Thursday, April 09, 2009

Tuke: TVA should 'empower' region

There's a slew of candidates' names in the wind for appointment to the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority. One candidate, Nashville attorney and Democrat stalwart Bob Tuke, told VNC this morning the job "does appeal to me." Why? Apart from the fact that in the wake of the infamous coal-ash spill and other problems that may suggest a need for tighter oversight of management, Tuke said he believes the TVA has a "wonderful legacy" and it's not just "a big utility," but an institution that has historically "empowered" the Tennessee Valley region it serves. TVA should "reclaim its legacy," he said. With Energy and Environment once again at the fore of U.S. policy-making, Tuke indicated he believes that while dealing with TVA's challenges, TVA should also move aggressively to realize the economic-development potential of Gov. Phil Bredesen's proposed Solar Institute, the R&D resources of Oak Ridge National Lab and other assets within the state. Other reported candidates for the TVA job (many others have reportedly inquired about the posts, without going public) include Nashville real-state investor and environmentalist John Noel (associated with Tennessee Conservation Voters, among other groups); former Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice A.A. Birch; Nashville attorney Will Martin (a founder and formerly an attorney with what is now the H3GM law firm, a longtime environmentalist and former Clinton Administration NOAA executive); State Rep. Mike McDonald (D-Portland); Chattanooga attorney Jim Hall, former head of the National Transportation Safety Board; MTSU Business Dean Barbara Haskew; and, among untold others, Dr. Stephen Smith, executive director of the Knoxville-based Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Tuke said his candidacy was solicited by Democrat members of the state's congressional delegation. The Obama Administration has given no signals regarding when they will announce their decisions regarding a total four TVA board seats in question this spring, or who might get the nod. Nashvillian Denny Bottorff, longtime banking CEO, member of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust and founder of Council Ventures, a VC, currently serves on the TVA board.

No comments: