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Save the Date for 'Our Community, Our Future'
Kingston, TN Community Coal Ash Event
SOCM and Working Films have partnered to hold the first of several free community events to give members of the public the opportunity to discuss the impact of coal ash across Tennessee communities.
This first event will be based in Kingston where efforts are underway by TDEC and TVA to allow modification permitting of the TVA coal ash landfill. The event will be held on February 5th in the Kingston Community Center (Banquet Room), 201 Patton Ferry Road, Kingston, TN and will begin at 6:00pm EST.
As reported in our January e-news, TDEC is accepting public comments through February 9th, although they have not agreed to hold an additional public hearing. We have met with the Kingston Community Action Group, who have been instrumental in this on-going fight and who have been supportive of SOCM and our coalition partners to campaign on this issue for the community. There has been a waning interest in the issue, and we feel there is a significant need for re-igniting a community conversation.
Working Films have generously agreed to support the Roane County community's plight, and will screen their highly successful series Coal Ash Stories, featuring four short films focused on coal ash, public health concerns, related policy, and ways that communities are responding. Working Films has worked heavily in North Carolina's coal ash communities (particularly around Duke Energy), and believes the Kingston community deserves the right to fully understand the impact of coal ash on their community and to voice their opinions.
Patrick Morales, SOCM's President, will open the event and the screening will be followed by a Q & A session at which Issue experts will be on hand. Affected community members will be on hand to discuss their stories, and offer advice on how to become involved in local efforts regarding coal ash, including how to provide public comments to TDEC.
We need as many people to turn out as possible, so please come along! If you're not able to attend, please consider helping with organizing in the community, promoting the event, or volunteering in any way you can. For more information, contact our East Tennessee Organizer, Adam Hughes, at adam@socm.org or call 865-249-7488.
Watch this space for additional Coal Ash Stories screening events which will be held soon in partnership with Working Films and our coalition partners.
If you'd like to see or print a copy of the event flyer, you can do so here.
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