Summary

<p>For two years, wetlands protections in Tennessee have been under attack. Our state law values its natural resources in many ways, including requiring mitigation to offset the destruction of any wetlands for development. Science shows clearly that wetlands act as a sponge to protect communities from flooding, recharge our aquifers, and provide habitat for many types of native animals.</p> <p>Wetlands are important to Protect Our Aquifer because the majority of Tennessee wetlands sit above the Aquifer's Recharge Zone. This area in West TN faces intense development pressures from Ford's $6 Billion EV&nbsp;plant, aka Blue Oval City.</p> <p>A ruling by the US Supreme Court in 2023 changed the definitions of federal wetlands and Rep. Kevin Vaughan (R-Collierville) introduced a trigger bill that would have rolled back Tennessee's protection of wetlands to match the new federal ruling. The bill was contentious and was sent to "summer study" by the Senate in 2024. Throughout the summer of 2024, Protect Our Aquifer and many other stakeholder groups joined legislators for a series of sessions on how to update the process and law regarding wetland protections WITHOUT compromising their key functions.</p> <p>In October 2024, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) released the compiled report and presented to the Senate Energy, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Committee. It recommended changes from a procedural standpoint and even reduced the level of protections for some wetlands. With homebuilders, private industry, farmers, and environmental organizations, the recommendations provide a template for legislative action.</p> <p>We can clean up the bureaucracy and the permitting process, while still protecting these critical natural features. We should expect nothing less!&nbsp;</p>