An abortion clinic may be getting ready to open in Chattanooga after an absence of 15 years, former Sen. David Fowler said Thursday.

Mr. Fowler, who now heads the Family Action Council of Tennessee, said he did not know details about the proposed clinic.

He made a noon presentation about his group's efforts to a group of supporters in downtown Chattanooga.

Charles Wysong, who was involved in a long fight against an abortion clinic on Vance Road in the early 1990s, said Dr. Stuart Schneider is proposing opening the clinic here.

He said he has a website called TNabortion.com, and it announced that the clinic will open in August.

He said he did not know the location.

The website says, "In August of 2008, we will be opening a new, state of the art facility in Chattanooga, TN!!"

Mr. Wysong said a group called Teenagers for Abortion Free Tennessee will fight the new clinic.

"I will be watching for any evidence of malpractice," he said.

Mr. Wysong said Dr. Schneider operates abortion clinics in Raleigh, Charlotte and Augusta.

Mr. Fowler said there is nothing on the law books in Tennessee now to stop such a clinic.

He said the Legislature has continued to allow a vote on SJR 127, which would call for a vote of the people on the issue.

He said since the measure again failed in the last session, there could not be a vote until 2014.

Mr. Fowler said Kentucky has tough anti-abortion laws, and there currently are more abortions performed in Shelby County than the whole state of Kentucky.

He said there are "about 10,000 babies a year killed in Tennessee."

Mr. Fowler said, "In effect our legislators have voted to kill 40,000 babies" (by the time there can be another vote).

Mr. Wysong said the earlier abortion clinic here closed May 17, 1993.

A group called AAA Women's Center bought the property and set up a Christian counseling service to unwed pregnant women that is still in operation.

The Tnabortion.com website in the "About Us" section says:

"TN Abortion.com is committed to offering all women and their families complete and informative reproductive health services. Our health centers are staffed with physicians, nurses and counselors who are licensed professionals. Because we specialize in pregnancy termination, we can provide the best in professional care to our patients. We offer an experienced and caring all female counseling and support staff that are committed to serving our patients emotional and physical needs. TN Abortion.com’s physicians, nurses and counselors welcome you to our offices. We have three convenient locations in Charlotte, NC, Augusta, GA, and Raleigh, NC. In August of 2008, we will be opening a new, state of the art facility in Chattanooga, TN!!

"TN Abortion.com is owned by A Preferred Women’s Health Center, who in turn is certified by the National Abortion Federation as a member clinic. Certification by this organization requires adherence to the highest standards of medical and surgical abortion care. Our physicians are required to complete at least 150 hours of advanced continuing medical education every three years. Our physicians and staff also participate in the National Abortion Federation Quality Assurance and Risk Management meetings, as well as the annual meeting of abortion providers. These seminars include the most up to date information on the management and care of the abortion patient.

"Our physicians are some of the most experienced abortion providers on the East Coast. We estimate that our staff has provided abortion care to over 100,000 patients during the past 20 years. Registered nurses with years of abortion experience complement and assist our very experienced medical staff. Many of our counselors have backgrounds in psychology, social work and medical office environments. All of our counselors are sincere, caring women who are committed to helping each individual patient complete their treatment with the best possible emotional, spiritual and physical outcomes. We offer the latest advances in reproductive health care including the abortion pill and emergency contraception. Our facilities are among the newest in the southeastern United States. They are located in safe and convenient areas for our patients."