In 2009 TDEC issued a permit to TTC Halls, LLC which allowed for the  permanent fill of about half an acre of wetland and encapsulation of a total of 790 feet of stream in order to construct a commercial facility. According to the permit, mitigation was to occur entirely onsite by relocating part of the North Fork Beaver Creek into a meandering channel, relocating and restoring a portion of an unnamed tributary into a “natural stream pattern,” creating 2.56 acres of wetland, and enhancing 0.4 of an acre of wetland. 

A site visit by TCWN determined the commercial facility was never built and the site remains undeveloped, but the stream and wetland fills did occur. However, both the TCWN site visit and a 2012 TDEC site visit prove mitigation failures. North Fork Beaver Creek was not relocated or enhanced in compliance with the permit. The created wetlands are not 2.56 acres in size. Wetlands around a stormwater outfall also fall short of the size stipulation and required plant species. The unnamed tributary running along Norris Freeway was not restored into a “natural stream pattern,” but instead has an obstructed flow and appears to be heavily impacted by sediment. The tributary likely also has nutrient impairments, evident with the abundant algal growth in-stream. 

It was more than apparent the permittee failed to comply with permit conditions, which is an obvious violation of the rules of TDEC. In June TCWN sent a complaint to the state regarding these failures. The state has until September to respond. 

Read TCWN's full complaint.

Check out news coverage about this site. 

Read Knox County's press release.