Harwells Have Ties to Consulting Firm

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

The daughter of Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell has worked as a researcher for the company that serves as an environmental consultant for the state of Tennessee and US Nitrogen, a chemical manufacturer based in Greene County.
Campaign finance records show Allie Harwell, the speaker's 25-year-old daughter, made two $4,000 contributions to her mother's gubernatorial campaign on Jan. 5 of this year. The younger Harwell gave as her address the Knoxville office of EnSafe. She listed EnSafe as her employer and "researcher" as her title.
EnSafe has served as the environmental consultant to US Nitrogen at its $220 million ammonium nitrate plant in Midway, Greene County. Records show EnSafe, acting on US Nitrogen's behalf, has had frequent contact with officials of the state Department of Environment and Conservation regarding the Midway project.
EnSafe also has served as an environmental consultant to the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Contracts between the state and EnSafe are subject to the approval of the state Building Commission.
Speaker Harwell was among those commissioners in attendance on Sept. 14, 2017 when the panel approved a $5.8 million contract with EnSafe to act as the state's environmental consultant.
The Harwells did not respond to requests for comment nor did EnSafe.
Campaign finance records show Harwell also previously received a contribution from US Nitrogen's political action committee. The US Nitrogen PAC contributed $2,500 to Harwell's campaign committee on Dec. 31, 2015.
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