One after another, at least 37 people addressed the TVA board this morning in Knoxville — most to complain.
The Tennessee Valley Authority’s new “all clear” policy to remove all trees and vegetation in a 200-foot strip along its 15,900 feet of transmission lines was among the most voiced gripes. But TVA’s perceived disinterest in promoting energy efficiency was a close second.
“It’s TVA duty to protect us, not raze the land around our homes,” Chattanoogan Lana Sutton with the Tennessee Sierra Club told board members.
“If we take every bit of government easements [roads, power lines and others,] some people won’t even have a postage stamp of green,” she said. “The loss of these trees will raise the head index in homes and neighborhoods. That’s great for the company trying to sell kilowatts.”
Just after the listening session, which lasted from 8:30 until just before 11 a.m., TVA Board Chairman William B. Sansom defended TVA employees from what he called a “tough” session.
“We know you care,” Sansom told the crowd. “And believe it or not, we care.”
For complete details, see tomorrow’s Times Free Press.
Pam Sohn has been reporting or editing Chattanooga news for 25 years. A Walden’s Ridge native, she began her journalism career with a 10-year stint at the Anniston (Ala.) Star. She came to the Chattanooga Times Free Press in 1999 after working at the Chattanooga Times for 14 years. She has been a city editor, Sunday editor, wire editor, projects team leader and assistant lifestyle editor. As a reporter, she also has covered the police, ...
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