The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) today announced that nine development districts will receive grants totaling more than $450,000 to support solid waste management activities in Tennessee communities.
“The support provided by Tennessee development district offices has been instrumental in the planning and implementation of the Solid Waste Management Act,” said TDEC Commissioner Bob Martineau. “We’re pleased to be able to continue our support of this important work.”
The grants include:
East Tennessee Development District $65,358
First Tennessee Development District $71,690
Greater Nashville Regional Council $48,390
Memphis Area Association of Government $34,872
Northwest Tennessee Development District $54,609
South Central Tennessee Development District $56,046
Southeast Tennessee Development District $47,753
Southwest Tennessee Development District $41,337
Upper Cumberland Development District $40,738
Development districts are important partners in TDEC’s implementation of its 2015-2025 Solid Waste and Materials Management Plan. The grant supports development districts in preparing valuable solid waste planning functions including compiling information about landfills, source reduction, composting and recycling for each of the 66 solid waste region’s annual progress report. The report is a planning and reporting tool required by the Solid Waste Management Act of 1991, which was the first comprehensive solid waste planning legislation in Tennessee history. The data is used to determine each region’s progress towards Tennessee’s goal to achieve 25 percent waste reduction in Class I landfill solid waste.
Local governments also receive technical assistance from development districts in designing, implementing, upgrading and maintaining solid waste programs, systems and facilities, including landfills, convenience centers and recycling centers.
Development District Grants were authorized by the Solid Waste Management Act of 1991 and are supported from the Tennessee Solid Waste Management Fund administered by TDEC. The Tennessee Solid Waste Management Fund receives its revenues from a tipping fee surcharge on each ton of solid waste disposed of in Class I landfills and from a pre-disposal fee on new tires sold in the state.