Rarity Ridge development is set alongside the Clinch River in Roane County.  The area is beautiful and has gorgeous mountain views.  However, development at this site is disturbing.  After more than six months of photo documentation we issued a complaint against this construction site to TDEC.  Each time we visited Rarity Ridge dirt was piled in the streets, running into storm drains and entering adjacent waters.  The site is in serious neglect and the continued lack of maintenance or compliance with the construction permit results in pollution to our waters.  So, TCWN has submitted a complaint to TDEC and recieved notice they will follow up with our compliant.  We’ll see if this sit can get cleaned up!

The U.S. EPA is putting out a call for people to help them with their enforcement program.  They’ve got a cool new tool out to help you look at water quality in relation to other states.

The meeting to discuss what you think EPA should be doing on enforcement will take place on Thursday, August 13, 2009, from 1:00 - 3:00 pm EST at EPA Headquarters, 1201 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington DC, EPA East Building, Room 1153. A conference line will be available for those who cannot attend in person. The call-in number will be 866-212-0875, access code 764075#. Please contact Chad Carbone at 202-564-2523 with any questions. Also, please contact Chad Carbone to indicate if you will be participating via conference call, or in-person. (If you plan to attend in-person, we need your name two days in advance to get you thru building security.)

This is YOUR  chance to weigh in on what you think the feds need to do to protect clean water. We’ll be on the call too and report back to you on this blog.  We’ll do a play-by-play on our twitter account. To follow us on Twitter click here.

RvH

Dear Anon from Chattanooga,

We received the TDEC notice of violation against the City of Chattanooga’s stormwater permit that you sent.  Verrrrrrrry interesting.  When I went to Chattanooga to speak to the US. Green Building Council last Wednesday, I stopped in the TDEC field office in Chattanooga.  I called earlier to see if they would prepare the file for me and it was waiting for me when I got there.

My, what a large file you have there, my dear.

I was actually pretty impressed with the file.  It looks like the field office in Chatt is on it. There were thorough notes from TDEC staff on the reports submitted to TDEC from the city.  The City does not seem to be following the terms of their permit.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot we can do about it. The permit is so loosely written that there is no real hook to do any meaningful citizen enforcement.  However, the permit is up for renewal. We understand that there is a task force looking at it.  The task force, if rumor can be believed, is made up of a lot of developers and industry and two environmental groups.  TCWN was not invited to attend.

When the permit comes out for public comment, we hope you will come to the hearing that will be held in Chattanooga.  We will let you know when that is, if you have signed up for the enews. To sign up for the enews, click here.

Thank you for alerting us to this problem. If there is something else we can do for  you, feel free to contact me at 865.522.7007 x100 or respond to this blog, if you don’t want to be known.

Sincerely,

Renee