TRVA Adopts Energy Resolution
Tennessee River Valley Association
Tennessee-Cumberland Waterways Council
Resolution
Whereas, a commitment to improving the quality of life for all citizens should support continued economic development, job creation, and greater prosperity for the people of the Southeast, as well as providing for a cleaner, healthier, and safer environment; and
Whereas, during the past decade the Southeast has led the nation in the creation of new facilities and economic opportunities in the manufacturing sector in automobiles, steel, mining, energy production, shipping, and the suppliers which support these industries; and
Whereas, two major factors which have contributed to the region’s success in attracting new industry are the availability of reliable, affordable energy and dependable navigable waterway transportation; and
Whereas, the United States Congress is presently engaged in crafting legislation which will fundamentally transform the way Americans produce and consume energy, while touching nearly every major segment of the domestic and global economy; and
Whereas, many in Congress and the Administration are pushing a sweeping legislative agenda which would require up to 20 percent of the nation’s electricity to be produced by “renewable” sources, while also imposing a “cap and trade” requirement intended to slash carbon emissions by up to 80 percent; and
Whereas, such legislative proposals explicitly disallow existing hydroelectric generation and nuclear generation from being included in the definition of renewable sources, and would not give credit for clean energy sources such as additional nuclear power or clean coal technologies; and
Whereas, such proposals would have a disproportionate adverse impact on the Southeast, which relies heavily on coal-fired power plants and which does not have enough regular sunlight or sustained wind to build reliable, cost-effective solar plants or wind farms; and
Whereas, such proposals could increase the cost of energy between $800 and $2,500 per household per year, and likely result in a loss of 1.3 million to 2.3 million American jobs in manufacturing and associated industries; and
Whereas, the loss of jobs and business would also adversely impact the Southeast’s transportation sector, especially our navigable waterways which transport coal, limestone, other bulk commodities, large parts and equipment, and raw materials and finished products to and from the region’s electric generation and manufacturing plants; and
Whereas, significant increases in energy and transportation costs would have the unavoidable effect of harming the Southeast’s efforts to attract new business and industries, as well as to expand existing operations, while increasing job losses during a time of continuing economic hardship; and
Whereas, the ultimate goal of any clean energy legislation should be to improve air quality and lower atmospheric emissions by encouraging the generation of all forms of clean, dependable, efficient, and economical electric energy.
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, by the Tennessee River Valley Association and the Tennessee-Cumberland Waterways Council that we call upon the Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee Governors and Congressional Delegations to make known to federal policy makers and to their colleagues in the United States Congress their opposition to any climate change or energy legislation which does not appropriately protect both the economic and environmental well being of the citizens of the Region; and
Be It Further Resolved, that we call upon the four states’ Governors and Congressional Delegations to insist on the inclusion of all forms of clean energy in crafting any federal energy legislation, including not just wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass, but also existing and new hydroelectric generation, existing and new nuclear generation, and clean coal technologies.
Adopted by the Membership of Tennessee River Valley Association October 20, 2009.
