Tennessee's biodiverse Duck River wins protections against new landfills

Final version of scenic river protection bill scraps exemption for current landfill permits

The final version of a bill classifying nearly all of the Duck River, Buffalo River and their tributaries as Class II scenic waterways does not carry exemptions for landfills. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)Before sending a bill to the governor granting the Duck and Buffalo rivers protection against landfills, Tennessee lawmakers scrapped a last-minute amendment that would have exempted current landfill permit holders. The bill designa…

Tennessee's biodiverse Duck River wins protections against new landfills

Doug Jones watches wood ducks fly across the clear, greenish waters of the Duck River.  “A lot of the time the mamas will fly real low to drag you away from the little ones,” Jones explains.  The river is part of his backyard. Jones lives on a 150-acre farm in Hickman County, where his property borders about a mile of the Duck River. The land traverses rolling forests, meadows of wildflowers and springs.  Watching critters is a favorite pastime …