The appeal on the TVA’s two wells won’t be heard today as the Sierra Club wants more time to gather evidence and experts.
The Shelby County Health Department granted the delay after objecting to it initially, but they asked the club to make haste, “recognizing that TVA is experiencing significant costs during this period of appeal and has expressed its strongest desire to have this matter heard at the Board’s earliest opportunity.”
The Sierra Club filed the appeal on Oct. 4. According to the Rules and Regulations of Wells in Shelby County, at least 30 days is required between the receipt of the appeal by the Health Department and the hearing, which would make the earliest eligible day Nov. 3.
The proposed TVA wells would draw 3.5 million gallons of water daily from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, the source for Memphis’ famous and delicious drinking water, in order to cool a new power plant under construction.
According to Scott Banbury, local coordinator for the Sierra Club, at least four wells are needed to adequately cool the plant. TVA has already been granted three permits that can no longer be appealed. If the last two permits are denied to TVA, they will be forced to consider other options for obtaining the needed water.
