U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, (KY-01), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, today released the following statement regarding today's announcement by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) that it has settled legal challenges brought by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and various advocacy groups:
"As Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, one issue that I have watched closely is the action taken by outside environmental groups who seek to dictate national energy policy by targeting energy producers with lawsuits brought in concert with EPA. Today's announcement by TVA is a prime example of what is wrong with national environmental policy in the United States -- it is being determined by privately settled lawsuits and monetary payoffs with absolutely no input from elected representatives in the Congress. We intend for this to stop.
"In this settlement, I note that TVA has agreed to pay nearly $10 million in legal fees to EPA and $350 million toward energy efficiency, renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions not required by federal law, at a time when TVA has debt ceiling constraints and is expected to come before Congress to seek a debt ceiling increase. I find this outrageous.
"I am immensely concerned that this judgment will result in higher costs for electricity ratepayers and will affect the jobs of the men and women who make their living in Kentucky's coal industry. I am visited regularly by businesses and individuals expressing concern about TVA's prices and rate increases. TVA must do better and I will insist on that."