Environmental group appeals permit for Cleveland airport

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- An environmental group has filed a petition challenging the construction-related stormwater permit for the new city airport to be built in the Tasso community.

But members of the Cleveland Municipal Airport Authority learned Friday that the appeal will not interfere with plans to begin site construction soon.

The Knoxville-based Tennessee Clean Water Network and airport critics Erin Fuller and John Moore filed the appeal with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

The petition alleges the airport "will discharge stormwater containing sediments and pathogens" to two nearby streams, Little Chatata Creek and Rattlesnake Branch. The petitioners argue that TDEC violated its own rules by allowing the creation of a pollution source.

The petition will be heard by the state's Water Quality Control Board.

But authority attorney William Penny from the Nashville firm Stites & Harbison wrote in a letter to the airport authority that it has "a good and valid permit that is effective in every way" and said there are "no legal impediments" to construction.

He wrote that he doubts there are any grounds for a stay or for the permit to be suspended.

Authority member Lou Patten said Friday that the board now has all its needed permits from TVA and the state.

Some new state accounting rules must be met, however, before construction can begin, members were told.

The authority received contracts for wetland mitigation and site construction Friday but must wait for a vendor number from the state for the contracts. That could take about another month.

Mrs. Fuller attended Friday's meeting but did not comment on the stormwater permit appeal.

Instead, she questioned whether the new airport will ever be financially viable since very little income is derived from fuel sales or hangar leases.

Authority members said the value of the airport comes from community development and attracting new industries such as Wacker Chemical.