Written by Guy DeWeese
The year is 1969, it has been 20 years since the All-Dixie Air Show, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was on the rise, Cedar Street Bridge just got finished. Businesses are being built, the city of Chattanooga is trending upward. It’s a crisp October day and Walter Cronkite, an anchorman for the CBS evening news known as the most trusted man in America, announces on national television that “Chattanooga, Tennessee is the dirtiest city in America.”
“It was so bad that people couldn’t stand it anymore, it was just gross,” says Karen Hundt, an urban designer who has been involved in the city’s turnaround since those dark days in the 1960s when headlights were sometimes required at noon.
Shortly before Cronkite’s report, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) named Chattanooga the “worst city in the nation for particulate air pollution.” Chattanooga had a heavy industrial base, and particularly dirty industry at that. Unregulated emissions from industries, railroads and coal furnaces caused high concentrations of particulate matter. The path forward was as hazy as the air.
25-year-old John Wayne Cropp had a vision, taking his first step as the attorney of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Board in 1977. In a matter of two years, Cropp would become the agency’s director.
“My most significant issue to deal with was really helping bring Chattanooga into compliance with all the federal air quality standards,” said Cropp. “So, while I was there, we achieved [improving] both the particulate matter, which is some sort of dust in the air and the ozone air quality standard, which is smog you know. Chattanooga’s air quality program was really a cutting-edge program because we had a very strong enforcement program.”
One interesting fact about the city’s air quality problem was Chattanooga’s geography, with its status as the Scenic City divided by the Tennessee River and surrounded by mountains, ridges and valleys. One issue is temperature inversion caused by the sun rising over the mountains, warming the air up above while putting a cap on the pollution. This forces the dust and soot into the valleys. “It was a toxic soup of pollution.” said Cropp with his forty plus years of work in all facets of environmental law and policy.
Comparing the Chattanooga of today to before the model for clean air quality was set, it’s like two different cities. This national recognition has led to many cities following in our footsteps, such as Clarksville. They’ve implemented a similar program, planning ahead in their industrial development and paying careful attention to the placement of sources of industrial pollution.
It is still a work in progress, but everyday brings a new opportunity to help advance this movement forward. One key aspect of cleaning Chattanooga is the help and contribution of Morgan Holl. Holl founded Overlook Materials less than a year ago, after moving into Chattanooga four years prior.
The concept for Overlooked Materials is an experiential recycling company that strives to connect its community with the recycling industry and process by doing so. Holl’s mission was to take recycling further for the community than taking it out every Thursday morning. He wants his consumers to understand the process and many different uses of recycled materials.
By recycling, reducing and reusing overlooked materials such as glass, metal scraps, and fluids, Citizens can make a difference in their communities and cities by reducing the environmental footprint day by day. A small action like this can lead to a noticeable, positive environmental impact and encourage others to lead by example.
Recycling reduces the amount of pollutants released into the air and water, and this in turn reduces the need to extract new raw materials like timber, water and minerals. It also helps protect ecosystems and wildlife by reducing pollution, habitat loss and creating jobs for the recycling industry.
“With the Baker Donelson firm, I’m a corporate environmental attorney, and I love what I do because I have great opportunities. One, to help companies clean up the environment, and also to grow jobs. So that’s a pretty neat thing to be able to do,” said Cropp. “With strong enforcement programs, local laws that actually preceds the state and federal laws, and the medical community standing behind us has helped make our program very successful in Chattanooga.”
Cropp, who has been striving for regulated emissions since becoming the director of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Board in 1979.
Cronkite brought much needed awareness which resulted in a much improved environment for the city. Raising national awareness to our unhealthy environment that once was Chattanooga. Today Chattanooga can appreciate the clean air quality and control, the Scenic City’s healthy environment and natural elements that our beloved home has to offer.
Meet the Storytellers
Alexis McMurtry is a graduating senior attending the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as a communication major with minors in psychology and women, gender, sexuality studies. Alexis has experience working with the University Echo and Rising Rock as an editor where she has developed skills in photo and video, leading, and writing. Her passions lie in photojournalism, where she captures the complexity of emotions within her frames. She desires to use her knowledge of photojournalism to capture moments of humanity coming together. To see your story through her eyes, reach out to Alexis at wzv284@mocs.utc.edu
Guy DeWeese is a senior communicator, photographer, and a writer at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is pursuing a degree in Communications with a Minor in Political Science. He is dedicated and driven by his passions, physically, mentally and emotionally. By uplifting people, being the best version of himself, and learning from his mistakes. He uses his skills to bring unique information to the Rising Rock team, while ensuring his positive attitude with his team and other members. With previous work experience in Customer Service, he strives to be a better person every day, and to be a difference for someone. Each day is a new opportunity. To reach Guy, email him at deweeseguy@gmail.com
Megan Cooper is a senior communication student at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, UTC, focusing on being an audio technician and editor. Megan is a show host, promotions director, and station manager at UTC’s student-run radio station, the Perch. She is also currently working as a promotions tech at Summit Media Group in Knoxville, TN. This is Megan’s second semester in Rising Rock as an audio technician where she uses nothing but tone of voice to share people’s stories, and she built the Rising Rock radio showcase for 88.1 WUTC. Cooper’s passion lies in music, books, radio, and using stories to bring people together. If you have a story you want to tell or want to contact Megan, you can reach her at megancooper820@gmail.com.
Angelina Fraga is a junior at UTC studying communications with a minor in psychology. Her focus is photojournalism. Angelina has dipped into the world of communications, having previously worked in social media advertising for local small businesses such as GAD Detail. She has self-taught skills in video editing and graphic design. However, after attending the annual Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar, she became certain that her calling was storytelling from behind the camera lens. Rooted in Chattanooga, it is Angelina’s dream as an aspiring photojournalist to illustrate stories for the rich community around her vividly and honestly. She wants to be the microphone for those whose voices need a little help to be heard. To have Angelina tell your story, email her at rvg337@mocs.utc.edu
Emily Petitt Dwyer is majoring in Communications and minoring in Business Administration at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, with interests in design and journalism and work published by Rising Rock Media and Visit Chattanooga. Dwyer has developed a blend of journalistic and creative skills, including photography, audio production, print design, writing, and social media management. Her goal is to preserve the authenticity of communities and brands. If you’re interested in working with Dwyer, contact her at xtt836@mocs.utc.edu.