Rock Mining Update

ORIGINALLY posted on ttamurfreesboro.blogspot.com April 13, 2008

From Jim Schroeder......

The following information is a combination of information gleaned from the Tennessee Legislature web page, conversation with Senator Ketron's office, and a conversation with Representative Floyd's office. As of the close of sessions on Wednesday, April 9: In the house, HB4198 cleared the full Environment and Conservation Committee, and was referred to the House Government Operations Committee, where it has been placed on the agenda for their April 16th session.

From there it will be referred to the House Calendar and Rules Committee for placement on the total House calendar for a vote. In the Senate, the full Environment, Conservation,, and Tourism Committee deferred action on SB4198 until their Arpil 16 Committee session. The writer was not privey to why this delay in action was taken. Evidently, once it clears the Senate full committee, it will then have to follow a path similar to that of the house, that is through the Senate Government Operations Committee, and then through the Senate Calendar Committee before coming to a vote on the floor of the Senate.

The Senate Operations Committee's repsonibilites are described on the web page as: "This committee is responsible for legislation concerning the creation of new departments, commissions, boards, agencies or councils of state government; the reauthorization of existing departments, commissions, boards, agencies or councils of state government; licensing and/orcertification of occupational and/or professional groups; and review of regulations promulgated by Tennessee departments, commissions, boards or agencies" , and I imagine the house committee is similar.

The long and short of it appears to be a checks and balance consideration to make sure there are agencies in place which can support administration of the provisions ofthe bill, in this case TDEC. It was suggested that we might want to contact the members of the house Government Operations Committee just prior to their scheduled April 16 meeting, encouraging them to move HB4198 along.

This committee consists of the following members:Government Operations, 38 Legislative Plaza, Phone (615) 741-4866
Mike Kernell, Chair
Barbara Cooper, Vice-Chair
Mike Bell, Stacey Campfield, Glen Casada, Jim Cobb, Lois DeBerry, G. AHardaway, Susan Lynn, Jason Mumpower, Gary Odom, Jeanne Richardson, Randy Rink and Eric Swafford. Contact information can be found on the Legislature web page.

It might also be helpful to again contact the members of the Senate Committeee of Environment Conservation and Tourism just prior to their scheduled April 16th session, asking for their support in moving SB4198 to the next step.So it appears that the bills are still moving along and still providing protection against new rock mining endeavors on State Park land, apparently in the form whereby the rock miners must obtain permission to mine from the surface rights holders. Although from this outsider looking in, the process seems to be slow and cumbersome, I feel confident that the procedure is one of checks and balances to insure bills are passed that are beneificial to the general public and that systems are in place which will allow proper administration.

Regards to all,
Jim Schroeder