Statement of Senator James M. Jeffords, I-Vt.
Tennessee Valley Authority and Udall Foundation
Nominations Hearing Welcome to all of you and your families. I would like to thank each of the nominees here today for their commitment to public service. One of our finest public servants, especially in serving to protect our environment, was Mo Udall. He gave us so much inspiration and wisdom, and encouraged us to be better environmental stewards. He is greatly missed, but still very much remembered. The Foundation that bears his name is a tribute to Mo and a living legacy that will promote environmental education and preservation for generations. Mr. Bracy, I am sure you are very proud to serve on the Board of the Udall Foundation, and Mo would be proud of you for your service and your work in keeping his name synonymous with environmental responsibility. With these new nominees at the helm, the TVA needs to continue to provide its core product -- wholesale electric power -- competitively, efficiently and reliably. The TVA needs to set a standard for public responsibility against which private companies can be measured. That standard needs to include better environmental and fiscal performance. In 1998, the TVA unveiled a new clean-air strategy to reduce the pollutants that cause ozone and smog. Modern equipment investments will help states and cities in the Tennessee Valley meet new, more stringent air-quality standards while providing greater flexibility for industrial and economic growth in the region. But the TVA can and should do more than be focused on a technological solution. The TVA should also be increasing its use of renewables and enhancing its commitment to energy efficiency. I look forward to hearing from all of the nominees and learning how they see the future for the organization under the new board structure.
Tennessee Valley Authority and Udall Foundation
Nominations Hearing Welcome to all of you and your families. I would like to thank each of the nominees here today for their commitment to public service. One of our finest public servants, especially in serving to protect our environment, was Mo Udall. He gave us so much inspiration and wisdom, and encouraged us to be better environmental stewards. He is greatly missed, but still very much remembered. The Foundation that bears his name is a tribute to Mo and a living legacy that will promote environmental education and preservation for generations. Mr. Bracy, I am sure you are very proud to serve on the Board of the Udall Foundation, and Mo would be proud of you for your service and your work in keeping his name synonymous with environmental responsibility. With these new nominees at the helm, the TVA needs to continue to provide its core product -- wholesale electric power -- competitively, efficiently and reliably. The TVA needs to set a standard for public responsibility against which private companies can be measured. That standard needs to include better environmental and fiscal performance. In 1998, the TVA unveiled a new clean-air strategy to reduce the pollutants that cause ozone and smog. Modern equipment investments will help states and cities in the Tennessee Valley meet new, more stringent air-quality standards while providing greater flexibility for industrial and economic growth in the region. But the TVA can and should do more than be focused on a technological solution. The TVA should also be increasing its use of renewables and enhancing its commitment to energy efficiency. I look forward to hearing from all of the nominees and learning how they see the future for the organization under the new board structure.
