Tennessee Legislators Dodge Vote on Mountaintop Removal Although a bill to protect Tennessee’s mountains received broad citizen and political support — and media attention from around the world — state legislators chose to deny public testimony on the measure and instead let the Scenic Vistas Protection Act die without a vote. Appalachian Voices Tennessee Director…

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Lawmakers to hold hearings on Scenic Vistas bill on heels of ad campaign from conservatives

Press Advisory Appalachian Voices March 19, 2013 Contact: JW Randolph, Tennessee Director, 202-669-3670; jw@appvoices.org Nashville – Tennessee Senate and House panels are scheduled tomorrow to consider bi-partisan companion bills that protect mountain forests on the Cumberland Plateau by effectively prohibiting new surface coal mining on ridgelines above 2,000 feet. The Scenic Vistas Protection Act is…

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Senate Committee Misses Historic Opportunity to Protect Tennessee Mountains

PRESS STATEMENT CONTACT: J.W. Randolph, Appalachian Voices, 202-669-3670, jw@appvoices.org The Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act, introduced by state Sen. Eric Stewart, was designed to stop surface coal mining that alters or disturbs a ridgeline over 2,000 feet of elevation, effectively banning mountaintop removal coal mining in the state. On Wed., Feb. 29 the State Senate…

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