MLGW typically plans five years ahead. ‘MLGW 2045’ will change that
“It’s important that we take a look ahead, because the challenges are not going to get any easier,” MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen said Tuesday, Feb. 27.
Keely Brewer
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 :
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February 2024
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Shelby County County Commission halts long-delayed Millington-area solar farm
It was a victory for nearby residents, who had rallied against Graceland Solar and its parent company, RWE Renewables, since the beginning.
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Shelby CountyWhere does Shelby County’s waste go? An $850,000 study aims to find out
If county officials know where waste comes from and where it ends up, they can send less of it to Shelby County’s five landfills and meet local climate goals.
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City of MemphisMLGW has 8 months to inventory Memphis’ lead pipes
About 90 miles of pipes concentrated in the oldest parts of the city are suspected to contain lead — based on preliminary surveys — but MLGW expects to know more by fall.
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Transportation & LogisticsMississippi River cruises take hit as American Queen shuts down
For two decades, the city’s return on its investment into the overnight river cruise industry has gone up and down — and it looks to be falling again.
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City of Memphis Solar panels at Memphis Zoo could be first for city
The Memphis Zoo consumes more than a tenth of all the power used at city-owned facilities, not including the city’s wastewater treatment plants.
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Shelby County MLGW to drill more wells to keep water pressure up during emergencies
Because of a combination of “hard fiscal decisions in the past” and lower water demand, MLGW delayed installing new wells even as old wells aged out.
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City of Memphis Memphis teams with EPA to fund $103M in drainage upgrades
The City of Memphis plans to issue revenue bonds with the Environmental Protection Agency to help fund upgrades to the city’s aging stormwater system over the next five years.
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About Town Billions of cicadas will emerge in the Mississippi River basin this spring
Starting in late April, two major broods of cicadas will emerge together in the U.S. for the first time in 221 years. Memphis, however, won’t see cicadas outside of our normal ones until 2028.
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Shelby County Shelby County hopes to screen twice as many kids for lead exposure
There is no safe amount of lead exposure on people and, even in small amounts, it can cause hyperactivity, behavioral issues and learning problems, especially in young children.
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Neighborhoods U of M trying to get climate money to communities that need it most
Hundreds of billions of dollars in federal money is available to combat environmental challenges, but there are concerns that neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by pollution won’t see their share of the funding.
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MetroSnow falls in West Tennessee, but it won’t stick around
As the snow cleared out, the National Weather Service of Memphis warned of black ice.
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Shelby CountyShelby County solar farm rules are outdated. How they could change
Under current zoning rules for solar, a resident of unincorporated Shelby County who put five solar panels in their backyard would be regulated the same as a company with a 1,500-acre solar farm.
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City of Memphis Fix for flashing streetlights in sight, says MLGW CEO
Memphis Light, Gas and Water has moved into the second phase of its project to replace the city’s old sodium streetlights with LED bulbs.
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North MemphisNorth Star for North Memphis or industrial wasteland?
“North Memphis is not here to save your environment,” Memphis City Council member Michalyn Easter-Thomas said about a proposed facility to keep trees and wood waste out of landfills.
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City of Memphis Ursula Madden named MLGW VP
Madden previously helped Memphis navigate “some of the most difficult times in our history,” said MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen.
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State Government Lawmakers consider wetlands compromise ‘too important not to get right’
Half of the state’s wetlands — often described as “earth’s kidneys — could be deregulated under a new proposal, but lawmakers are looking at a compromise that would take wetlands’ size and quality into account.
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Shelby County County ban on some solar farms extended to May
The assessment of Shelby County’s requirements for solar farms stemmed, in part, from the pushback against a 1,500-acre project planned in Millington.
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Shelby County Millington solar farm a go despite moratorium
Residents were able to get a county moratorium this past fall on projects such as the Millington-area solar farm that is expected to generate energy for a Facebook data center.
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City of MemphisJanuary MLGW bills up 11%, on average
The utility expects the average customer will end up paying about $90 less this year as compared with last year, but January’s bills aren’t yet trending in that direction.
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State Government Half of Tennessee wetlands could lose protection under a proposed bill
Rep. Kevin Vaughan, R-Collierville, has proposed a new wetlands bill that he says is more equitable to landowners.
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January 2024
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Shelby County Memphis company gets countywide tire recycling contract
“There are tires everywhere,” business owner Corteney Mack said. “They’re everywhere because you have so many tire shops.”
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City of MemphisMemphis avoided major power outages during a recent winter storm. How?
Even though it was colder for longer, Memphis got a welcome surprise this past storm: The power mostly stayed on.
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MetroMemphis housing doesn’t help when it comes to extreme temps
“A lot of our residents just don’t have enough money to make regular repairs or regular upgrades to their homes, especially if they are living in one of those older homes,” said Ashley Cash, the city’s housing director.
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City of MemphisWater is Memphis’ new weather problem. What can be done to fix it?
Three years ago, Memphis Light, Gas and Water issued its first boil-water advisory for the area. Since then, it’s issued four more.
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