County, please contact Organizer Brad Wright at [email protected] or 615-355-9356. 
In This Issue
SOCM's Public Meeting
Fracking in Tennessee
People's Hearing on Gallatin Plant
Progress in Mt. Pleasant
  Join SOCM!
  Your community needs you. Click on the link above to pay membership dues or click below to donate to SOCM and designate your donation as membership dues.
Mailing List

 

Jackson Chapter Meeting
Thursday, Feb. 7 
6 - 7:30 p.m. 
Westwood Activity Center, Jackson  
Green Collar Jobs Committee Meeting
Saturday, Feb. 9
Wesley Center, Cookeville

 

Cumberland Mountains Regional Chapter Meeting
Saturday, Feb. 9
3 - 4:30 p.m. 
Dayton, Tenn.

 

Maury County Chapter Meeting
Monday, Feb. 11
6:30 - 8 p.m.
Columbia State Community College, Columbia

 

SOCM and V-Day Present "The Vagina Monologues"
Thursday, Feb. 14
7 p.m.
The Fly Arts Center, Shelbyville

 

Dialogue at TVUUC

Sunday, Feb. 17

10:05 - 11:05 a.m.

Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, Knoxville

 

Rutherford County Group Meeting

Tuesday, Feb. 19

6:30 - 8 p.m.

Patterson Park Community Center, Murfreesboro

 
  
Other Events of Interest 
 
UBS: Hands Off Appalachia! Protest Rally and Street Theater
Wednesday, Feb. 6
11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. 
Downtown Knoxville   
Local residents will gather at Market Square for a performance, rally and march to the 1st Tennessee Building at 800 South Gay St.

Gallatin People's Public Hearing
Thursday, Feb. 7
6 - 8:45 p.m.
Looby Theater, Nashville
 
Author and Conservationalist Jay Leutze
Monday, Feb. 11
4 p.m.
Gailor Auditorum, University of the South, Sewanee
For more information, click here

 

Forward on Climate Rally
Sunday, Feb. 17
12 - 4 p.m.
The National Mall, Washington, D.C.
Click  here
 for more information. The Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club is arranging bus trips several cities. For more information on the bus, please contact Scot Banbury at [email protected].

 

Mountain Justice Spring Break
March 1 - 10 
Appalachia, Va.
Click here for more information.

Mountain Justice Spring Break
March 10 - 17
Northern West Virginia
Click here for more information.
 
"What I stand for is what I stand on."
-Wendell Berry
SOCM is taking applications for two Organizer in Training positions. Click here for the job description. 

We also have internships available. Email [email protected] for more information on an internship with SOCM.
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