Enforcement and Litigation

Tennessee Riverkeeper enforces environmental laws in order to protect the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers and their tributaries, primarily by challenging the illegal activities of polluters with citizen suits.

Comments and Letters

Tennessee Riverkeeper also battles pollution by commenting on Clean Water Act permits and proposed environmental regulations. By advocating for stronger permits and stricter laws and enforcement, Tennessee Riverkeeper can help reduce pollution before it becomes an illegal violation.

LEGAL DOCKET

Tennessee Riverkeeper seeks to address pollution by the most effective means, including litigation when appropriate.

Federal environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (for landfills, solid waste) provide for citizen enforcement when regulatory agencies fail to take action against violators. Citizens and groups like Riverkeeper are allowed to step in and take the place of the agencies, to seek penalties and orders for correction.

Program ID Facility Name Problem Date NOIS Date Suit Filed Exceedances Overflows/BP Volume (Gals) Notes
TN0064670 Chapel Hill Effluent Violations 02/28/2024 05/12/2024 892
Waste Connections of Tennessee PFAS discharges 03/25/2023
Wallace D. Tweden Trust PFAS discharges 03/25/2024
TN0020079 Maryville STP Effluent violations 11/08/2023 1025
Multi-ELG litigation EPA permit writing
TNR244605 Robert Barnes (Barnes Dump) Unpermitted LF 11/17/2023 02/01/2024
TNR244256 Crystal Ray et al (Dirt Mountain) Unpermitted LF 06/05/2023 08/21/2023
TNR242761 Ardavan AFrakhteh (Sky Nashville) Stormwater 04/24/2023 07/25/2023
TN0078417 Lebanon Landfill Effluent violations 10/03/2023 965 new NOIS
TN0021741 McEwen Overflows 07/14/2022 11/11/2022 264.0 12003050.0 2022-11-11 00:00:00
TN0061166 Sparta Overflows 06/06/2022 10/04/2022 388.0 3745082.0 Settled
TN0024198 Cookeville WWTP Overflows 05/25/2022 09/23/2022 306.0 10963060.0
TN0022888 Lewisburg Overflows 04/14/2022 08/12/2022 156.0 243894457.0 Settled
TN0059790 Kingston Springs Effluent violations 12/08/2021 1935
AL0058394 Huntsville, Spring Branch Overflows 09/17/2021 79.0 1250200.0
A0020150 Gunersville, Eastlake WWTP Overflows 05/05/2021 143.0 1775116.0
TN0054585 Jasper STP Discharge exceedance vioations 04/09/2021 1488
TN0024198 Cookeville WWTP Overflows 12/01/2020 254.0 8496590.0
TN0022551 Lawrenceburg Overflows 06/10/2020 09/09/2020 128.0 17690589.0 Settled
AL0054674 Hartselle Overflows 04/16/2020 07/20/2020 137.0 7359394.0 Settled
TN0025038 Manchester Overflows 03/10/2020 07/09/2020 337.0 33930595.0 Settled
TN0024121 Cleveland STP Overflows 11/25/2019 105.0 7182975.0
TN0020656 Clarksville STP Overflows 11/15/2019 01/24/2020 413.0 24618591.0 Settlement pending
TN0024970 Nashville Whites Creek Overflows 06/11/2019 146.0 4821300.0
AL0048593 Decatur Utilities Overflows 03/29/2019 09/09/2019 245.0 24773988.0 Settled
TN0061166 Sparta 03/20/2019 139.0 didn't report volumn
TN0020621 Greenbrier STP 12/28/2018 1643 3113005.0
xxxxxxxxx Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, U.S.A., Endangered Species 08/13/2018
TN0021211 Signal Mountain STP, Hamilton Co WWTA Permit violations, overflows, bypass 06/30/2018 10/02/2018 1533 1534.0 20069995.0 Settlement pending
ALR0066974 Drury South, Drury SW Styrofoam blown from construction site 06/08/2018
TN0021687 Pulaski, TN STP Overflows 05/04/2018 08/16/2018 122.0 31000000.0 Settled 3/6/2019
AL0066974 Town Creek WWTP Permit violations 03/30/2018 331 36.0 549750.0
TN0060020 West Knox, Beaver Creek STP Permit violations 12/29/2017 182 33.0 202246.0
TN0058181 Loudon STP Overflows 10/31/2017 33.0 128000.0
TN0020736 Ashland City STP Permit violations and overflows 09/15/2017 02/23/2018 184 60.0 21030.0 Settled with Consent decree 6/3/2019
TNR056650 Southern Recycling, LLC Permit noncompliance, nonpermitted discharge 07/12/2017 Came into compliance.
TN0024155 Oak Ridge STP Sewage overflows 04/27/2017 09/10/2018 251.0 40257154.0 Settlement pending
AL0024180 Muscle Shoals WWTP SSOs 01/31/2017 19.0 Came into compliance.
AL0057100 Tuscumbia WWTP SSOs 01/31/2017 13.0 Came into compliance.
AL0070661 Town of Gurley WWTP NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 10/28/2016 744
AL0031372 Scottsboro Southside WWTP NPDES discharge violations & SSO 06/10/2016 50 45.0 149000.0 AL Aty Gen filed suit 8/5/2016
TN0061841 Cornersville STP NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 12/30/2015 3946 EPA has brought action.
AL0000205 3M Company and others PFC contamination, RCRA violations 09/19/2015 06/23/2016
AL0021351 Stevenson Wastewater Lagoon NPDES discharge violations & SSO 07/02/2015 779 AL Aty Gen filed suit 7/29/2015.
TN0061271 Paris Sewage Treatment Plant NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 03/18/2015 588
TN0025470 City of Niota NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 12/23/2014 625 TDEC Consent order 12/08/2014
TN0064670 Chapel Hill NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 12/10/2014 551 TDEC Consent order 10/16/2015
AL0047562 Ider Housing Project WWTP NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 10/10/2014 1612 AL Aty Gen filed suit 12/03/2014.
AL0048402 Crossville Health Care WWTP NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 08/28/2014 1437 AL Aty Gen filed suit 10/10/2014.
TN0020885 Oliver Springs Sewage Treatment Plant NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 12/02/2013 1088 TDEC order 6/30/14.
TN0025020 Madisonville Sewage Treatment Plant NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 10/10/2013 3243 TDEC order 6/23/14.
TN0054585 Jasper Sewage Treatment Plant NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 07/09/2013 1987
AL000337 Awesome Properties NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 04/29/2013 1167 Violations have ceased.
xxxxxxxxx Old Florence LF leachate from old landfill 02/19/2013 05/09/2013 Consent Decree
TN0003573 Carlex Glass NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 02/12/2013 1098 New permit issued
AL003867 Colbert Fossil Plant discharges from coal ash storage ponds. 01/31/2013 1825
TN0021971 Carlisle Tire & Wheel NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 11/16/2012 838
AL0069591 North County WWTP Muni WWTP discharge 09/07/2012 318 ADEM Consent Order on 3/14/13.
AL0060526 Woodville WWTP NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 08/02/2012 6702 AL Aty Gen filed suit.
AL0056057 Henagar Industrial Park WWTP Muni WWTP discharge 07/23/2012 2876 ADEM Consent Order on 11/8/12.
IU082500417 Koch Farms Copper discharges, other NOIS violations 07/23/2012 2242 ADEM Consent Order on 11/8/12.
IU82500213 Wright's Hosiery Color violations 07/23/2012 155 Violations have ceased.
AL0023329 Ardmore WWTP NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 02/14/2012 04/20/2012 2024 AL Aty Gen filed suit 4/11/2012.
AL0049719 Gunters Landing Lagoon NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 07/28/2011 09/29/2011 1077 Consent Decree.
AL0056626 Arab Gilliam Creek WWTP NPDES permit violations - discharge limitations 11/05/2010 700 AL Aty Gen filed suit 1/5/2011.
AL0078280 Meredyth Mine discharge from surface coal mine 10/09/2010 12/17/2010 2052 case dismissed as moot.
49902 5386.0 497995167.0