Way to go WSMV-TV, Nashville (Channel 4 News)!!!

Reporting on the cheap sale of Tennessee streams to developers, the Tennessee Stream Mitigation Program (TSMP) accepts $200 per linear foot of stream destroyed.  The buyer (developer) is required by law to ‘mitigate’ or replace each foot of stream that is destroyed.  However, according to Joey Woodard, Director of TSMP, they have only 70% compliance, which is, according to him “pretty good.”

Say What?!!  In what world is a 70% success rate “pretty good?”  This is at best a C- and at worst a D or an F!! 

Mr. Woodard also states in his interview that 80% of their projects to mitigate streams occur within a 30 mile radius of the original stream site.  With a sardonic grin he asserts that this is a “pretty good scale.”  While I agree that a B might be called “pretty good,” I flat out demand more than a PRETTY GOOD rating from an organization charged with protecting such a precious resource as our natural waterways. 

It is time to demand a higher success rate from the Tennessee Stream Mitigation Program approaching somewhere in the range of 100%. Period. It is time to uphold our GOOD LAWS.

Mr. Joey Woodard can be reached at:  (615) 831-9311, ext.111.

-Dharmaja, Editor

Dear Readers,

A small Tennessee town has taken notice of our message to protect the water supply.  Our mission to provide education and options to small towns which are likely to be presented with cheap water buy-outs appears to be working! We are focused on getting the word out to areas that have not yet been approached by a conglomerate so that when they are, they are armed with information, initiative, and community support. 

It looks as if Water Fandango will soon be a reality! Water Fandango, a fundraising concert in support of small towns getting the resources they need without having to rely on the cheap buyouts offered by multi-billion dollar corporations seeking new supply for the bottling industry.

Go go go!