Tennesee's Environment 1996

Message from the Commissioner

Improving Air Quality	Indoor Environments
Tennessee's Water	Safeguarding the Future
Safe Waste Management	The 2000 Initiative
The Land	Whom Do I Call?

As we look at our natural surroundings, we see that Tennessee has an abundance and diversity of natural resources not easily matched in any other state. Tennessee’s geologic diversity offers a rare variety of scenic hills, valleys and plains; pastures, farmlands and forests; rivers and lakes; wetlands and natural wildlife refuges. We have built our homes and our cities around these life-sustaining resources.

Few would argue that immense progress has been made as a result of the environmental movement of the past 25 years. The Pigeon River no longer runs dark with foam and papermill waste, and the air quality in our cities has improved dramatically. However, new challenges now face our state. While most of the more obvious pollution problems are now under control, more co mplex problems have arisen. For example, fish taken from formerly polluted streams often have levels of chemicals in their flesh that are considered to be a health threat.

This summary of the "1996 State of the Environment Report" highlights the environmental progress we have made over the past 25 years. It also attempts to give a perspective on where Tennessee should be going so that we can conserve and protect our remark able natural heritage for future generations.