Right now, a bill (HB1054/SB0631) that would remove protections for 55% of Tennessee’s wetlands is making its way through the Tennessee legislature. This should be of concern to anyone who lives, fishes, hunts, recreates, or drinks water in the State of Tennessee!
Wetlands play a critical role in maintaining a healthy and robust way-of-life for all Tennesseans. Among their many benefits, protected wetlands…
HB1054 was discussed by the Tennessee House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee on January 23, January 30, and February 6, 2024. During the February 6th meeting, the bill passed by a majority vote.
HB1054 was discussed by the Tennessee House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on February 28, March 6, and March 13.
On March 20, the Tennessee House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee passed HB1054 by a majority vote, sending the bill to the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee.
To catch up on the discussions from each meeting, watch the video recordings which can be found here, under the “Video” tab.
On March 6, the Tennessee Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee voted to send SB0631 (companion bill to HB 1054), aka the wetlands bill, to summer study, effectively shelving the bill.
To catch up on the discussions from each meeting, watch the video recordings which can be found here, under the “Video” tab
“We applaud the Senate for sending the bill to summer study to provide time for a more in-depth review. We look forward to working on solutions with all the stakeholders,” said Grace Stranch, CEO of Harpeth Conservancy.
Thank you to the partners and Tennesseans who have helped work collectively and collaboratively to see protections for our wonderful wetlands remain intact. We couldn’t be more grateful and proud to be part of such a community. A win for wetlands in the Senate is a win for Tennessee!
If you live in one of these Tennessee counties, please contact Marie at mariecampbell@harpethriver.org to learn more about how you can help!
Bedford, Benton, Bledsoe, Blount, Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Hardeman, Hamilton, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Houston, Humphreys, Knox, Lake, Lauderdale, Lincoln, Loudon, Madison, Moore, Obion, Rhea, Roane, Sequatchie, Shelby, Stewart, Sullivan, Weakley, Van Buren
Wetlands also remove pollutants like PFAS, microplastics, heavy metals, and bacteria. These valuable ecosystems essentially act as natural filters, trapping and purifying water by removing pollutants and excess nutrients. In Tennessee, where various waterways crisscross the landscape, wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining water quality and preventing downstream contamination of rivers and aquifers.
The destruction of wetlands could disrupt the natural flow of water, negatively impacting fish populations and, would ultimately lead to the loss of biodiversity disrupting the delicate balance of ecosystems, impacting the overall health of Tennessee’s environment.
In conclusion, the importance of wetlands in Tennessee cannot be emphasized enough. These ecosystems are integral to maintaining water quality, supporting biodiversity, and providing essential ecosystem services. Keep an eye on legislation such as HB1054/SB0631, which could pose a significant threat to the future of wetlands and the rivers they support across Tennessee. Lawmakers and the public must recognize the value of wetlands and work together towards policies that prioritize their conservation, ensuring a sustainable and healthy future for Tennessee’s environment and ALL of its residents.
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Harpeth Conservancy, along with legal and engineering experts working for Friends of the Piney, reviewed PSC’s materials submitted to the Commission the week prior. Our overarching assessment—based on decades of working with local, state, and federal agencies’ permitting requirements to protect public health and waterways—was that PSC provided insufficient details to county decisionmakers about how the development will address severe flooding and flood safety, sewage treatment, and drinking water.
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In a significant win for clean water advocates, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) made a crucial decision over the holidays to deny
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1. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Why are Wetlands Important?. EPA
2. Id.
3. EPA, Functions and Values of Wetlands, 2002 at https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-01/documents/functions_values_of_wetlands.pdf
4. EPA, Wetlands: Protecting Life and Property from Flooding, 2006 at https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-02/documents/flooding.pdf
5. USGS, National Water Summary on Wetland Resources, 1996 at https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/National-Water-Summary-Wetland-Resources-tennessee.pdf
6. Water quality rules, reports & publications. Water Quality Rules, Reports & Publications. https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/wr-water-resources/water-quality/water-quality-reports—publications.html
7. Tennessee groundwater monitoring and management – TN.Gov. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/environment/water/drinking-water-unit/wr_wq_report-groundwater-305b-2020.pdf
8. U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). Why are wetlands important?. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/wetlands/why.htm
9. The Dogwood Alliance. (n.d.). Tennessee State Fact Sheet. https://www.dogwoodalliance.org/esr/Tennessee-State-Fact-Sheet.pdf
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