The Mountains of Tennessee

From our friends at LEAF
March 22, 2012

Dear Caretakers of Creation:

You all are a political miracle. In calls, letters and e-mails you told your representatives that you want them to support and pass the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act. Your action has gained the bill new supporters and made others reluctant to go on record against it. Thank you for that.
Your remarkable level of attention and quick action against the decoy bill in the Senate has caused the decoy to lose momentum. The decoy has not been offered at all in the House. The voters have stopped a common legislative maneuver. Thank you for that too.
We have at least one more legislative derailment LEAF needs your action to stop. Now that it is clear to the coal industry that some expected industry votes are wavering, they will likely ask the House Committee to take no action at all this year. Generally, this type of motion requests study and “talks” instead of a vote.
LEAF intends to respectfully request a vote, on the merits, in the House and Senate, this year. And we believe this important bill should reach the floor in both the House and Senate, so that all of our representatives get a chance to be heard.

The TSVPA is on the calendar of the House Subcommittee for next Tuesday, March 27. It is a long calendar, so they may or may not get to us on that day. If not, April 3rd is a likely alternate date.

But we must be prepared by March 27. The message we need you to send to the House Environment Committee members is: “There have been five years for delays and study. During that time eight more mountains have been permitted for destruction. We have already lost too many irreplaceable, Tennessee mountains to delay. Pass the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act (HB 291) this year.”

Email RE or phone message for members: “Pass the TSVPA-this year.”

It is human to try to avoid choices, when either option will displease someone. However, failure to decide is a decision. Pray for courage for our elected representatives to protect the mountains.

With humble gratitude for the power of your voices,
Dawn Coppock
Legislative Director, LEAF

For more information contact Dawn Coppock, LEAF Legislative Director
c 865-382-0895, o 865-933-8173, dawn@dawncoppock.com or see www.tnleaf.org.