PRESS ADVISORY

Tennessee Environmental Council

US Tennessee Valley Authority Strategic Plan Fails to Address President’s Call for Energy Independence, public comments needed!

FMI:

John McFadden

615-330-5364

jfm@hughes.net

“While TVA should be lauded briefly for looking to the future with their strategic plan, the plan fails to begin to address the President’s call for US energy independence and the many environmental, public health and global issues facing our communities and society.”  John McFadden, Executive Director with the Tennessee Environmental Council said. “If we are to have a sustainable society, business and industry, especially government industry like TVA should be leading the way.”

“Their strategic plan does not adequately address programs like green power switch that must be expanded for sustainability. Additionally, TVA, as a government agency should be diligently pursuing demand side management options as a mechanism to reduce energy consumption and emissions, thus reducing cost to rate payers and increasing power supply” McFadden said. Energy conservation (demand side management) results in extra power for additional uses, so in a sense you are generating power by conserving. And, overall it will reduce current and future emissions.  Reducing emissions will have a positive effect on public health and air quality.      

  TVA’s strategic plan should be focused on sustainable power sources. Market forces are pointing strongly in the direction of clean, sustainable power, including solar, and wind. It appears the next breakthrough will be with solar power collection (photovoltaic) panels and films.  TVA should be at the forefront of the development of this and other clean power generation technologies. 

The strategic plan fails to outline an adequate approach or direction for correcting the damaging effects of TVA’s reservoir management program on tail waters. For example, according to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s 303 d list, Tennessee’s most biologically diverse river system is negatively impacted by discharges from Normandy Dam. TVA should be working toward establishing a natural fishery in these systems by increasing quality of tail waters, protecting lake and stream riparian zones, and increasing dissolved oxygen.  

TVA is in a unique position to lead the country in an effort to reach the president’s goal of energy independence by maximizing emphasis on conservation (demand side management) and clean renewable energy.  Solar and wind should lead the way on new technologies. Additionally, TVA needs to refocus its efforts on tail water discharges associated with its river management system. Additional emphasis should be placed on dissolved oxygen, other water quality issues and conserving and restoring lake and stream riparian habitat. 

###