State Water Plan: Tennessee Governor Appoints Steering Committee to Address Future Water Availability Issues

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam announced the appointment of a steering committee to develop a statewide plan (“Plan”) for future water availability in Tennessee.

The steering committee is stated to include leaders from:

• Federal, state, and local governments
• Industry
• Academia
• Environmental advocacy groups
• Public utilities

The Plan is denominated “TN H2O.” It is projected to include:

. . .an assessment of current water resources and recommendations to help ensure Tennessee has an abundance of water resources to support future population and economic growth.

The steering committee has been asked to submit a draft of TN H2O to the Governor and circulate it for public input by October 2018. The identity of the steering committee members includes:

• Jim Henry, Deputy to the Governor, State of Tennessee
• Randy McNally, Lieutenant Governor, State of Tennessee
• Beth Harwell, Speaker of the House of Representatives, State of Tennessee
• Dr. John Dreyzehner, Commissioner, Department of Health
• Bob Martineau, Commissioner, Department of Environment and Conservation
• Bob Rolfe, Commissioner, Department of Economic and Community Development
• Jai Templeton, Commissioner, Department of Agriculture
• Kevin Triplett, Commissioner, Department of Tourism
• Ed Carter, Executive Director, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
• Dr. Shari Meghreblian, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Environment and Conservation
• Dr. Ken Moore, Mayor, City of Franklin
• Jim Strickland, Mayor, City of Memphis
• Dr. Philip Oldham, President, Tennessee Technological University
• Jerri S. Bryant, Chancellor, 10th Judicial District
• Jeff Aiken, President, Tennessee Farm Bureau
• Valoria Armstrong, President, Tennessee American Water Co.
• Bill Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tennessee Valley Authority
• Col. Michael A. Ellicott, Jr., Commander, USACE Memphis District
• Michael Butler, Chief Executive Officer, Tennessee Wildlife Federation
• Hanneke Counts, Vice President, Eastman Chemical
• Lt. Col. Cullen A. Jones, Commander, USACE Nashville District
• Bob Freudenthal, Executive Director, Tennessee Association of Utility Districts
• W. Scott Gain, Director, US Geological Survey
• Mekayle Houghton, Executive Director, Cumberland River Compact
• Kevin Igli, Senior Vice President, Tyson Foods
• Bo Perkinson, Board President, Tennessee Municipal League

Additional information can be obtained here.