TVA must clean house
Recent events clearly show the need for a clean sweep of TVA’s leadership.
It’s not just Tom Kilgore, the CEO of TVA, who needs to be held accountable. The nine-member board of directors, entirely appointed by the Bush Administration as part of an old-school, old boy network, is directly responsible for the tragic and disturbing atmosphere in the federal agency.
Until 2004, the TVA board consisted of three bipartisan presidential appointees. That governing structure was swept away in the conservative euphoria over the 2004 election, when conservatives packed the TVA board and had the word “bipartisan” dropped from its enabling legislation.
Today, two seats are open on the board and two more expire on May 18. Four new board members will not be enough to turn the agency around until 2010 when a fifth member term expires.
It is high time for Mr. Kilgore and the entire TVA board to take responsibility for the awful mess that has been created in the heart of the Tennessee Valley.
They should all immediately offer President Obama their resignations. It would be the only graceful note in this whole disgraceful mess.
Related Articles
Latest News
More Stories
English Language Learning in Appalachia
Learning English is always difficult. But current aggressive approaches to immigration policy are creating more barriers for learners and the programs that serve them than ever before in Appalachia and beyond.
Landfill Drama
Many residents of Pike County, Kentucky, are breathing a sigh of relief since county commissioners finalized their decision to rescind a contract with an out-of-state waste management company.
Overdrive: Fossil Fuels in Appalachia
Electricity demand is on the rise. Here, we share snapshots of energy trends in the region and how methane gas, coal and data centers are affecting our communities — and how people are pushing back.
Less Support for Communities with Mine Problems
The Trump administration issued a regulation to weaken the Ten Day Notice process that helps community members call in federal enforcement when state regulators don’t do a good job policing environmental problems at coal mines
Chaos at the Tennessee Valley Authority, Cuts to Public Input
The past year has brought turmoil and uncertainty to the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation’s largest public power provider, and its more than 10 million customers across the Tennessee Valley.
Landmark Coal Ash Protections Under Attack
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is planning to eviscerate important, hard-won regulations on coal ash, a toxic waste left after burning coal for energy.
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Leave a Comment