State lawmakers aim to keep local leaders from intervening with oil, gas projects

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Some state lawmakers want to keep local leaders from deciding where new oil and gas projects can call home, according to State Representative Jeremey Faison. After a number of concerned citizens reached out to WVLT News regarding SB2077 and HB 2246.

Faison told WVLT News there is a piece of legislation that was drafted after local governments across the country and in west Tennessee have tried to "hold up decades old oil and fossil fuel lines."

"If there's ever a time when we don't need to stifle energy, it's right now," said Faison. "There are times that the local government has gone too far and is egregious to the people. Since we hold their (local government) charter we reserve the right to come in and say you go too far and that's what this bill is doing. I carried a bill earlier this week that would be passed. It would make it where a local government couldn't tell the police chief where they can hire from. You know, there's just times when you have to step in and say you've gone too far."

Members of some Knoxville groups like the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said the overreach is with state lawmakers.

"We believe that local communities should have input, especially on infrastructure that's built in their communities," said Brady Watson, with SACE. "They can leak, they can raise issues about water quality. They can, you know, impact property values. And really, you know, they can they can really impacts the land."

While there hasn't been official announcements of new energy projects coming to East Tennessee, Faison said this is the state getting a head of the game.

"It impacts way more than just your community. We want to make sure that throughout the state of Tennessee that we're good with the pipelines running and carrying the natural gas to consumers," Faison.

Lawmakers are expected to take action on the bill next Tuesday during a commerce committee meeting.