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Green Collar Jobs Committee Kicks Off Rural Electric Co-Op Project to Help Secure Funding to Weatherize Homes
The SOCM Green Collar Jobs Committee and other organizations like Appalachian Voices, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, and The Highlander Center are beginning a new exciting project to help secure funding that will allow people to make their homes more energy efficient and more comfortable to live in. We are contacting and meeting with Rural Electric co-ops and utilities to encourage them to participate in a new USDA program called The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program. The EECLP has 200 million dollars available this year and expects 6 billion next year to loan at very low interest rates.
We recently met with top officials at Volunteer Energy Co-op. It serves the area where I live and it is one of the largest in the state. They are very interested in the program and said they will study the details to see if it will be possible for them to do.
We encourage everyone to join us in this effort. If you would like to help organize to impact your Electric Co-op and local economy, please contact the GCJ Committee at greencollarjobs@socm.org. If you get your electricity from Duck River EMC, Volunteer Energy, Appalachian Electric, or Upper Cumberland EMC, we especially want to hear from you soon! And please consider joining the GCJ Committee.
This is the best opportunity we have had since the last federal stimulus money to make real progress in energy efficiency and conservation that will lead to creating good jobs and a Green Economy.
Submitted by GCJ Committee Member David Beaty
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Tell TDEC "No More Surface MIning in Tennessee"
Public Comments on Proposed Clear Fork Surface Mine Due May 16th
Last night, a great group of SOCM members and our allies attended a Public Hearing on the proposed Clear Fork Surface Mine in Claiborne County. Claiborne County already has too much land that has been torn apart by more than 100 years of surface mining. The proposed 550-acre permit area for the mine will include some land that has not been disturbed for many years and is returning to health as a forested ecosystem.
For more information, see this post on the SOCM blog.
If you were unable to attend the hearing last night, you can still help stop further destruction of this area by submitting formal comments in writing to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).
Email your comments to the permit writer, Gary Mullins at gary.mullins@tn.gov. You can also mail them to:
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Division of Water Resources, Mining Section
3711 Middlebrook Pike
Knoxville, TN 37921-6538
Please reference NPDES permit TN0069809. You can use these talking points put together by SOCM's E3 Committee.
Contact the E3 Committee at e3@socm.org for more.
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Interested, Active SOCM Members Needed for Tabling at Bonnaroo
 SOCM has the unique opportunity again this year to be represented at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. We have a few slots for SOCM members to help us table at the event.
Volunteers must be current members (email casey@socm.org if you're not sure of your membership status), be up-to-date with SOCM happenings, and have an outgoing personality that will attract new members. Last year, we got over 70 new members at Bonnaroo!
You must be available June 10-15 and be able to to camp on-site. Please send an email of interest to SOCM Intern Ben Salter at bsalter4321@gmail.com by May 19th if you are interested.
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Interested in Working on Education or Criminal Justice?
Find Out More at the Social Justice Committee Meeting
Saturday, May 10th, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. CT, Nashville
Our Social Justice Committee had a very busy legislative session following several bills that would have greatly harmed our public education system in Tennessee. We are pleased to say that we had some successes!
Now the committee is ready to look ahead to the future and make plans to work on two issues that have interested the committee members the most - Education and Criminal Justice. The Social Justice Committee will meet on Saturday, May 10th at Hobson United Methodist Church (4590 Clarksville Pike) in Nashville at 10 a.m. to start developing grassroots organizing strategies on these issues. If you are interested in working on Education or Criminal Justice issues and would like to help develop these campaigns, please consider attending the meeting.
Contact Brad Wright at brad@socm.org or 615-355-9356 for more information.
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TDEC Needs to Hear From You on Its 10-Year Solid Waste Plan
This week, SOCM members have been participating in the second round of public meetings regarding TDEC's proposed 2015-2025 Statewide Integrated Solid Wate and Materials Management plan. When completed, this plan will outline how Tennessee will reduce, manage and dispose of its solid waste in the future. The E3 Committee has been closely following this process as this plan could have a major effect on our state.
Questions or comments on how you think TDEC should handle our solid waste can be submitted by email to TDEC's Division of Solid Waste Management at solid.waste@tn.gov or mailed to:
Larry Christley
TDEC Division of Solid Waste Management
William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower
312 Roas L. Parks Ave.
14th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
You can also use this TDEC Comment Card or this draft letter which includes talking points that our E3 Committee helped put together. Another round of public participation meetings is scheduled for later in the year.
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Join SOCM!
Your community needs you. |
Renters Rights Info Meeting
Thursday, May 8
6 - 8 p.m. CT
Meeting Room A, Patterson Park Community Center, Murfreesboro
Jackson Chapter Meeting
Thursday, May 8
6 - 8 p.m. CT
Westwood Recreation Center
Social Justice Committee Meeting
Saturday, May 10
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. CT
Hobson United Methodist Church, Nashville
Maury County Chapter Meeting
Monday, May 12
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. CT
Shoney's, Carmack Blvd., Columbia
SOCM Board Meeting
Saturday, May 17
9:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. CT
First United Methodist Church, Lebanon
Rutherford County Chapter Meeting
Tuesday, May 20
6:30 - 8 p.m. CT
Unity Church, Murfreesboro
East Tennessee Leadership Training
Saturday, June 7
10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Knoxville
Other Events of Interest
Public Meeting on Statewide Solid Waste Plan
Thursday, May 8
10 - 11:30 a.m. CT
Ayers Auditorium, Jackson State Community College, Jackson
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"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first."
- Mark Twain
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