Wow! What a shocker to hear that TDEC was going to levy such a high fine against TVA for the December 22, 2008 Coal Fly Ash Disaster. I was impressed until I read TVA’s response.  It’s just 1% of their annual revenues! Will this will deter future bad behavior?  I guess we’ll see…

BTW, what’s going on with the other coal fly ash storage ponds?  They getting fixed?

RvH

This just in from TVA:

Due to rising water temperatures, TVA will be moving fish from east of Dike 2 into the Emory River. Water temperatures east of Dike 2 are rising. As temperatures go up, dissolved oxygen goes down. These conditions cause stress to fish trapped in this body of water and could cause a fish kill. To prevent this, TVA will collect the fish by electroshocking, then will remove them and transport them to be released into the Emory River near the end of Lakeshore Drive. This process is not harmful to the fish; TVA uses electro-shocking to perform its sportfish surveys every year. The fish rescue will take most of the day to complete. The best place to view the move is on Swan Pond Circle Road just west of the intersection with Lakeshore Drive.

Due to rising water temperatures, TVA will be moving fish from east of Dike 2 into the Emory River. Water temperatures east of Dike 2 are rising. As temperatures go up, dissolved oxygen goes down. These conditions cause stress to fish trapped in this body of water and could cause a fish kill. To prevent this, TVA will collect the fish by electroshocking, then will remove them and transport them to be released into the Emory River near the end of Lakeshore Drive. This process is not harmful to the fish; TVA uses electro-shocking to perform its sportfish surveys every year. The fish rescue will take most of the day to complete. The best place to view the move is on Swan Pond Circle Road just west of the intersection with Lakeshore Drive.

That’s right.  We’ll be out of the office this Saturday and next Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.  That’s five chances to come out and say “howdy”.  We’d love to see you at one of these events:

Saturday, April 18- Knoxville Earth Day, Pellissippi State Tech Community College

Monday, April 20- Climate Change & Water Film Festival, Maryville College

Wednesday, April 22- Climate Change & Water Film Festival, Univ, of the South in Sewanee

Saturday, April 25- Oak Ridge Earth Day, Bissell Park in Oak Ridge

Sunday, April 26- Party for the Planet, Knoxville Zoo

We had a wonderful time last night honoring Dr. Liane Russell as the 2008 Bill Russell River Hero Award recipient.  A crowd of about 80 people gathered at the beautiful Foundry at World’s Fair Park to celebrate Lee’s many incredible accomplishments.  Check out our Flickr page for photos from last night’s celebration.

After the presentation, TCWN Board President Greg Buppert announced the award will now be the “Liane and Bill Russell River Hero Award.”  Greg also presented Lee with two white fringetrees that will be planted in her honor at two of her favorite places, Obed Wild and Scenic River and Frozen Head State Park.

We have to thank our sponsors for their support:

Communication Resources
Globally Green Consulting, LLC
Knoxville News Sentinel
Joe W. McCaleb & Associates
The Nature Conservancy- Tennessee Chapter
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning
Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation
Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association

We’d also like to thank Anetta Watson, WATE 6 News Anchor Gene Patterson, Phil Campbell, the staff of The Foundry, TCWN board members Greg Buppert, Katie Larue, Janet King and Dennis McCarthy, TCWP board members and all those that joined us for an unforgettable night.

One week from tonight- what will you be doing?  I hope you answered, “Celebrating the amazing accomplishments of Lee Russell at the 2008 Bill Russell River Hero Award.” 

No, that wasn’t your response? 

Well, that can easily be changed.  Seriously, it is going to be a great night for a great woman.  The award ceremony is set for next Thursday, October 2, at the Foundry at World’s Fair Park, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.  Tickets are $50 per person and there will be heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.  Best of all, we get to spend the evening honoring an incredible conservationist that embodies the spirit of the River Hero Award.  Tickets are available online and by calling 522-7007 ext. 102.

About Liane:
For more than 40 years, Dr. Liane Russell has been working to preserve and protect Tennessee’s rivers and parks.  Lee and her husband Bill (for whom the River Hero Award is named) organized Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and were instrumental in protecting the Obed River and the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River.  Lee played a lead role in the drafting and passage of the State Scenic Rivers Act, which is the first such act in the United States.

Through her work more than 150,000 acres of land and more than 120 miles of river are permanently protected from adverse development in the Cumberlands.  Because of her efforts against strip-mining, many of Tennessee’s rivers are spared siltation and acid mine drainage.  Throughout Tennessee and in her hometown, her work has helped protect lands and water to make them available for generations to come.

I look forward to seeing you there!