Maintaining Adequate Water Supply is an Issue of Both Supply and Demand

NASHVILLE – As hot, dry conditions continue across the state, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is asking communities to be mindful of their water-usage practices and to adhere to any voluntary or mandatory water conservation requests made by local utility districts.  Private water well users also are encouraged to conserve water and have a plan of action in place as drought conditions persist.  

Agency provides resources for farmers and ranchers facing critical decisions due to hot and extremely dry weather; information is available for homeowners, too

KNOXVILLE – University of Tennessee Extension has launched a new effort to assist the state’s farmers and ranchers as they respond to the historic and unseasonably hot and dry weather – weather that is causing crops to wither and turning pastures to dust plots. The impacts are already far-reaching, with estimated drastic reductions in harvests, especially in feed available for livestock this fall.

Through a public website, farmers have direct access online to information that can help them make the critical and sometimes heart-wrenching decisions necessary to keep their operations and families financially viable. Information specific to Tennessee production systems has been collected and cross-linked on the website: https://utextension.tennessee.edu/drought/ which will be available to the public free of charge on a 24-hour basis.

NASHVILLE– While there are health challenges in every season, the summer months are loaded with potential risks and hazards that help fill up emergency rooms and generate unnecessary misery. Most injuries and illnesses occurring from July through September can be avoided with a liberal application of prevention.

Prohibition Applies to All Open-Air Burning, Other Counties Expected

NASHVILLE – State Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson has issued a burn ban for Cheatham, Dickson, Gibson, Giles, Marshall, Maury and Sumner counties. The burn ban is effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice.

The ban applies to all open-air burning including leaf and woody debris and construction burning, campfires, outdoor grills and other fire activity outside of municipalities where local ordinances apply.

Under state law, the commissioner of agriculture, in consultation with the state forester, has the authority to issue burn bans at the request of county mayors under certain weather conditions. Requests from county mayors for a burn ban are considered in consultation with the state forester based on a number of factors including weather, climate, fire danger, fire occurrence and resource availability.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Health is working with partner organizations across the state to reduce deaths and life-threatening conditions caused by summer heat. With temperatures predicted to exceed 100 degrees for several days in much of the state, Tennessee residents and visitors are urged to exercise caution and take preventive steps to avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

State Officials Urge Citizens to Delay Burning Debris, Leave Fireworks to Professionals

NASHVILLE – State officials are urging citizens to take fire precautions for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry is asking the public to refrain from debris burning until significant precipitation is received and to avoid other activities that could cause fire.

“Most areas of the state are experiencing very hot and dry conditions with low humidity,” State Forester Steven Scott said. “While permits are not currently required for open, outdoor burning, as a precaution we’re urging citizens to avoid debris burning until conditions improve.”

Warm winter and spring with an April freeze has impacted farmers

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced he has requested a secretarial designation of natural disaster for Hancock and Hawkins counties due to April’s freeze.  

Haslam made the request in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. A secretarial designation would make farmers eligible to apply for lost income recovery, low-interest loans and other disaster assistance through the USDA Farm Service Agency.  

Individuals and Small Businesses Eligible for Federal Recovery Assistance

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced today the federal government will provide Individual Assistance in Bradley, Claiborne, Cumberland, DeKalb, Hamilton, Jackson, McMinn, Monroe, Overton and Polk Counties under a disaster declaration for the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding of Feb. 29 to March 2, 2012, with a federal designation of DR-4060.