Tennessee’s home builders stand to gain the most from a bill to remove construction restrictions on the state’s wetlands, and they’re spending like it.
The Build Tennessee political action committee (PAC) recently donated $186,000 to state lawmakers, making the little-known group formed in July 2022 the fourth-largest spender in the six months before this year’s legislative session. The organization also hired lobbyists starting in January.
Funding for the PAC comes from 18 people, all of whom list themselves as owners or partners in real estate or construction companies, and a limited-liability corporation called Amber Lane Development.
But, most of the spending has come following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in May 2023, narrowing the definition of wetlands that the federal government can regulate, shifting much of the oversight to states.
The PAC has raised $312,000 since its founding 20 months ago, doling out around $245,000to more than 90 lawmakers from both political parties, with 76 percent of that spending coming since the ruling.
The court decision left more than half of Tennessee’s wetlands under Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) purview. A large portion of the wetlands are in rural West Tennessee, where real estate markets are heating up as Ford builds its new factory in Haywood County.
TDEC’s new control and subsequent rules around wetlands construction drew the attention of Rep. Kevin Vaughan, R-Collierville, who is sponsoring the legislation that would significantly limit the department’s ability to regulate them.
A deputy commissioner at TDEC told state lawmakers that Vaughan’s bill could result in higher back-end costs because it could worsen flooding, while environmental groups have opposed it, raising concerns that it could impact drinking water, hunting and fishing.
“Tennesseans have a long history of being stewards of our environment to the benefit of both our souls and wallets,” said Grace Stranch, CEO of Harpeth Conservancy. “It is no wonder that we are one of the fastest-growing states in the country. Growth doesn’t have to be antithetical to conserving our natural resources. Removing the long-standing protections for our wetlands sets the wrong precedent and goes against the balance necessary for the long-term interests of Tennesseans.”
Read more: Developers seeking to gain from building boom tied to Ford plant, push for weaker wetland rules.
Vaughan and West Tennessee home builders
During his time in office, Vaughan has maintained a close relationship with home builders.
He is the the owner of Township Development Services, a real estate services company based in West Tennessee. The company’s listed address is located on the same block as the office of the West Tennessee Home Builders Association, roughly 367 feet apart, according to Google Maps.
Several of Build Tennessee’s PAC donors and its lead organizer are members of the West Tennessee Home Builders Association.
Keith Grant — whom Build Tennessee’s PAC listed as an officer and whose email address is on the group’s lobbying disclosure form — is a former president of the West Tennessee Home Builders Association. He also donated $24,000 to the PAC.
Grant, a prominent Collierville developer, did not respond to a request for comment.
Vaughan and his political action committee have received $9,000 from Build Tennessee.
Other influential groups backing the legislation include the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, Tennessee Farm Bureau, and the Associated Builders and Contractors. Each business association has spent at least $1 million since 2009 on lobbying, donations and independent expenditures to influence state lawmakers, according to a political spending database maintained by the Lookout.
• The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce: $4.4 million
• Tennessee Farm Bureau: $1.9 million
• Associated Builders & Contractors (All Tennessee chapters): $1.5 million
Anita Wadhwani contributed to this report.
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