Tennessee Riverkeeper Intends To Sue Pilot Travel Center in La Vergne

On June 9, 2026, Tennessee Riverkeeper, Inc. sent a notice of intent to sue to Pilot Travel Center LLC (“Pilot”) for violations of the Clean Water Act. Pilot is in violation because it is discharging wastewater and storm water runoff in violation of its permit from a large Travel Center – consisting of a truck stop, gas station, and market – at 535 Waldron Road, La Vergne, Rutherford County, Tennessee.  The facility discharges into East Branch Hurricane Creek, which flows to Percy Priest Lake at a cove where a public boat launch and the Four Corners marina are located.  The discharge periodically contains elevated levels of Oil and Grease, Total Suspended Solids, a petroleum sheen, and visible bottom deposits and growth, and the discharge of petroleum appears to worsen during rain. 

Problems have persisted for some time, with self-monitoring reports, violation notices from the state, and responses from the company going back and forth for the past several years.  The communications generally show the company attributing the problems to excess rains and inadequate cleaning of their treatment system, offering to increase the frequency of cleaning the system to twice a year, then later to quarterly.  Apparently, more is needed.

The Pilot facility is part of a chain of hundreds of stations across the country, operated by Pilot Travel Centers, LLC, which previously did business under the name Pilot Flying J Travel Centers.  It was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in stages starting several years ago, and now is fully owned by them.

East Branch Hurricane Creek flows northwards into Hurricane Creek, which flows into Percy Priest Lake.  Hurricane Creek runs along the La Vergne Greenway, a popular 4.2-mile recreational pathway through a mostly forested area that ends near Percy Priest Lake, which is a reservoir operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spanning 14,200 acres. The lake is heavily used for recreation, including fishing, swimming, and boating, with amenities such as marinas, parks, boat ramps, and bank fishing sites accessible to the public. Percy Priest Lake’s significance cannot be overstated. The lake attracts numerous visitors each year, due to the appeal of its recreational activities and close proximity to Nashville. In addition, the reservoir provides water for drinking, irrigation, and industrial use.

Tennessee Riverkeeper intends to pursue action to address the violations and stop the pollution, including filing a citizen suit as needed to assure corrections.