Reporter
Keely Brewer is a Report for America corps member covering environmental impacts on communities of color in Memphis. She is working in partnership with the Ag & Water Desk, a sustainable reporting network aimed at telling water and agriculture stories across the Mississippi River Basin.
There are 322 articles by Keely Brewer :
An installation of solar panels at Memphis Rox should have offset the gym’s energy costs. But without a way to sell energy back to MLGW, the gym decided not to install as many panels as they could have.
Residents who live near the Sterilization Services of Tennessee facility in South Memphis have a lifetime cancer risk of 100 in a million from EtO exposure, according to the EPA.
If the Mississippi River near Memphis is below the five-foot marker, the National Weather Service considers the river low. Now, the river is more than 15 feet lower than “low.”
The Shelby County Health Department is in danger of losing its authority to monitor local air pollution as the state pressures the program to address understaffing, numerous audit findings and a permit backlog.
Inspired by the Japanese concept of shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” the Overton Park Conservancy is focused on connecting the community to nature. A week of mindful, outdoor activities begin with a stroll through the Old Forest.
As increased rainfall and repetitive flooding strain aging infrastructure in many towns, residents along the Mississippi River ask the same question: Do we pack up and move out? When it rains: Mississippi River basin gets wetter as climate change brings extreme rain, floodsRelated story:
During the first week of October, the river hit historic lows in Memphis, where it hovered just a few feet higher than the lowest recorded river level.
MLGW is accepting comments at PowerSupply@mlgw.org and at board meetings until the board votes.
Critics of MLGW’s recommendation to sign a long-term contract with the TVA say the 13 bids were evaluated during highly unusual circumstances.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chair has called TVA’s federally defined geographic service territory “a vestige of a bygone era in the region.”
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland will eventually nominate a replacement that Memphis City Council confirms.
Only three bidders — NextEra Energy, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Franklin L. Haney Company — submitted full-requirement proposals to MLGW during its RFP process for a new energy provider.
Young said his decision to leave the utility was largely driven by family. Related story:
As Protect Our Aquifer advocates for the region’s water supply, they turned to some friends in high places. Really high places.
Several citizens publicly objected to a long-term contract between MLGW and the TVA, saying the utility shouldn’t lock itself into a deal that diminishes its negotiating power in a rapidly changing energy market.
“Simply put, the Mississippi River corridor is America’s original Main Street — and it should be treated as such,” said Greenville, Mississippi mayor Errick Simmons.
“Correct and accurate test results of discharges into rivers and stream and the honest reporting of those results to regulatory authorities are important parts of the Clean Water Act’s regulatory framework,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr.
“MLGW’s decision on its future power supply is one of the most consequential single decisions that any community has made in the history of SACE’s work throughout the Southeast region over the past three decades,” said the executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
Lyash cited stability, discounted base rates and flexibility for utilities to build out carbon-free generation as the biggest draws for a long-term contract, but its terms are nonnegotiable.
President Joe Biden signed an executive order in January 2021 representing the biggest federal commitment to environmental justice in the nation’s history. It’s intended to help communities achieve their clean energy goals and more.
The Tennessee director of the Southern Environmental Law Center said TVA’s proposed agreement make it difficult to change energy providers, and it’s unlikely that MLGW would undergo another evaluation process similar to the current one if it signs a long-term deal. Related stories: MLGW leaders recommend staying with TVA for greatest value, least risk Suburban mayors back MLGW recommendation, still want representation
TVA’s long-term contract proposal offers a 3% reduction in MLGW’s current base rate but also includes a 20-year termination notice compared to the current five-year notice. The City of Memphis has responded to the recommendation. Suburban mayors back MLGW recommendation, still want representationRelated story:
Less than 24 hours before MLGW management makes a recommendation for the utility’s next power supplier, the TVA refuted claims that it leaned on another electricity provider during some of the hottest days of the year. Related story:
At Thursday’s meeting, MLGW management will recommend whether they think the utility should continue with TVA or go with a different power provider. Related story:
A climate study released during one of the hottest summers on record predicts a 125-degree “extreme heat belt” will stretch across a quarter of the country by 2053.