Growing up on the verdant banks of the Nolichuckey River, nestled amid the lush landscapes of Chuckey and Erwin, East Tennessee's natural beauty was an integral part of my life. Along with my neighbors, who share the same roots and attachment to these serene waterways, we were taught to cherish our environment and strive to restore any harm already inflicted. Protecting this ecological jewel is a collective responsibility that we bear for our children and future generations.

However, there has been and continues to be those that would increase the risks we’ve already taken on. A permit renewal allowed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) threatens to poison our rivers and devastate our ecosystems through the dumping of refuse, including nuclear waste, by the Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc.(NFS). Nuclear waste is known to have a half-life spanning billions of years, promising that deposits will not only remain, but build and cause untold harm and suffering to the generations ahead of us unless we bring an end to this destructive cycle and find a better way.

It is disturbing that such a decision could be taken lightly, undermining the health and safety of the population. The impact is not limited to our human communities, but it also disrupts the balance of a rich diversity of animal life and vegetation that thrive here. In 2018, the Tennessee Department of Health reported that exposure to such contaminants could result in severe health conditions including cancer.

Our plea is simple. We urge the TDEC not to renew the permit granted to NFS to dump waste into East Tennessee's waterways, not just for our sake, but for the health and integrity of the landscapes that we call home, to ensure our financially protection from t potential lawsuits to come of this decision and the impact on our people. We need your support to safeguard our rivers, our lives, and a heritage that we hold dear.

Please sign the petition to help us preserve the sanctity of our natural habitats and to give our descendants a chance to thrive without the looming threat of irrevocable contamination.