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On 13 July at the National NAACP Convention in Kansas City, BURNT will continue our active involvement with the NAACP when our BURNT president presents two Resolutions for consideration by the National NAACP Convention
"Environmental Justice Earth Day" (c) asks the National NAACP to continue the first "Environmental Justice Earth Day" developed by BURNT and the Nashville Branch of the NAACP. [attached file]
"Healing a Society Made Sick" [attached file] seeks to acknowledge and redress the grievous personal and social wounds inflicted by 350 years of slavery and vicious curtailment of civil rights. We look at excessive rates of incarceration, illiteracy, obesity, and violence and can conclude this social dysfunction for so many many must
have come from hundreds of years of deliberate abuse.
"This can develop into federal legislation with states and cities targeted by measures of infant mortality, obesity, illiteracy and very specific goals of improved reading in elementary school, healthier diets, and less violence" said BURNT's Bruce Wood.
BURNT appreciates working with the NAACP--multiple Branches, very capable members and leaders, and civil rights oriented policies compatible with helping each person reach their potential. This is compatible with all political beliefs.
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BURNT Writes to Commissioner About Proposed Solid Waste Rule
The attached two page letter was written by BURNT to the Commissioner, Governor, and State Solid Waste Control Disposal Board.Our entire approach is structured around laws, regulations, and process (go to BURNT Web Site "NAACP" for BURNT decision making model). For example, the "Proposed Rule 1200-01-07-09 Waste Reduction Goal"
“The goal of the state is to increase recycling and reduce the amount of solid waste going to Class I, Class III, and Class IV landfills."
is not met by this Rule. Neither the State of the board has knowledge of the food waste, yard waste, and unrecycled paper which if composted will be diverted from the landfills. Local governments reporting only what they collect and a survey by the State every five years and then if and only if diversion is less than 20%, revelation of a package of "best practices" is very reminiscent of the futile reporting practices we have had since 1991.
BURNT PROVIDES SOLUTIONS--Research amount and sources of organic food waste, yard waste, and unrecycled paper to incrementally institute composting most likely in larger cities. This waste is source separated and easily collectible.
references and links listed below
2007 Enabling Act--SB2267/HB 2289
http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/105/Bill/SB2267.pdf
LINK to PROPOSED REGULATIONS and PLANNING HISTORY
http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/swm/prwr/taskforce.shtml
Link to TDEC Financial Analysis
http://tn.gov/environment/swm/pdf/TFfinancialandenvironment.pdf
Composting costs less than landfilling and creates four (4) times as many jobs
http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/001742.html This is VERY strong, academic study
Fast food chain---composts or recycles everything except condiment packets
http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/email.html?id=1265988915
Dover Delaware plant-$20 million private investment, 160,000 tons organic waste annually
http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/email.html?id=1272035739
Overview of multiple smaller compost projects (and ground breaking for Dover)
http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/001855.html
Major landfill company Waste Management buys large compost company
http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/email.html?id=1264436606
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Why Are We Opposed to the Rule?
The 1 June State Solid Waste Control Disposal Board deferred the solid waste
Rule as one Board member asked a senior State planner to read and discuss
all ten pages of the Regulations. Finally, in a close vote which found one member
switching side, the Rule was deferred until 3 August with the State asked to send
the Rules to all county and local officials
BURNT very much appreciates the quality of the State staff and the open process.
The link to the proposed Rule and Planning History is
http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/swm/prwr/taskforce.shtml.
Why do we oppose this Rule?
A. Consider the source. TDEC--the Department of Environment and Conservation--
has allowed polluted landfills to contaminate people and ground water without blinking an eye. This is environmental injustice and gross insensitivity.
B. The Harriman TVA Coal Ash Landfill was a $2.1 billion disaster which was a perfect example of TDEC permitting and regulating practices. Coffee County and Dickson County Landfills are chemically laden disasters. Bi-County in Clarkesville, Cedar Ridge and companion landfill in Lawrence County, Carter Valley, expansions of Smith County and Middle Point in Murfeesboro. 80 unlined Class IV landfills are a typical Tennessee loop-hole
C. diversion and composting of food waste (12% of waste stream), yard waste (13%), and unrecycled paper (25%) is the wave of the future for solid waste yet TDEC did not even research how to compost of the sources of this waste
D. The proposed solid waste count is absurd---local governments will report ONLY what they collect (which is less than 10% of the waste stream) and every five years TDEC will do a survey to determine is a 20% waste reduction has taken place. If and only if a 20% waste reduction does not take place, then TDEC will reveal a secret package of "best practices"
E. There are no independent measures for the Board to evaluate progress such as amount of waste disposed in county of generation (composting), decrease in 12 million miles solid waste transported annually, increase in compost and other goods created from solid waste. The Board must have independent measures of evaluation
We think Tennessee can do much better. We appreciate being part of this effort. It is not just trash it is people, landfills, and our credibility as a state
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Composting costs less than landfilling and creates four (4) times as many jobs
http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/001742.html This is VERY strong, academic study
Fast food chain---composts or recycles everything except condiment packets
http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/email.html?id=1265988915
Major landfill company Waste Management buys large compost company
http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/email.html?id=1264436606
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On April 22, 2010, the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, BURNT and the Nashville Branch of the NAACP celebrated the first "Environmental Justice Earth Day".
BURNT President Bruce Wood said, "Our 21 years of environmental work in Nashville and Tennessee has amply demonstrated the stark inequality of where pollution migrates – to the neighborhoods of the poor and minorities. However, a rude awakening awaits us all. Our bodies are overloaded with 125 to 150 low level chemicals which are apparently taking a toll – increasing birth defects and chronic illnesses and lowering fertility rates."
BURNT and the Nashville Branch of the NAACP partnered with the hope of promoting and fostering further observations of "Environmental Justice Earth Day."
For information write burnt.tn@gmail.com
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On Tuesday, February 1, 2010, the State Solid Waste Control Disposal Board again refused to approve Regulations proposed by the Department; twice they refused to release the Regulations for Public comment and twice they have deferred—refused—approval.
Early on in the process, one board member said “I have looked at the BURNT material and I have looked at these Regulations and I think BURNT is better."
The essential problem---the Department is determined to turn over all decisions to local governments which means continuing the landfill, landfill, landfill policy while camouflaging this with the same absurd reports we have had since 1991.
A senior Representative of US EPA Region 4 chided the Board and the Department over Tennessee being the ONLY state to credit landfilled Construction waste as recycled---thus Tennessee leads all southern states with a 55% recycling rate—yeah, sure.
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