A new online database that lets the public view water quality permits locally and throughout the state is available from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. "Adequately managing and tracking all water quality permits is a critical role that falls under the responsibility of the department's Division of Water Pollution Control," Deputy Commissioner Paul Sloan said in the e-mailed announcement. The public can access the information from the same database that the state's regulatory staff uses. It's part of the department's efforts to promote greater transparency, accountability and broader access to public information, he said. Also, the department's enforcement database, set up in 2008, along with many public notice postings, publications and other documents are available. The permit data viewer is at www.tn.gov/environment/wpc/dataviewer.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100929/NEWS0201/9290377/1009/NEWS

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said he will introduce legislation after the November elections he hopes will “change the way Washington does business” by capping federal spending as a share of the U.S. economy. Corker, R-Tenn., said Thursday such a cap will likely require major cuts in overall federal spending, including changes in Social Security and other entitlement programs. He declined to specify where government spending should be cut, but during a meeting with reporters and editors at the Times Free Press, he said “it is embarrassing the way money is now spent in Washington.” Without limiting spending and debt, government borrowing as a share of the economy will more than double by 2030 to a level surpassing the debt burden of the financially troubled Greece, he said. “Today for every dollar we spend in Washington, we borrow 40 cents and that’s just not sustainable,” said the 58-year-old former Chattanooga mayor. 

click HERE

The incoming head of the National Governors Association said Sunday he will make increasing the number of students who complete college his focus during his scheduled yearlong tenure. West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, assumed the chairmanship of the NGA on Sunday from Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, a Republican. Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, a Republican, replaced Manchin as vice chairman. Manchin said he will work to unite governors, higher education officials, campus leaders and corporate chief executives behind the college initiative he calls "Complete to Compete." "If we don't improve college completion rates in this country, our children will be less educated than we are," he told reporters. "That will be the first time in the history of the United States of America that will have happened. That should be the most alarming statistic to get you motivated to make changes than anything else we can do."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/11/AR2010071101456.html

The UT County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) is providing a new link on its website (www.ctas.tennessee.edu) to highlight for Tennessee county officials information about the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), commonly referred to as the federal stimulus package. Complementing what is available at the federal and state levels through www.recovery.gov and www.tnrecovery.gov, this CTAS page will provide frequent updates on county grant and financial information as they become available.

The information is being provided in a coordinated effort involving CTAS and the Tennessee County Services Association, Tennessee County Commissioners Association, Tennessee County Highway Officials Association and the Association of County Mayors of Tennessee.

        The Tennessee county ARRA link can be found on the right-hand side of the CTAS homepage, at www.ctas.tennessee.edu.