BURNT A Member of Community Shares
$olid Wa$te Reform In Tenne$$ee
TDEC $ABOTAGES $OLID WA$TE REFORM
Violate Policy Of Local Solid Waste Manager Dominated Task Force
“IF YOU BEGIN WITH THE CONTENT OF SOLID WASTE, SOLUTIONS FALL LIKE RAIN FROM THE SKY”
[PETER ANDERSON]
THERE WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT ONCE TDEC DECIDES, PUBLIC
COMMENTS ARE OFTEN USELESS. WE NEED ANOTHER STRATEGY
TDEC DID NOT BEGIN WITH THE CONTENT OF SOLID WASTE. TDEC BEGAN WITH A DETERMINATION TO
LANDFILL AS MUCH WASTE AS THEIR LANDFILL OWNING FRIENDS COULD TAKE. THE RESULT WAS A LAST
MINUTE BETRAYAL OF THE POLICY OF THE “STATE SOLID WASTE REDUCTION TASK FORCE” COMPRISED
PRIMAILY OF LOCAL SOLID WASTE MANAGERS WHICH RECOMMENDED A BAN OF FOOD WASTE AND YARD
FROM LANDFILLS. TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE STATE SOLID WASTE BOARD MEETING, TDEC ADMITTED THEY
HAD DONE NO RESEARCH ON COSTS OF THIS POLICY. THE LANDFILL DOMINATED ‘SOLID WASTE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE VOTED AGAINST THE BAN BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RESEARCH ON COST. OF COURSE,
THERE WAS NO RESEARCH ON THE COST OF ANY OTHER POLICIES EITHER.
NOTE: A BURNT member was a member of the “Task force” and another attended every
session. We found TDEC employees professional and accessible. However, the good policy
formulated by our “Task force” was defeats in a sneak attack [see ‘What Is Wrong With TDEC?’
TDEC [The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation] did a switch and bait on
proposed regulations to favor landfills at the expense of people. State Solid waste Reform began
in 2007 under an administration backed bill–HB 2287/SB 2289 [pg. 4-5] BURNT was the only
group to oppose this bill–we spotted the language which would allow TDEC to continue their
system of recycling lite, landfill heavy system. The proposed regulations [link] are structured
around the useless, inaccurate government reporting of local governments. There are three (3)
full pages describing the various degree of enforcement by TDEC against local governments
which fall short.....yet the State has NEVER enforced against a local government over solid
waste failures since 1991.
These regulations follow the last “reform” in 1991. Initially. The 25% diversion of solid waste was
reasonable. However, in 1996, TDEC created an incredible loop hole which caused Class IV
Landfills to grow from 12 in 1994 to almost 80 today–most of these located in poor and minority
areas. Tennessee is the only state with this loop-hole eyt they are not embarassed.
What were some of the hallmarks of this “reform”
- started in year 2007 with HB 2287/SB 2289 –an administration bill
- terrible environmental injustice and racism by TDEC–three groups official State Groupswhich voted on this–‘Solid Waste Reduction Task Force’ were 46 out of 49 members
- white—TDEC does not want brown and black people around
- despite extreme poverty of state and extreme economic problems, TDEC made no use
- solid waste as a raw material in business for jobs—hello, governor and Chamber of Commerce.
- despite National research, TDEC ignored facts that landfilling organic wastes food waste, yard waste, and paper create methane gas, a major contributor to greenhouse gas.
Let’s remember TDEC has butchered landfill after landfill including Dickson County,
Coffee County, Carter County, the Class II Coal Ash Landfill in Harriman which is a $1 billion crisis
AND fifty (50) more landfills in evaluation due to high level water pollutants. .Two regional landfills
inside the city limits of Memphis. More than 75 unlined Class IV landfills
See below “What is Wrong With TDEC”–a Legislative flyer and commentary
LINKS---
---jobs from solid waste
--national expert letter on organic food and yard waste causing green house gasses and the
--regulations [preliminary] go to -----------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>, Solid Waste Advisory Committee”, and ‘State Solid Waste Control Board’, anmd --hich
June 2, 2009
Metro Council
The budget and proposed Convention Center are the big issues–apparently Metro’s
budget is sneaking up on $2.0 billion dollars. Some want the the School
Board to have their own tax ability, as it is schools consume about half of
Metro budget yet the school population is shrinking because of private
schools.
Also, in a major presentation at the end of May “Cumberland
Region Tomorrow” had a big program on mass transit. BURNT has long
advocated whatever means are needed to keep people from driving to
Nashville to work—freeways are clogged bumper to bumper for miles
coming in and leaving. Please note–the Denver Transportation Director
urged Metro to build, build, build–raw material prices–metals, wood, and
concrete always increase. No one mentioned that Metro Nashville and
businesses landfill 150,000 tons of concreete and concrete rubble
annually.
Finally, to understand the dynamics of Tennessee and government,
please read a medical journal article in PloS Medicine from April 2008
which details that the only place in the world where life expectancies
among certain groups is DECREASING is In Appalachia, Tennessee, the
deep south, down the lower Mississippi River, and the southern plains.
http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050066
April 26, 2009
BURNT Continues to Work for Meaningful
Update to Solid Waste Regulations
April 10, 2009
Summer Intern at BURNT
Apply Now
BURNT will have a summer intern program which we hope helps us tie our multiple interests closer together and offers students (and why not senior citizens) important opportunities to learn about the multiple chemicals threats facing our society. BURNT is expert on many aspects of solid waste, landfills, recycling, and pesticides.
However, we have to learn the positive solutions to these problems including sewer sludge, and long range threats to our reproductive ability to create healthy babies due to low level multiple chemicals in the environment and humans. We offer you an opportunity to learn with us under our tutelage and direction.
Additional information and contact information:
BURNT_Intern_Opportunities_Summer2009.pdf
BURNT_Intern_Information_Summer2009.pdf
April 10, 2009
On 14 April the State Solid Waste Advisory Committee will hear public testimony beginning
at 9:30 a.m. on the 17th Floor of the L & C Tower. This Committee advises the Tennessee
Department of Environment and Conservation.
On 3 June 2009 the State Solid Waste
Disposal Board meets to consider if the solid waste regulations proposed by TDEC should be
released for Public Comment.
The Board has twice rejected these regulations.
Please read BURNT"S indepth analysis:
Solid_Waste_Reform_April2009.pdf
Solid_Waste_Advisory_Committee_6April2009.pdf
March 29, 2009
BURNT had a busy week at the
Legislature and Metro Council
Legislature
We are working for SB 2218/HB 2216 which enable Tennessee State University and Middle Tennessee State University to provide solid waste planning for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. This bill goes to the Local government sub-Committee in the House the first week in April. There are multiple other environment issues including mountain top mining and several water issues.
Metro Council
At the Metro Council, BURNT defended the Health Board which has violated us and the environment of Nashville many times. The issue is the Board requiring chain restaurants to post calory counts with every dish on the menu. Even though the decision took place in March and opponents have nearly seven (7) weeks to appeal, the Council may seek to overturn this decision. BURNT has been burned good and often by the Health Board and southern justice courts, nonetheless this council intervention for this illegality is puzzling.
PLEASE NOTE
As citizens who have gone before many State and Metro boards. We can attest first hand that people on boards get very little support–no independent staff, legal advice is biased toward the Department not the board, no professional development. Yet, we must recognize that the State Solid Waste Disposal Board has done an outstanding job in NOT putting proposed regulations out for public comment.
Mayor’s Green Ribbon Committee
Please note our two page “Recommendations” to the Mayor’s Green Ribbon Committee. This demonstrates our experience, knowledge, and exposure across the city. No other group talks about Tennessee having a worse infant mortality rate than Cuba or Hungary. We celebrate the Mayor’s effort but we recognize, as do others, that Nashville is starting from way back.
Please see links below for BURNT's indepth research:
BURNT_MetroCouncil_17Feb2009.pdf
BURNT_GREENRibbonDRAFT_9Mar2009.pdf
BURNT_GeneralAssembly_23Feb2009.pdf
BURNT_GeneralAssembly_16March2009.pdf
BURNT_GeneralAssembly_10Mar2009.pdf
BURNT_GenAssembly_11Mar2009.pdf
BURNT_LegislatureSB2180_2009.pdf
Febuary 28, 2009
BURNT HAPPENINGS
February 5, 2009
A Big BURNT
THANK YOU!
Well, the State Solid Waste board in a close decision decided NOT to release the state regulations for public comment until at least the June board meeting. We, as citizen activists, can make a positive contribution to this.
Thanks and congratulations to everyone who wrote or called their elected officials.
PROBLEMS WITH THE REGULATIONS
1. Start with basic system is inaccurate and bad statistics--if you cannot measure it, how can you manage it? Tennessee is the ONLY state which counts materials landfilled in Class IV Construction and Demolition landfills as if diversion like recycling/composting--this is another loophole waiting to happen.
2. Entire system, oddly enough, rotates around reporting waste--local governments will report ONLY what they themselves collect or contract to be picked up--all other waste including business, residential, and so on will be SURVEYED every five years.
3. Yard Waste--Regulations require local governments to have laws by 2015 which will be implemented in 2017---why not start now???
4. Food Waste--Regulations require local governments to have laws by 2015 which will be implemented in.
Febuary 2, 2009
BioCycle Magazine–December 2008
“Garbage in America” Illustrates
Tennessee Loophole
http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/001782.html
BioCycle Magazine, in its annual “Garbage in America” issue [link above] documents the present how Tennessee solid waste is dominated by loop holes and fiction. The “Tables” [ linked at top of Article] demonstrate:
1. Tennessee is third ranked in solid waste generated--Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee are the only states which generate annually more than 2 tons per person and this is not due to out of state waste---
Table 3 "Estimated Tonnage of MSW generated, recycled......"
2. Tennessee generates 12.2 million tons of municipal solid waste (excluding Construction and Demolition Waste) and claims to recycle 4.8 million tons--almost 40%!!
Table 3 "Estimated Tonnage of MSW generated, recycled......"
3. However, according to a detailed break down of materials recycled the total of actual recycled materials is less than 800,000 tons
Table 6--"Quantity of materials recycled per state.." to see various categories and Tennessee totals approximately ---770,000 tons in all categories.
It takes a national magazine to expose the reality of Tennessee solid waste–all loop hole and little substance. BURNT wrote to BioCycle editors about this–how could they know that Tennessee is the ONLY state which claims landfilling on class IV Landfills is actually diversion? .
There is a big discrepancy. Table 3 claims almost 40% recycling–4.8 million tons and yet when SPECFIC categories are stipulated, the amount is less than 800,000 tons.
For entire article click on: http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/001782.html
January 25, 2009
WE CAN Participate In
State Solid Waste Reform
Citizens have a unique opportunity to write Governor Bredesen and the State Solid Waste Board to S-T-O-P pending solid waste regulations from being approved.
WHAT: Tennessee State Solid Waste Reform.
WHEN: 3 February 2009, State Solid Waste Disposal Board, 9:30 a.m.
L & C Tower, (17th Floor) downtown Nashville.
ISSUE: Pending State Solid Waste Regulations.
See e-mail addresses below for Governor,
Chair of Solid Waste Board and Board Members.
Please call or write your local officials.
ASK: Do not put these regulations out for public comment.
ª The materials in solid waste should be managed as a resource for business and compost.
ª Regulations need specific compost programs.
ª Environmental injustice of landfills.
ª Tennessee has a bad record in environment–we need outside planning.
ª These regulations are unfunded mandates for local governments to “BAN” food, yard, and electronic devices.
ª We need to admit current bad practices such as lowlevel nuclear waste to actually change and improve.
ª Tennessee needs jobs and business and solid waste should be a raw material for this.
ª Landfills are a fundamental problem, and methane gas is a severe contributor to greenhouse gasses.
Repeat: please do not release these regulations for public comment. We need solid waste as raw materials for business and jobs, NOT landfills.
FACTS FOR CONSIDERATION (use in your e-mail as you wish.)
1. What is in waste stream-- food waste (12%), yard waste (13%), paper/cardboard (36%), construction and demolition waste (20%) metal (9%) miscellaneous (10%).
1A. Tennessee has one of the highest per capita landfill rates in the country.
2. Jobs and business: Solid waste COULD BE a raw material for business and compost (www.ilsr.org) Our state is very poor. We are hurt badly by the economy. The materials in solid waste should be managed as a resource for business and compost. Why are we paying good money to landfill materials, which should be used to create jobs, business, and taxes?
3. Environmental injustice: landfills hurt poor and minority. From Dickson County to Southern Services in Nashville, landfills located where minority and poor live.
4. These regulations rely on unfunded local mandates to “ban” food waste, yard waste, and electronic waste. We cannot just say “NO” to landfills: local governments need help to plan how to divert food waste, yard waste, and electronic waste. These regulations should require statewide generators like food stores, restaurants, public schools, and business parks to compost. Local governments cannot do this.
4A. There is NO Compost Program Even though food waste (12%) and yard waste (13%) are 25% of the waste stream AND among the most dangerous wastes in the landfills, there is NO program for local governments to divert this organic waste from the landfills to make good quality compost.
5. Electronic waste: This is going to be an OCEAN OF WASTE. We need to plan for this
6. Low level nuclear waste: Tennessee is a headquarters for processing nuclear waste and our state allows much of this to go to our landfills. We need to fix this.
7. Solid waste is a water issue. All landfills leak. Karst geology (cracks and fissures in rocks) allows migration of pollution–see Dickson County
8. Inaccurate numbers: Tennessee does not have accurate solid waste numbers. We do not know what is thrown away, what is recycled. How can we mange something we cannot measure?
9. METHANE GAS: landfills are the largest source of human-produced methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas 72X as potent as CO2 in the atmosphere. Get compostable materials out of landfills-- the greenhouse gas abatement is the equivalent of shutting down 21% of the country's coal-fired power plants. Reducing waste through waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and composting is equally as effective in stabilizing the climate as increasing vehicle fuel efficiency, reforestation, or improving efficiency of buildings and appliances here.
10. TRANSPORTATION: solid waste is transported 12 MILLION miles ANNUALLY within the State from Transfer station to landfills–12,000,000 million miles of 20 ton trucks laden with garbage.
11. NO INSPECTION OF WASTE: there is no inspection of waste at EITHER the landfill or Transfer Station–Tennessee accepts a lot of out of state waste–we have no idea what is going into our landfills.
January 21, 2009
BURNT Files Complaints Against Licensed Engineers over Nashville solid waste plan.
Nashville Solid Waste Plan Written By National Researcher Called “Fraud”
BURNT, a Nashville, Tennessee citizens solid waste group has filed complaints with the Metropolitan Nashville Purchasing Department, Nashville Public Works, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation that two licensed engineers, one an official with a national solid waste group, who wrote a "Solid Waste Plan" for Nashville used false figures to justify years of future landfilling
BURNT president Bruce Wood said “despite months of written and oral testimony by citizens, engineers O'Brien and White submitted a 'Solid Waste Plan" which was approved by the Metropolitan Regional Board that used false solid waste numbers that will cost Nashville government and business millions in excessive landfilling fees.” (see accompanying letters)
Wood said the "Plan" relies on false data that the engineers were obligated to correct. “The only accurate solid waste number Metro has is the amount of waste landfilled in Class I municipal solid waste landfills yet Table 3-1 [pg, 14] lists recycling totals for the private and public sectors down to 20 pounds–a hundredth of a ton out of a 1.2 million ton waste stream.”
On 3 February the State Solid Waste Disposal Board will decided whether to allow proposed solid waste regulations to go out for public comment. BURNT has asked the State Board to require more planning before amended regulations are released for public comments.
Wood also challenged the findings of engineer O’Brien that “Total Public and Private Sector Recycling" is 421,405.46 tons or 33% of the waste stream. “This is a completely fabricated number. There is absolutely no way Metro Nashville recycles 33% of the waste stream.”
Wood pointed out Table 5-2 of the “Plan” claims that from year 2008 to year 2017 ALL [100%] of the industrial recyclables will be recycled. “This is an incredible claim which has no basis in fact or reality. This false claim justifies and camouflages high landfilling.”
BURNT also contends the “Plan” failed to examine the full environmental and fiscal costs of landfills--Metro government and business spend approximately $25 million annually to landfill waste--to determine how to compost and divert portions of the waste stream.
To read BURNT's entire complaint and related BURNT indepth research:
Nashville_Purchasing_dept_Complaint_Jan2009.pdf
http://www.nashville.gov/recycle/pdfs/SWP121808.pdf
Nashville_MetroCouncil_Jan2009.pdf
Nashville_Solid_Waste_Board_Plan_Jan2009.pdf
TN_General_Assembly_Jan2009.pdf
TN_Solid_Waste_Disposal_Board_Jan2009.pdf
January 5, 2009
Metro Regional Solid Waste Board Approves Solid Waste Plan “Update”
Metro Regional Board Approves Very Peculiar Solid Waste Plan
- Solid Waste Numbers Completely Made Up
- Metro Landfills 75% of Its' Waste and Recycles 28%?
- Waste Stream Measured to the 1/100th of a Ton--Out of a 1.2 MILLION Tons?
- BURNT files Complaint with Metro Purchasing Agent [attached file]
- see BURNT analysis written in May 2008 [attached file]
- see BURNT letter to the Regional Solid Waste Board
On Thursday 18 December the Regional Solid Waste Board gave an early Christmas present to landfill supporters by approving a "Metro Solid Waste Plan" which claimed as accurate numbers which were completely fabricated.
A. That industry would recycle 100% of all recyclable waste in years 2008–2017
B. Metro will recycle 28% of the waste stream annually between 2008–2017
C. Private sector recycling is known down to the hundredth of a ton–corrugated cardboard (46,328.58tons ) and ferrous metals (128,001.17 tons) are two examples
“Not only did the licensed engineers fail their professional obligation to verfiy the false numbers provided by Metro but we see a continued bias by Metro, and the State, for landfilling solid waste” said BURNT’s Bruce Wood.
The licensed engineers claimed Metro recycled 28% of the waste stream [Table 5-2] but admit Metro landfills 75% of the waste stream–which gives us 103% of the waste stream which is very similar to the voter turnout in many Stalinist Russia elections"
The only accurate number Nashville has on solid waste is the TOTAL tonnage landfilled in Class I landfills and the 13,000 tons Curby picks up. Further, the "Update's" two (2) pages on "Curby" do not mention the very high capitol costs of the trucks and the bins OR the minuscule tonnage diverted--13,000 tons out of the 1.2 million tons waste stream.
This “Solid Waste Plan” is a perfect example of how the pending State Solid Waste Planning effort needs to be restarted. There is no foundation of fact or effort to reduce landfilling. Metro Nashville businesses and governments spend $25,000,000 ($25 million) to landfill waste yet every reform was counted as a cost. How about the cost in dollars, man power, fuel, and environmental degradation from landfilling?
Not counted.
BURNT is evaluating further complaints to State engineering boards and government agencies about these shocking numbers and failure of due process.
Indepth BURNT analysis:
MetroSolidWastePlanDEC2008.pdf (BURNT letter to the Regional Solid Waste Board )
December 1, 2008.
BURNT Joins
Nashville Chamber of Commerce
BURN has joined the Nashville Chamber of Commerce.
The BURNT board felt that BURNT's record in stopping the expansion of the downtown incinerator and shutting down chronic polluters such as the Rendering Plant [processor of meat oils create meat packing odors which blanketed downtown, Metro Center, and residential neighborhoods] and Laidlaw-OSCO [liquid hazardous waste processor in Cockrill Bend] has been very beneficial for Nashville business but we needed to reach out to the business community.
Furthermore, with state solid waste reform pending and our argument that solid waste has a value of $100 a ton as a raw material in business and compost, we needed to broaden
November 21, 2008
BURNT's Case bolstered
by technical research
In a lengthy analysis, Popular Mechanics examines all facets of recycling from waste generation to landfill capacity to price of commodities to examine the case for recycling.
November 18, 2008
BURNT'S THROWING A PARTY
Thursday 11 December, 6:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
St. Anne’s Episcopal Church (419 Woodland Street)
BURNT’s 20th Anniversary Bash
Guest Speaker
Dr. Neil Seldman, president, Institute for Local Self Reliance www.ilsr.org
Hear about our current efforts to reform Tennessee solid waste policy.
Join our celebration of 20 years of citizens working with government, business, and academia to Improve our environment and city. Meet active people from active neighborhoods who make our city better. We can make our city and state healthier, more prosperous, and more environmentally just.
Silent auction, food, good spirits, old friends and new.
November 14, 2008
Solid Waste Reform In Tennessee
Solid Waste drains Hundreds of Millions from business and Local government Every Year
BURNT has been on the solid waste scene in Tennessee since 1988. We supported the 1991 Solid Waste Act--our first foray to the General Assembly. In 2008, we were selected by TDEC to be on the State Solid Waste Reduction Task Force--a big step for both TDEC and BURNT. We appreciate and respect this decision and opportunity. We were very impressed with the quality and depth of TDEC staff and managers and the local solid waste officials on the Task Force. However, we found the culture and tradition of landfill, landfill, landfill simply ran too deep and TDEC could not develop a format which allowed diversion of waste from landfills. We took action by writing the Governor and the Board in July and September [see links below] asking for these regulations to not go to Public Comment. Another decision will be made on 4 January 2009.
For more indepth reading: Solid Waste Reform 2008.pdf
StateSolidWasteRegs--Sept2008.pdf
BURNTGovSolwastBoardJuly2008.pdf
State solid waste Sept2008.222.pdf
November 1, 2008
Volunteer Opportunities With BURNT
BURNT has functioned for 20 years without staff or grants. We have programs and ideas which keep us operating. However, now we are entering our 20th year with major achievements and recognition for our work in Tennessee and Nashville. This means we have developed an array of programs, from water to pesticides to solid waste to environmental justice.....waiting for your talent. Come tell us your secret desires from managing direct mail campaigns to passing legislation. BURNT can transport you to the public meetings and no longer smoky back rooms of the governing process.
Respectfully
BURNT
Novemebr 1, 2008
Digest of Comments to
State Water Pollution Control Board
The leadership of our state has for seventy years sold out the environment to create jobs and business. Groundwater pollution from solid waste landfills, radioactivity, and chemicals is dangerous and endemic. There are reports of unique cancers in Kingsport, Oak Ridge, and Dickson County. . From farm chemicals and animals using rivers as toilets to leaking sewer lines to use of industrial and human waste (sewer sludge) on fields, we think the State must do a more stringent job of regulating and protecting the waters of the state.
For Immediate Release
Tuesday 28 October 2008---2:30 p.m
BURNT President addresses Mayor's Green Committee
Nashville Electric Service ---Church Street
For More Information--Bruce Wood--615-327-8515
Office of Mr. Decosta Jekings, President, NES
Mayor's Office
Release --see attached file for COMPLETE File on State Solid Waste Reform
Nashville Activist Addresses Mayor 'Green Ribbon Committee' Today
BURNT President Speaks Today To Mayor's Environmental Committee
BURNT president Bruce Wood will speak to a Sub-Committee of the Mayor's "Green Ribbon Committee" today, Tuesday, 28 October at 2:30 p.m. at NES Headquarters on Church Street [far left entrance near Freeway] . Said Wood, "BURNT is in our 20th year and we have worked through research and citizen involvement. We welcome the Mayor's effort citizens. The people of Nashville can provide positive solutions to pressing problems. BURNT hopes to provide some positive structural suggestions."
Wood will present particular solutions such as Metro participating more effectively in state solid waste reform--"We can not expect local governments to work with individual generators to compost." And to invest in local education and research--"The Mayor's proposal for school curriculum revolving around health and environment are vital." Wood will discuss environmental injustice.
HISTORY Mayor Karl Dean appointed the Mayor's Green Ribbon Committee to make Nashville the Greenest City in the Southeast. For months, meetings were not listed. Bruce Wood is BURNT president, a 20 year old environmental group with a history of shutting down chronic polluters which improved commercial real estate in Nashville, working on environmental injustice, and sustained efforts for solid waste reform at the State Legislature and Metro Government.
For indepth reading and additional information:
|
AdvisoryHearingLetter072108SECONDDRAFT.pdf (application/pdf)
BURNTAnalysisofMetro10YearStateSolidWastePlan.pdf (application/pdf)
BURNTAnalysis--StateSolidWaste--28_October.pdf(application/pdf)
BURNTSolidWastePRESENToct2008.pdf (application/pdf)
BURNTSolidWasteRecommendationsOct2008.pdf (application/pdf)
October 28, 2008
BURNT Challenges Legal Basis of
Metropolitan Nashville Right
To Issue and Regulate Air Permits
BURNT has taken the first step to contesting the legal right of Metro to issue and regulate air quality permits under the provisions of the Federal Clean Air. "We have found the process and procedures of the Health Board to be incredibly sloppy and biased against citizens due, in part, to the machinations of the Metro Department of Law, lack of independent staff or legal advice for Boards (State and local), and because such appeals have only been undertaken by BURNT--no one researches correct action." said BURNT president Bruce Wood. We must now file for a full hearing in the front of the State Air Pollution Control Board.
For more indepth reading and information:
BURNTChallengesMetroAirPermitPower.pdf
StateAirBoardJune2008.pdf
StateAirBoardMay2008.pdf
October 19, 2008
BURNT is involved with low level chemicals in the environment. Our bodies each host 125-150 chemicals from Teflon to flame retardant, solvents, hormones, and prescription medications. Nearly all developed within the last 70 years. The free market does not work if we allow...
For the complete text:
Toxic Chemicals.
October 15, 2008
We are beginning to celebrate our 20th Anniversary year with a major push for Tennessee solid waste reform, a new business plan, and a focus on providing citizens opportunity for involvement in vital issues of the environment and government. Before you read what we say about ourselves, please consider what others have said about us.
Joint Senate and House Resolution--BURNT 20th Anniversary:
BURNT Board meeting Monday 20 October--6 p.m--no later than 8 p.m. on Harding Place near Franklin Road Academy--[Southminster Presbetarian] would love for you to come
October 13, 2008
Dickson County landfill
a disaster waiting for a solution
BURNT has worked on the Dickson County landfill since September 2005 at the request of the Tennessee State Conference NAACP. Highly polluted groundwater, illness, and death are byproducts of the failure to follow state and federal regulations governing leaking landfills and environmental injustice.
Court related documents:
dicksoncountychancerynov2007
September 24, 2008
JUDGE RULES METRO SPRAY TRUCK DRIVER NEGLIGENT
Judge Thomas W. Brothers ruled in Circuit Court today that John Primm of the Metro Public Health Department breached his duties when he sprayed citizen Emmett Clifford with the pesticide Anvil 2+2 while spraying a Donelson neighborhood for mosquitoes on October 15, 2003. Judge Brothers stated that the department had a practice of turning off the spray when pedestrians or vehicles were visible near the truck during spraying and that this was wise. He added that it is clearly foreseeable that people would not want to be sprayed with a pesticide. John Primm was charged with the duty to shut off the spray and therefore he was found to have breached that duty and to be negligent in spraying Clifford with Anvil 2+2.
Read the complete story at www.nospraynashville.org/negligence.html
April 16th, 2008
"Zero Waste In Tennessee"
Recycling for Profit, Protect Our Water, & Stop Environmental Injustice
Dr. Neil Seldman, President of the Institute for Local Self Reliance, will speak Wednesday 16 April at the First Unitarian Universalist Church at 1808 Woodmont Avenue at 7:30 p.m. on "Zero Waste In Tennessee--Recycling for Profit, Protect Our Water, Stop Environmental Injustice." The public is welcome at no charge.
Neil Seldman is a national and international expert on managing solid waste as a resource for raw material in business and composting (NOT landfill). Neil Seldman is visiting Nashville from Monday 14 April to Thursday 17 April to speak with government agencies, large solid waste generators, and schools.
For more information, contact BURNT at 615-327-8515.
April 8, 2008
• Working to improve mosquito management in Nashville
Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) made a few changes to their poorly managed Pest Management Department because of pressure from the public, BURNT, and other organizations. They improved their notification policies but then proclaimed that it was not necessary to shut off the spray when pedestrians are near and they also would not allow people to opt out their properties. BURNT has an attorney who has volunteered his time to file a legal appeal. BURNT has agreed to cover the expenses of this appeal to help protect the citizens of Nashville from the department's irresponsible policies.
The MPHD's mosquito management program has a long history of inexcusable protocol failures, policy failures and medically unethical practices that have jeopardized the health and safety of citizens in our community. These failures have risked citizens' health to disease as well as from the misuse of pesticides. These actions resulted in the serious injury of at least 5 citizens and two civil lawsuits. See our link in the column on the top right for more information or www.nospraynashville.org for details about the issue and how to sign up for notification of the department's pesticide spraying.
October 30th, 2007
October 29th, 2007
- Letter: The National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program.
Tennessee has joined a new national program to remove and recycle mercury switches from vehicles. Mercury is a toxic metal that can negatively impact our environment if not managed properly. The above letter is a letter to the Department of Environment and Conservation urging the organization to join The National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program.
-
BURNT Flyer to the National NAACP Convention--2007
BURNT attended the 2007 National NAACP Convention in Detroit and distributed approximately 400 copies of the brochure above. It is an encapsulated form of our 2006 Brochure on Environmental Injustice, which is listed on the AOL Search "Environmental Injustice, Landfills."BURNT is active with the NAACP as one of the few national organizations with active Branches and a national policy to fight environmental injustice. In fact, we became active with the NAACP because most of the Nashville pollution problems we fought were in minority and poor neighborhoods. We continue to work on the Dickson County Landfill. Landfill pollution of groundwater is a state wide problem, as is environmental injustice.
October 23rd, 2007
- Zero Waste in a State That Landfills
BURNT is fortunate to have two Board members--Bruce Wood and R.C. Bartlett--participating in the State Solid Waste Reduction Task Force. This group is mostly made up of local public works managers from across the state--urban and rural. BURNT appreciates being part of this planning effort. There is a lot of talent in Tennessee government--our challenge is to work effectively with those involved.
Letter: Solid Waste Reduction Task Force.
BURNT's goals for the Task Force are clear from the above letter--abandon the 1991 Solid Waste Act (which BURNT members went to the State legislature to support) which has become a paperwork exercise of reports, quotas, and landfill, landfill, landfill.
- BURNT Asks State Sanctions Against Metro Health Board.
Following years of air permit appeals based on Health Board denial of public hearings, due process, and citizen participation, in October 2005 BURNT filed a formal complaint with the State Air Quality Control Board. The Board members were interested and instructed State staff to investigate. Following lengthy submittal of documents and interviews, BURNT wrote a letter to the State asking for resolution based on a legal brief filed on 16 October 2007 in the Court of Appeals in the appeal of the North American Galvanizing Permit.
- BURNT at the State Legislature.
For the second year in a row, BURNT helped pass legislation which was used by the Tennessee Conservation Voters (TCV) to rate members of the General Assembly on environmental issues. Visit Tennessee Conservation Voters.
- Burnt: A Day Late for State Water Board Public Comments, Passes Them Along.
Twice a year, the State Water Quality Control Board has open mic--anyone can say what they want. Unfortunately, due to our work load on North American Galvanizing, BURNT was a day late for the comments--life in the fast lane as a volunteer. However, we passed the comments linked to some employees and will send them to the Water Board. From enforcement to composition of the Board to sewer sludge to impact of agriculture on water, we brought up good issues in a good way EXCEPT.........a day late.
October 8th, 2007
October 1st, 2007
- Burnt in the News.
The Tennessean recently published a 'three star' letter by BURNT President Bruce Wood, explaining how we've "traded the environment for paychecks."
- Letter to the Department of Justice.
BURNT continues battle against the Federal Government secrecy and Consent Decree which covers up years of failure to eliminate sewer overflow and requests that the Department of Justice vacate the Consent Decree with the State of Tennessee and Metropolitan Nashville.
September 24th, 2007
- A column in the Tennessean supporting curb side recycling and BURNT's not-too-thrilled (and yet to be printed) Letter to the Editor .
- State Means Business on Smoke Ban
BURNT congratulates Tennessee government and the people of the State because on "...1 October 2007 smoking will be banned in all public places in the state, including restaurants, hotels, sports arenas, and other workplaces." We have long understood that government--local, state, and national--are agents of change in the environment. Environmental injustice, tradition, and bad science hurt government decision making but BURNT is part of making that process better.
We also understand the broad sweep of changing human behavior to make healthy survival possible. From tobacco to seat belts, we can change our behavior in response to the lessons of public health. Now, we are each confronted with multiple chemicals taking precedence in our environment and bodies and we must recognize this as a serious challenge and an issue not to be taken lightly.
- New Data on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.
A look at how chemicals effect our bodies and acknowledgment that "chemical sensitivity does exist as a serious health and environmental problem..." An early look at a problem which has grown and continues to effect our bodies and the environment.
September 3rd, 2007
- Summit for a Sustainable Tennessee
BURNT is proud to belong to Summit for a Sustainable Tennessee. Taking place November 15-16th at David Lipscomb University in Nashville it is "an opportunity to bring together interested conservation organizations from across Tennessee in order to create, prioritize, and advance a statewide conservation agenda and action plan for implementation." If you are interested in attending visit the website above for more information.
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- BURNT--Part of 'Commodores in the Community'
BURNT finally made the local establishment when a group of Vanderbilt's finest, the incoming class of 2011, visited with BURNT under the "Commodores in the Community" program. Eighteen freshmen were bussed to Tennessee Waste in Antioch to visit with Phillip Nappi, owner and manager. BURNT worked with Mr. Nappi when he first opened on Georgia Avenue with two bobcats, a few trucks, and a determined commitment that money can be made out of solid waste by reconciling construction and demolition waste. Tennessee Waste now has 50 employees and recycles 62% of the construction and demolition waste it picks up.
The students were next bussed over to Granbery Elementary School where BURNT officer Sherry Force explained her school drop off and food waste composting operation. When told the composting unit at Granbery was a smaller version of a composting unit at Disney World, one of the students said "Is there anyone who does not think that Disney World is the coolest place on earth?" Well, yes, at least one- but BURNT's Bruce Wood has learned to not bust people's chops unless really necessary.
So, BURNT gave the students a broad introduction to multiple chemicals and their effects on our bodies and the environment, what can be done to not only solve but make money off environmental problems, and the pressing fact that we have problems that must be dealt with for the sake of our planet's future. As incoming freshman, whether they realize it or not, our future will soon be in their hands.
August 27th, 2007
- Federal Take-Over of State Enforcement for Sewer Overflow
BURNT learned that the Federal Justice Department and the US EPA intervened in the long running enforcement by the State of Tennessee against Metro Sewer and Water for sewer overflow into the Cumberland River. These led to secret negotiations which violate the Tennessee Open Records Act, which requires all government business be public. BURNT wrote to officials seeking a public hearing. There will be a review in Federal Court, the Consent Decree will be put on the web, and questions are being formed about the process and the penalties. What we really want to know is why the Federal government intervened in State Enforcement against a local government, why Sewer overflow into the Cumberland River has been allowed to continue for 17 years, and is the pattern the same in scores of other cities where the Federal government has intervened?
Read the letter to Governor Bredesen and Mayor Bill Purcell in which, "BURNT requests State and Metro government to hold a public hearing on enforcement of Metro Sewer Overflow, why failing septic tanks were tolerated for years, leakage of sewage into groundwater, and the environmental injustice inherent in this pollution of the waters of the State."
BURNT Calls for a Public Hearing
- Metro Sewage Talks Closed to Public
An article in the Tennessean detailing the federal governments involvement in Metro's secret sewage talks, including commentary from our own Bruce Wood as well as a brief history of Metro's sewage problems from 1980 on.
August 26th, 2007
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BURNT has worked on the Dickson County landfill since September of 2005 at the request of the Tennessee State Convention of the NAACP. Severe groundwater pollution and rampant illness and death are by-products of willful violation of regulations requiring cleanup of polluted groundwater.
October 19, 2008
BURNT is involved with low level chemicals in the environment. Our bodies each host 125-150 chemicals from Teflon to flame retardant, solvents, hormones, and prescription medications. Nearly all developed within the last 70 years. The free market does not work if we allow ...
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