february 2026 NEWSLETTER
WE LOVE WATER!
We cannot thank you enough for your support and passion for protecting our waterways. Tennessee Riverkeeper cannot do this work without you!
FIGHTING ILLEGAL DUMPS
Tennessee Riverkeeper continues to investigate and build cases against a growing number of illegal construction and demolition dumps in Nashville. The organization has filed federal lawsuits against two, and subsequently a Stop Work Order was issued against one of those from the city based on our work. The state is doing nothing about the waste being dumped or the mud flowing out, and the city is doing very little (just the one Stop Work Order so far).
Our team is now expanding our efforts with more lab testing, help from neighbors, and some signs of support from a couple of city council members. We also continue to educate citizens, organize communities, and keep a spotlight on this issue through social media and news coverage.
LEGAL DOCKET
8 active cases on our legal docket:
Alexandria, TN: On January 23, 2026, we notified Alexandria, Tennessee of our intent to file a Clean Water Act lawsuit against the town for violations of their permit, the CWA and applicable regulations. They exceeded their permit limits for phosphorus by 1,248 pounds and nitrogen by 2,670 pounds (over a ton) in 2025. They have 2,741 days of pollution violations. This is our most recent case, stay tuned for more updates.
The town has exceeded its discharge limitations, mostly for nitrogen and phosphorous. The town’s sewage treatment plant discharges into Hickman Creek, which is a tributary of Caney Fork and the Cumberland River. The name "Caney Fork" comes from the dense cane breaks that grew along the river's banks when European explorers first arrived in the area.
City of Springfield, TN: It appears that this is set for trial. The trial has not been set.
from Mark like… we are awaiting the court to set a schedule for case deadlines such as… or…the court has now set a schedule for the case… or…the city has responded and proposed to prepare a plan to fix problems, or …the city is now working with the state to develop a schedule to get into compliance or… I will add from historic perspective…
On November 10, 2025, Tennessee Riverkeeper mailed notice to the City of Springfield of its intent to file a Clean Water Act lawsuit against the city for overflows in violation of its permit. The city had 39 overflow violations between August 21, 2021 and April 3, 2025 which released an estimated 28,410,865 gallons of raw sewage into Sulfur Fork Creek, Black Branch, Car Creek, Browns Fork, Wartrace Creek, and Beaver Dam Creek.
City of Spring Hill, TN: Tennessee Riverkeeper brought suit against Spring Hill under the Clean Water Act for permit limitation exceedances, in September 11, 2025 with some help from legal students at Vanderbilt Law School.
The lawsuit has been filed. They filed a motion to dismiss and we countered.
Spring Hill was home to a well known Civil War battle and the Saturn car factory.
The STP reported 55 violations for ammonia. In Sept 2022, they had a weekly average which was 582% above their pollution limit.
On September 11, 2025, Tennessee Riverkeeper brought suit against Spring Hill under the Clean Water Act for permit limitation exceedances. The suit is in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, case number: 1:25-cv-00074.
Town of Woodville, AL: On September 5, 2025, Tennessee Riverkeeper notified Woodville of its intent to file a lawsuit under the Clean Water Act for permit limitation exceedances. The violations were mostly nitrogen, total suspended solids, and biological oxygen demand.
This STP in Northeast Alabama has 1,944 days of pollution violations since November 2020. They admitted to these in reports to the state government under oath.
The surrounding area was the site of considerable guerrilla warfare and small actions during the American Civil War, including the Skirmish at Paint Rock Bridge.
For about 15 years, Woodvale has been among some of the most problematic STPs in Alabama. In August 2012, Tennessee Riverkeeper filed our first legal action attempting to clean up this sewage pollution detailing 6,702 days of violations. The state of Alabama responded with a lawsuit filed by the Attorney General against Woodville for the violations we alleged.
Once again, the state of Alabama responded with a lawsuit filed by the Attorney General against Woodville for the violations we alleged.
Kingston Springs, TN: Tennessee Riverkeeper, Inc. filed a lawsuit under the Clean Water Act (CWA), against the Kingston Springs STP for violations of the CWA and the Tennessee Water Quality Control Act with some pro bono support from law students. The Kingston Springs Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) has had 1,099 days of Clean Water Act violations from July 2021 to April 2024, including overflows of raw sewage. The STP experienced a 2003% exceedance over their permit limit for E. coli in April 2024.
Kingston Springs was inhabited for thousands of years before Europeans because of the sulfur springs in the area.
The Harpeth River is a Tennessee treasure, highly used for boating, swimming and fishing. This section of the Harpeth has boat access and is a point of entry for the Blueway canoe and kayak trail. The suit was filed October 16, 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Tennessee, case number: 3:24-cv-01241.
Sky Nashville in Nashville, TN: Though the housing development that started the mud flows at issue has never come to fruition, the owner is still required to have a stormwater permit for discharges from the highly disturbed site, and one of our demands included proof of permit coverage for the correct stream. The site drains to Philips Branch and can’t get to Richland Creek without going over a hill, which water doesn’t do. Photos show the muddy water coming out of a pipe on the other side Interstate 40 - not to Richland Creek – and not to a sinkhole under Interstate 40 . If and when someone decides to again try to build on the site, mud might resume flowing, but for now things are relatively clean.
Sky Nashville was intended to be a large residential development located on a steep hill overlooking the city from the west at the junction of I-40 and I-440, just north of Charlotte Avenue. After massive clearing and carving up the site, construction came to a halt, leaving steep eroding land. During rain events, extremely muddy water flowed from the site into the neighborhood below, regularly flooding Delaware Avenue adjacent to the east bound lanes of the interstate. The muddy water then flowed under I-40 into a park and greenway, and on to the Cumberland River. We filed a lawsuit on December 14, 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Tennessee, case number: 3:24-cv-01461.
Chapel Hill, TN: Tennessee Riverkeeper has settled our lawsuit against Chapel Hill and the settlement has been lodged with the court for the statutorily prescribed period for the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review the settlement.
This STP exceeded their E.coli limit by 632 colony-forming units per milliliter (that's way too much E. coli). They had 892 days of violations from January 2021 to January 2024.
A lot of this pollution mainly flows into the Duck River and its tributaries.
Henry Horton State Park is located near Chapel Hill, along the Duck River on the former estate of the late Henry Hollis Horton, 36th governor of Tennessee.
Once the settlement is finalized, the settlement agreement will require the city to undertake certain tasks to improve conditions at its treatment works in order to improve the quality of its wastewater discharge. Case number: 1:24-cv-00050 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division.
Barnes Dump in Nashville, TN: Tennessee Riverkeeper filed a lawsuit against Robert Barnes d/b/a Barnes Fill Site. The suit alleges that Barnes is violating the CWA and RCRA due to operating a Construction and Demolition Landfill which discharges stormwater to tributaries nearby without first obtaining a NPDES permit for C&D Landfills. Barnes’ discharges enter Sulphur Creek, a tributary of the Cumberland River.
RECENTLY CONCLUDED:
Maynardville,TN: Tennessee Riverkeeper’s lawsuit under the Clean Water Act against the City of Maynardville for pollution overflows in their sewage collection system has been settled. Maynardville will be required to take certain actions designed to improve operation of the treatment plant and to stop the overflows alleged in the Complaint. When completed, these actions should bring Maynardville into compliance with their Permit and the Clean Water Act. Case number: 3:25-cv-00208 in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
RECENT ENVIRONMENTAL HEADLINES
ALABAMA: Governor signs controversial Alabama environmental regulation bill into law Environmentalists fear the legislation will make it much more difficult to protect Alabamians from the effects of pollution.
House passes bill to severely limit Alabama’s ability to make environmental rules.
TENNESSEE: Senate advances bill seeking greater accountability for failing wastewater systems. Tennessee found more than half of systems that dispose of wastewater by dripping it into large fields are not compliant with their permits.
Governor sets aside $45M to turn hundreds of McDonald Farm acres into a state park.
INTERNATIONAL:
“Inside Lobbyist Efforts to Gut Federal ‘Forever Chemical’ Regulations”
More than 500 pages of emails, internal presentations and talking points detail lobbying efforts around the EPA’s decision to walk back standards.
“A New Kind Of Olympic Rule: How Environmental Safety Just Got Athletes Disqualified”
The latest disqualifications at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics is turning the race for gold into a global wake-up call about pollution on the world’s biggest stage.
Thank you to The Caverns and Railroad Earth!
OUTREACH AND SOCIAL MEDIA GROWTH
Thanks to you, we are growing faster than ever on almost every social media platform.
In a few short weeks since December 2025, Tennessee Riverkeeper has grown to become the 3rd largest Waterkeeper organization on social media overall out of approximately 300 worldwide.
You help represent approximately 49,300+ supporters across Tennessee Riverkeeper's social media channels. We have a goal of reaching 50,000 total by year's end. We are 700 away, you and your friends can help reach that goal!
Social media, the press, and this newsletter are very important methods for the organization to educate the public about water and the pollution that threatens our communities.
Please join us on these sites, share, and encourage your friends and family to join as well.