U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander , R-Tenn., said today he hopes the Tennessee Valley Authority will be a national leader as the nation develops new ways to dispose of coal ash waste following the Dec. 22 spill at TVA’s Kingston Steam Plant.
Sen. Alexander, co-chair of the TVA Congressional Caucus, said he wants TVA to “help the entire nation improve how it deals with coal ash waste and learn from its mistakes.” The comments came after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday directed TVA and 60 other utilities to provide the EPA data on the contents and records of their ash storage facilities across the country.
“TVA should be a national leader in technological innovation, low-cost power, and environmental stewardship,” Sen. Alexander said.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said the spill at the Kingston plant that flooded nearly 300 acres of river and land with coal ash “should never happen anywhere in this country.
“That is why we are announcing several actions to help us properly protect the families who live near these facilities and the places where they live, work, play and learn,” she said.
EPA will draft regulations for coal ash by the end of the year, Ms. Jackson said.
Now if Sen A would find way for feds to pay for this "lesson" rather then us, that would also be nice.. as they "Learn from theif mistakes". the most significant "mistake" seeming to be they did not really care to much when warned of serious issues as stockholders needed dividends and CEO-C// needed big wages and bonus.. So what say you Sen A, got a few bucks in DC to pay for all the "learning"? What a bunch of "political and bureaucratize talk" by all,.. which said about ZERO! TVA raised rates 10% then additional 20% and "For high oil costs, which now are "high coal costs" etc.. and are "reducing rates now".. back to WHAT?>
Whoo boy! Does Sen. Lamar Alexander ever have a bad dose of Potomac Fever. I’ve experienced Disneyland East and the real world and believe me, most Americans do not see the world through Sen. Alexander’s rose-tinted glasses.
It is very hard not to be cynical about the whole mess the TVA has caused but there is hope. For Sen. Alexander to suggest that the TVA be a “national leader” in developing new ways of disposing of coal ash waste is about as likely as the TVA would stop its waste of billions of dollars.
TVA fights the problem with endless litigation and does not seem to understand they are not a private corporation. As a federal agency there is a higher calling, a higher standard to be set by the federal government; TVA, on the other hand, fights its own government almost constantly.
To suggest that the TVA be a “leader” in anything is almost laughable; funny if it were not so serious.
Leadership is best exemplified in the military. Training is constant and every person is encouraged to reach their own capabilities and grow in rank and stature. If, however, a leader cannot live up to expectations, they are replaced.
TVA’s chance to be a national leader is long gone, for at least 50 years. The expectations for the TVA to do anything exceptional are slim to none. It’s time to eliminate the TVA and allow free-enterprise to run the power business, to take the risks for possible profit.
The U.S. Government has plenty of “think tanks” in the Department of Energy to develop innovation, it cannot come from an agency that knowingly endangers the public. And then wants to fight about it.
Ernest Norsworthy http://norsworthyopinion.com emnorsworthy@earthlink.net
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