Written by Leah McCord
Leah McCord
Leah is the Tennessee Projects & Coalition Coordinator for Appalachian Voices. Leah grew up on a 6th generation farm in Blount County, Tennessee. Her deeply ingrained sense of place has driven her passion for environmentalism and community-focused planning.
TVA doesn’t make public participation easy, but showing up is making a difference
On a cold and rainy Wednesday afternoon in mid-February, nearly 20 advocates and community members trudged to downtown Knoxville to speak and show support for our concerns as the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors met for its first public listening session of the new year.
The TVA needs oversight. Its board of directors should step up — only one has.
For years, communities across the Tennessee Valley have been calling on the Tennessee Valley Authority, the largest public power provider in the country, to be more transparent in its planning and decision-making processes — and now even a TVA board member has expressed concerns.