Citizens to Preserve Overton Park (CPOP) is a nonprofit advocacy group founded in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1957. CPOP is best known for its success at preventing the extension of
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
through
Overton Park :''Overton Park may also refer to the U.S. Supreme Court case, Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe''
Overton Park is a large, public park in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee. The park grounds contain the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis Z ...
adjacent to the
Memphis Zoo
The Memphis Zoo, located in Midtown, Memphis, Tennessee, United States, is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 different species. Created in April 1906, the zoo has been a major tenant of Overton Park for more than 100 years. Th ...
, through the landmark 1971 Supreme Court case ''
Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe
''Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe'', 401 U.S. 402 (1971), is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that established the basic legal framework for judicial review of the actions of administrative agencies. It subs ...
''.
On March 8, 2008, the organization was reincorporated in response to the Zoo's clear-cutting of a portion of the adjacent Old Forest Arboretum in Overton Park and the enclosing of additional park sections within a security fence in preparation for future expansion.
A year later, in March 2009, CPOP found itself in the public eye once again, opposing plans by the City of
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
Engineering Division to create a floodwater retention basin in an extensive, flat, and much-used section of
Overton Park :''Overton Park may also refer to the U.S. Supreme Court case, Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe''
Overton Park is a large, public park in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee. The park grounds contain the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis Z ...
, the Greensward.
[Proposed flood re-engineering Overton Park#Proposed flood re-engineering]
External links
Official website
References
Civic and political organizations of the United States
Environmental organizations based in Tennessee
Organizations based in Memphis, Tennessee
Parks in Memphis, Tennessee
Environmental organizations established in 1957
1957 establishments in Tennessee
Interstate 40
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