The Newport Plain Talk

PHOTO SUBMITTED On hand for Gov. Phil Bredesen's signing of the Pigeon River Bill are, front row from left, Chris Ford, executive director of Tennessee Conservation Voters; Jamie Kridler; State Rep. Eddie Yokley; Gov. Bredesen; Sue Bebout; Gay Webb; and Michelle Haynes, president of Tennessee Conservation Voters. On the second row, from left, are Amelia Taylor, Michelle Cuellar, Gracia O'Neill, and Isaac Ludwig.

NASHVILLE-On Thursday Governor Phil Bredesen, along with State House Representative Eddie Yokley (D-Greeneville) and local volunteers from Cocke County, held a signing ceremony to mark the passage of a bill that will help combat ongoing pollution in the Pigeon River.

"With these new sampling requirements, we can help pinpoint the culprits polluting our waters and begin to take serious strides in stopping them," said Yokley (D-Greenville) who was also a prime sponsor of the bill in the State House. "Today we celebrate a promising step forward, but also recognize that there is still plenty of work to be done."

Public Chapter 767, under the Water Quality Control Act, requires that any water sample drawn from the rive to test for quality be drawn within one quarter mile of the border separating Tennessee and North Carolina, in the center of the river. A water sample drawn from the river must meet both the apparent and true color standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency and be evaluated against Tennessee water quality standards.

"This is a great day for all Tennesseans, but especially those who have spent so much of their personal time and energy trying to restore the Pigeon River," said Chris Ford, Executive Director for Tennessee Conservation Voters.

The bill passed unanimously in both the House and Senate during the 2008 session.