Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge receives $2 million wastewater loan

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The City of Oak Ridge has received a $2 million state wastewater loan, officials said Friday.

The loan is for the city’s Infiltration and Inflow Correction project. It will be used to rehabilitate approximately 30,000 linear feet of sewer line, a state press release said. The project will be funded with a 20-year, $1,860,000 loan with an interest rate of 1.89 percent and $140,000 in principal forgiveness that will not have to be repaid, Tennessee officials said.

The loan was announced Friday by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau. They said that three communities have been approved to receive more than $9.3 million in low-interest loans for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements.

“The State Revolving Fund Loan Program helps citizens enjoy a better quality of life by assisting communities with current and future infrastructure needs for improved environmental health,” Haslam said.

Tennessee’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program has awarded more than $1.7 billion in low-interest loans since its inception in 1987, the press release said. Tennessee’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program has awarded more than $296.2 million in low-interest loans since its inception in 1996. [Read more…]

Interior Department protects 75,000 acres from surface mining, including in Anderson County

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U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell

 

A federal decision announced Wednesday designates about 75,000 acres of mountain ridge lines, including in Anderson County, as unsuitable for surface coal mining operations, a press release said.

The decision, which affects mountains in East Tennessee, was announced by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.

“Today’s action helps protect a spectacular area of eastern Tennessee that is critical to the region’s tourism and outdoor recreation economy, provides valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and supports a healthy watershed,” the press release said.

The release said the Interior Department designated the mountain ridge lines as unsuitable for surface coal mining at the request of the State of Tennessee. Besides Anderson County, the other affected counties include Campbell, Scott, and Morgan. [Read more…]

Linden Elementary, Midway Middle win $1,000 for environmental programs

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linden-elementary-schools-good-sports-always-recycle-award-1-nov-2016

“Voice of the Vols” Bob Kesling, director of broadcasting/play-by-play for the Vol Network, and Etta Clark, vice president of global public affairs and policy at Eastman, present the 2016 Good Sports Always Recycle winners at Linden Elementary School with their award. (Submitted photo)

 

Linden Elementary School in Oak Ridge and Midway Middle School in Ten Mile were recognized at the University of Tennessee homecoming game as two of the statewide winners of the Good Sports Always Recycle, or GSAR, program’s school challenge. Seven other schools were also recognized. All nine were awarded $1,000 each for their programs.

The award sponsors were Eastman Chemical Company, Food City, Waste Connections of Tennessee, and the University of Tennessee, a press release said.

The other GSAR School Challenge winners were Abintra Montessori School in Nashville, Cleveland High School in Cleveland, Emmett Elementary School in Bristol, Fayette Academy in Somerville, John Adams Elementary School in Kingsport, Newport Grammar School in Newport, and Union Elementary STEM and Demonstration School in Gallatin.

New Hope Christian Academy in Memphis was awarded $1,500 for the GSAR Sustainability Steward Award, and Libertas School of Memphis was awarded $1,500 for the Best New Program. [Read more…]

Drop off household hazardous waste in Oak Ridge on Saturday, Sept. 17

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You can drop off household hazardous waste in Oak Ridge on Saturday, September 17.

The collection will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Oak Ridge Central Services Complex at 100 Woodbury Lane, behind the Kmart shopping center.

The Household Hazardous Waste Collection is sponsored by Anderson County Solid Waste Management and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. It’s a state-sponsored event and open to any Tennessee resident. Residents of other counties are also welcome, a press release said.

Household hazardous waste is considered to be anything generated in the home that has a hazardous property. A material is considered hazardous if it is flammable, corrosive, toxic, or reactive with heat or contact with metals.

Household hazardous waste material is considered flammable, toxic, reactive, and/or corrosive, and should not be placed with regular garbage. Typical items to dispose of include cleaning fluids, pesticides, mercury thermometers and thermostats, fluorescent lamps, lithium and button batteries, aerosols, adhesives, medications, brake fluid, swimming pool chemicals, paint thinner, and used needles in sturdy containers. [Read more…]

Anderson County receives $18,000 clean energy grant

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Bill Haslam during Presidential Visit at Pellissippi State

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is pictured above in January 2016. (File photo by Rob Welton)

Anderson County has received an $18,000 state clean energy grant.

The project will consist of an LED lighting upgrade at the county’s Fleet Service Facility, Highway Facility, and Dickens Building, according to information from the state. The existing lights currently consume 160,200 kilowatts annually, and the new lights are estimated to reduce that energy usage by 35 percent—or 56,064 kilowatts on an annual basis.

The project will use the latest technology in LED lighting, and it is estimated that it will reduce 38 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents from the atmosphere per year, the information said. Over the lifetime of the project, the county is estimated to save nearly $144,000.

This project has been a high priority for the county for the last three years. [Read more…]

Oliver Springs receives $100,000 ballfield grant; Norris Dam park, Farragut also receive funding

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Oliver Springs has received a $100,000 state grant for development of the Carmichael Ballfield, officials said Monday. It’s a Local Parks and Recreation grant.

Farragut received a $500,000 Parks and Recreation grant for renovation of an athletic field, restroom, and construction of parking.

And Norris Dam State Park received an $84,000 Recreational Trails Program grant. It will be used to buy trail cutting equipment for building and maintaining hiking and biking trails, and trail-dedicated hand tools; develop three new trails that will link existing trails to increase trail capacity and link users to the campgrounds; and repair existing trails and train new volunteers.

The grants were announced by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau on Monday. They are worth more than $17 million total, and they will help fund parks and recreation projects in Tennessee communities, a press release said. [Read more…]

Drop off household hazardous waste in Oak Ridge on Saturday

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The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s mobile household hazardous waste collection service will be in Anderson, Carter, Obion, and Giles counties on Saturday, May 16. The drop-off point in Oak Ridge is the Oak Ridge Public Works Department on Woodbury Lane.

“Our household hazardous waste mobile collection service provides the people of Tennessee with a safe, environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted household chemicals and other potentially hazardous wastes at no cost,” said Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau. “This service travels across the state holding collection events in local communities, and we encourage all Tennesseans to take advantage of the opportunity to utilize it.”

On Saturday, May 16, any Tennessee resident may bring his or her household hazardous waste to the following locations. (Note that hours listed indicate the local time for events.) [Read more…]

Saturday: Household hazardous waste drop-off, prescription drug take-back

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There is a prescription drug take-back in Oak Ridge through 2 p.m. today (Saturday, September 27). There is also a collection of household hazardous waste, and it also ends at 2 p.m.

The prescription drug take-back is at the Oak Ridge Police Department at 200 South Tulane Avenue. The ORPD is doing this in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) of Anderson County.

“The Oak Ridge Police Department will give the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs,” a press release said. “The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.” [Read more…]

Oak Ridge receives $3 million state wastewater loan

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City of Oak Ridge Seal

Tennessee awards more than $8.2 million in low-interest water, wastewater construction loans

NASHVILLE—Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau on Tuesday announced that one community and one utility district have been approved to receive more than $8.2 million in low-interest loans for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements.

Oak Ridge received a $3 million state wastewater loan.

“It’s great to see local governments using this important program to help address critical drinking water and wastewater needs,” Haslam said in a press release. “Making these infrastructure improvements will benefit the health of these communities and economic growth.” [Read more…]

Household hazardous waste collection in Anderson on Saturday

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The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s mobile household hazardous waste collection service will be in Anderson, Franklin, Lincoln and Warren counties on Saturday, March 29.

“Our household hazardous waste mobile collection service provides the people of Tennessee with a safe, environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted household chemicals and other potentially hazardous waste at no cost,” Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau said. “This service travels across the state holding collection events in local communities, and we encourage all Tennesseans to take advantage of the opportunity to utilize it.”

On Saturday, March 29, any Tennessee resident may bring his or her household hazardous waste to the following locations. (Note that hours listed indicate the local time for events).

  • Anderson County—Oak Ridge Public Works Department at 100 Woodbury Lane in Oak Ridge from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The local contact for this HHW collection event is Geoff Trabalka at (865) 463-6845. [Read more…]

CUB receives $200,000 Clean Tennessee Energy Grant

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Gov. Bill Haslam Check Presentation

Gov. Bill Haslam announced in June that Oak Ridge had received $200,000 in Clean Tennessee Energy Grant funding for lighting at the Municipal Building and Civic Center.

The Clinton Utilities Board has received a $200,000 Clean Tennessee Energy Grant to renovate its wastewater treatment plant.

CUB was one of 19 recipients receiving $2.1 million for projects promoting energy efficiency, benefiting the environment, and helping save money, Tennessee officials said this month.

In a check presentation ceremony in June, Gov. Bill Haslam came to Oak Ridge to announce that the Secret City had received the first of the 19 awards. [Read more…]

State approves city’s application for $18 million in low-interest loans for sewer repairs

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In February, the Oak Ridge City Council approved the borrowing of $18 million in low-interest state loans to help pay for a $23 million project to fix the municipal sewer system.

On Wednesday, Tennessee officials announced that the loans had been approved. [Read more…]