Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

05/31/2026

No, it's not snowing at Reelfoot Lake State Park! Park Ranger Brandon Ransom has details about the fluffy white stuff that is accumulating around the lake in northwest Tennessee.

05/29/2026

Commissioner Salyers met some of Tennessee's brightest and best young men this week at the 2026 American Legion Boys State at Tennessee Tech University. The commissioner shared insights into his role and responsibilities as a member of Gov. Lee’s Cabinet with the newly elected Governor of Boys State and members of his cabinet. Boys State is a selective, week-long immersive leadership and civics program for more than 500 rising high school seniors from every county in Tennessee. We look forward to what the future holds for these young men!

05/28/2026

Last year, TDEC's Division of Water Resources' inaugural Regulatory Forum was so well received, we're holding three forums in 2026 - one in each of the state's grand divisions! These forums are designed to strengthen communication, transparency, and collaboration with our water resources stakeholders.

June 17, 2026 - West Tennessee (Jackson Energy Authority Training Facility)

August 13, 2026 - East Tennessee (Pellissippi State Strawberry Plains Campus)

November 10, 2026 - Middle Tennessee (Fleming Training Center)

Featured topics will include:
-Division of Water Resources overview and mission
-Who's Who: Get to know TDEC’s water programs and staff
-Division of Water Resources priorities and key activities
-Region-specific topics, technical assistance & MyTDEC forms

Scan the QR code for more details or visit the link below to register today.

https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/wr-water-resources/dwr-outreach.html

05/12/2026

Regionalization, drought management, water loss, stakeholder outreach, and utility infrastructure investments. These are just some of the issues being worked through by Duck River Watershed Planning Partnership. The multi-agency collaborative is developing a framework to help Tennessee balance economic growth while preserving and protecting our important natural resources, like the Duck River. Watch below for an update on this important work:

05/06/2026

The Duck River Watershed Planning Partnership met this week at Henry Horton State Park, continuing its work to develop strategies for the sustainable management of the Duck River. Gov. Bill Lee established the partnership in 2024 under Executive Order 108, with an emphasis on identifying regional approaches to water supply for the Duck River that could serve as a model for statewide water management and other watersheds in Tennessee.

To learn more about the Duck River Watershed Planning Partnership's work and to read its initial report and recommendations, go to: https://www.tn.gov/environment/duckriverpartnership.html

04/30/2026

Great to see you again, Gov. Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee! We are grateful for your commitment to our Tennessee State Parks and for helping to preserve Tennessee's great outdoors for future generations.

04/28/2026

We were honored to welcome Gov. Bill Lee to our central offices this week! Thank you for taking the time to meet with our team, and for your leadership and continued support as we work to protect Tennessee’s natural resources for generations to come.

04/17/2026

It was great to welcome Gov. Bill Lee earlier this month to Savage Gulf State Park during his TN’s America 250 tour. During his visit, he met with local officials and park staff, hiked the paved portion of the Stone Door Trail, and reviewed renderings of future investments that will ensure Tennesseans can enjoy our natural beauty & rich resources for generations to come.

Here is a version of this video that has an audio track describing visuals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMya0iQbOvc

04/06/2026

"Preserving Tennessee's natural resources is one of the most important things that we can do. And I've been so privileged to be able to be part of that." Gov. Bill Lee spoke about ensuring future generations of Tennesseans inherit the natural resources we are investing in today during the recent dedication of Devil's Backbone State Park - one of 14 Tennessee State Parks established under the governor's leadership.

Here is a version of this video that has an audio track describing visuals: https://youtu.be/1RGRAKdAXhU

04/02/2026

Today, Gov. Bill Lee announced the State of Tennessee has submitted a comprehensive proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy that positions Oak Ridge to lead the nation's next era of nuclear energy. The proposal for DOE’s Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus builds on Tennessee’s leadership to advance safe, reliable energy solutions to secure America’s energy dominance.

Learn more about this exciting project here: https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2026/4/2/tennessee-positions-oak-ridge-to-lead-nation-s-next-era-of-nuclear-energy.html

TN is the global epicenter of nuclear energy, & we're grateful for a new opportunity to lead the nation with a proposal to locate a U.S. Department of Energy Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus in Oak Ridge.

We thank Secretary Chris Wright for considering TN & look forward to a continued partnership with Donald J. Trump to secure America's energy dominance, strengthen national security & create even greater opportunity for Tennesseans.

Link: https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2026/4/2/tennessee-positions-oak-ridge-to-lead-nation-s-next-era-of-nuclear-energy.html