Rocky Top Update

via @thecounttseat
The picture on the right is probably one of the best illustrations I’ve seen that describes the issue. You want pretty green mountains, scenic vistas that attract thousands of visitors that will sleep in our hotels, eat in our restaurants and shop in our stores, or do you want Tennessee to look like some post-apocalyptic wasteland that would make Tim Burton shiver?

This morning at 10:30 the Tennessee House Conservation Subcommittee takes up HB0291/SB0577, a bill that would prohibit surface mining on mountains higher than 2000 ft. above sea level. The contact information for all the legislators on this committee can be found below. I also added in the Senate Committee members that will be hearing the bill on Wednesday. Shoot all of them a note or make a call to their office. Tell your legislators that Tennessee’s natural beauty is one of our greatest assets and we need to do everything we can to preserve it.

This isn’t going to happen on its own. If this bill is to become law, we’ve got to show our support. There are some pretty powerful people that have opposed this in the past. Not least among them, current Lt. Governor, Ron Ramsey. As Newschannel 5 reported last March, the Lt. Governor exerted some pressure on the former sponsor of the bill.

Clip is about 5 min long, with an ad at the beginning.

Don’t let him stop this one. Contact the legislators below and tell them you support the passage of HB0291/SB0577.

House Conservation and Environment Committee

Conservation Subcommittee – Tuesday, March 29th, 10:30am, Room HHR30

David Hawk – Phone (615) 741-7482 – email
Ron Lollar – Phone (615) 741-7084 – email
Richard Floyd – Phone (615) 741-2746 – email
Sheila Butt – Phone: (615) 741-3005 – email
Charles Curtiss – Phone (615) 741-1963 – email
Brenda Gilmore – Phone (615) 741-1997 – email
Andy Holt – Phone (615) 741-7847 – email
Mike Kernell – Phone (615) 741-3726 – email
Pat Marsh – Phone (615) 741-6824 – email
Michael McDonald – Phone (615) 741-1980 – email – Bill Sponsor
Frank Nicely – Phone (615) 741-4419 – email
Art Swann – Phone (615) 741-5481 – email
John Tidwell – Phone (615) 741-7098 – email

Senate Environment, Conservation & Tourism

Committee Meeting – Wednesday, March 30, 3:30PM – Room 12 LP

Steve Southerland – Phone (615) 741-3851 – email
Jack Johnson – Phone (615) 741-2495 – email
Jim Summerville – Phone (615) 741-4499 – email
Mike Bell – Phone (615) 741-1946 – email
Mike Faulk – Phone (615) 741-2061 – email
Roy Herron – Phone (615) 741-4576 – email
Beverly Marrero – Phone (615) 741-9128 – email
Kerry Roberts – Phone (615) 741-1999 – email
Eric Stewart – Phone (615) 741-6694 – email – Bill Sponsor

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.