2022 Annual Report
Dear Tennessee Riverkeeper supporters,
Thanks to supporters like you, 2022 was one of Tennessee Riverkeeper’s most productive and successful years. What sets us apart from other organizations is that we are not afraid to tackle polluters head on. We have one of the most active environmental litigation programs in the United States. We have also continued to educate hundreds of thousands of citizens about water quality and the threats from pollution with our presence in the news media and our use of social media platforms. Your ongoing support is crucial for us to continue this work into 2023 and beyond.
Please help support our continued success for these vital water supplies by making a donation or signing up for our monthly email list. Thank you!
When it comes to pollution it seems that out of sight, out of mind is the norm for many local and state governments. Tennessee Riverkeeper serves as your lighthouse, spotlighting problems in the water to safeguard communities. As our membership grows and when you renew your support, our light gets brighter and more powerful. Waterways become safer.
It is clear that now, more than ever, the work of Tennessee Riverkeeper is crucial to the health and well-being of more than 6.3 million people living in the Tennessee River and Cumberland River watersheds. We fervently advocate the understanding that everyone lives downstream, and therefore that no one is immune to the disastrous effects of pollution and environmental contamination. Tennessee Riverkeeper believes that access to clean water is a fundamental human right. We are proud to be a grassroots, citizen-supported organization, empowered by more than 5,500 members in 46 states and Washington DC. Here are a few highlights from the organization's work in 2022:
Addressed over 5,748 Clean Water Act violations in 2022 through legal actions. We have addressed more than 53,371 pollution violations since 2009.
Defended your water: a legal team of five attorneys, led by Mark Martin, represented Riverkeeper in ten lawsuits.
Maintained Gold Star Charity Status from GuideStar, which uses IRS data to rate nonprofits nationwide.
Increased blog postings on our website on topics such as plastics, PFAS, and pesticides.
Initiated 9 environmental enforcement actions at facilities in Tennessee and Alabama.
Filed more than 50 public comments regarding pollution and other issues including PFAS, plastics, pesticides, TVA coal ash, environmental equity, endangered species, invasive species, pipelines, fossil fuels, public lands, biking, toxics, public health, lead pipes, chicken CAFOs, sludge, biosolids, phosphates, oil drilling and wells, gas policy, gas prices, methane, greenhouse gases, PCBs, and other chemicals.
Continued our work advocating against weak pollution permits and for common sense environmental policies on issues including: PFAS pollution, TVA coal ash, factory farm pollution, environmental impact statements, new pollution permit applications or renewals, and numerous Clean Water Act regulations and deregulations.
Reduced the use of single plastics on a massive scale with the music industry, including Orion Amphitheater, Jack Johnson, and others.
Removed over 5,600 pounds of aquatic litter at cleanups. Continued microplastics science and education program.
Hosted country legends John Carter Cash and Ana Cristina Cash for fundraiser at the Patagonia Store in Nashville.
Investigated 600 pollution permits in our patrol jurisdiction; continued to monitor illegal pollution.
Press coverage continued, raising awareness about pollution across multiple media markets to hundreds of thousands.
Participated in educational events in Nashville, Chattanooga, Murfreesboro, Decatur, Madison, and Huntsville.
Engaged volunteers: Riverkeeper has more than 90 volunteers. They logged over 240 total hours in 2022.
Developed new maps as part of our education program, including maps depicting our area’s most toxic sites.
Hired Erin McAnally for communication support. Improved donor database.
Continued to increase our online community: Facebook now has 21,200+ supporters, Twitter has 14,200+ followers, and Instagram has 7,600+ followers, and created new TikTok. That’s a combined total of over 43,000 supporters!
Please help support our continued success for these vital water supplies by making a donation or signing up for our monthly email list. Thank you!
For clean water in 2023,
David Whiteside
Executive Director
Tennessee Riverkeeper