TDEC issues warning for anglers at Parksville Reservoir on the Ocoee River in TN
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) today announced a new precautionary fish consumption advisory on Parksville Reservoir on the Ocoee River in Polk County, the department said in a news release. The advisory is due to elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in catfish species. Other fish species are not impacted.
TDEC advises that pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children avoid eating the fish species included in the advisory and that all others limit consumption to one meal per month. TDEC will post warning signs at public access points on the Parksville Reservoir as a reminder.
Keep America Beautiful invites public to participate in PPE litter pickup
The non-profit Keep America Beautiful invites the public to participate in their virtual TrashDash plogging event which seeks to raise awareness of the critical issue of littered personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks and gloves, on the ground and in waterways, the organization said in a news release. In case you were wondering, “plogging” is a combination of jogging and picking up litter.
“Plogging is a great way for all people to stay active, enjoy their public spaces, and contribute to helping keep their community clean and beautiful, said Helen Lowman, CEO of Keep American Beautiful. “We want everyone to be safe during the pandemic, and an essential part of community health is ensuring that trash ends up where it belongs, in the bin.” Learn more or register here.
Department of Energy to pay S.C. $600M over plutonium removal
The Department of Energy and South Carolina announced a $600 million settlement agreement over the department’s failure to remove 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium from the state, E&E News reports. The settlement is the result of the DOE’s decision to abandon their plan to turn the 34 metric tons of plutonium into nuclear fuel at a proposed mixed oxide fuel fabrication facility in South Carolina, as outlined in a nuclear arms treaty with Russia, E&E News says.
“Basically, the Department of Energy is buying 15 years of peace with South Carolina as it relates to this specific issue,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said during a news conference.
Photo: Mist rises from a tranquil section of the Ocoee river in Tennessee in early summer. Courtesy of Getty Images by Robert Clay Reed
