What would bring together every local environmental group you can think of in a given region to form a coalition, a coalition that has planned and strategized for months to shine a light on a problem?
The coalition is CleanUpTVA. Coalition members include: Appalachian Voices, Center for Biological Diversity, Energy Alabama, Knoxville Democratic Socialists of America, Memphis Community Against Pollution, Memphis NAACP, Mississippi Rising Coalition, One Knox Legacy Coalition, One Voice, Preserve Cheatham County, Protect Our Aquifer, Sierra Club, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Sowing Justice, Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment, Sunrise Movement Knoxville, Sunrise Movement Nashville, Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light, The Climate Reality Project, Third Act Tennessee, and Young Gifted & Green.
The event is The Rally for the Valley which will take place this Saturday, Sept. 21, at the bandshell in Nashville’s Centennial Park. The event will consist of knowledgeable speakers and live music, with the intention of shining a bright spotlight on a problem that has been growing in the dark for too long.
The problem is the lack of oversight and transparency with the Tennessee Valley Authority, specifically in regard to it’s current plans for a massive expansion of methane gas plants across the region.
The TVA is a federally owned electric utility corporation with a service area that reaches seven states and 10 million customers. The CEO, Jeff Lyash, is the highest paid federal employee, raking in $10.5 million a year. That’s 25 times the President’s salary. While in a position to be a leader in the transition to clean energy, TVA has instead made plans for eight gas plant projects, the largest fossil gas expansion of any utility in the nation this decade. The TVA demonstrates a total lack of regard for the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. While much of the nation is making strides toward renewable energy sources, the TVA is headed in the wrong direction.
What should we know about “natural gas?” It’s a fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane gas. It’s branded “natural gas” to make it sound safe and clean. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, leaks into the atmosphere when the gas is extracted. The extraction process, called “fracking,” results in a large amount of toxic wastewater. The gas is then moved through pipelines to gas plants which emit nitrogen oxides, which are linked to childhood asthma. Building new gas plants locks us into this source of energy for decades.
What can be done?
#1 Learn as much as you can. It doesn’t require an advanced degree in chemistry to learn the basics on energy sources and their consequences. However it does require the ability to assess the sources of information. A lot of effort is put into forwarding the interests of those who acquire wealth from avoiding the transition from fossil fuels. Here’s one example:
On April 12, 2023, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill into law that redefines natural gas as one of 17 sources of “clean energy.” The bill forces municipalities, government entities, and other political subdivisions that have clean energy requirements to consider natural gas alongside wind, solar, hydroelectric, and other sources of power.
An informed citizen would find this outrageous.
#2 Plug into an organization. Speaking truth to power is most effective when our voices rise in unison. Individuals find power in groups and groups find power in coalitions. The list of organizations that have created the CleanUpTVA coalition is a good place to start.
#3 Take action. Here’s a quick one. Sign an electronic letter to the Senate EPW (Environment and Public Works) Committee and call for them to vet and approve clean energy champions to the TVA’s Board. You can do that here.
#4 Attend the Rally for the Valley. Saturday, Sept. 21 from 1-5pm CT at Centennial Park in Nashville. This event is perfect for all of the above. The Rally is a place to learn more, to witness a movement, and possibly find a place there. In so doing, an individual’s actions are amplified. Additionally, the larger the Rally, the brighter the spotlight on the TVA, so please be a part of that.
Third Act Tennessee sending a clear message to the Tennessee Valley Authority