Regional Resource Stewardship
Council Members named by TVA

TVA announced the members of the second-term Regional Resource Stewardship Council, created to provide advice and counsel to TVA on the management of natural resources in the Tennessee Valley.

The council was established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which sets guidelines for establishing a group that provides advice or makes recommendations to an agency of the federal government.

First convened in March 2002, the council made several recommendations to the TVA Board during its initial two-year term. Recommendations included establishing an aquatic plant management policy, continuing to manage public lands to support long-term benefits, conducting a new study of reservoir operations and continuing TVA's role in economic development of the region.

The Board accepted many of the recommendations, including beginning the Reservoir Operations Study in the fall of 2001 to determine how TVA can best manage the river and reservoir system to provide the greatest benefits to the public.

The TVA Board appointed members to the second-term council after receiving nominations from governors of the states served by TVA and recommendations from TVA customer organizations, community officials and interest groups.

New members appointed by governors are Michele Myers, Kuttawa, KY; Jackie Shelton, Pennington Gap, VA; Tom Vorholt, Nashville, TN; and Ed Williams, Bluff City, TN.

Members who were reappointed by governors to serve a second term are State Senator Roger Bedford, Jr., Russellville, AL; Mayor Thomas Griffith, Amory, MS; W.C. Nelson, Blairsville, GA; and Bill Forsythe, Murphy, NC.

Other council members returning for a second term are Lee Baker, Newport, TN; Jimmy Barnett, Sheffield, AL; Austin Carroll, Hopkinsville, KY; Phil Comer, Dandridge, TN; Karl Dudley, Selmer, TN; Julie Hardin, Knoxville, TN; Miles Mennell, Nashville, TN; Elaine Patterson, Chattanooga, TN; Bruce Shupp, Montgomery, AL; Stephen Smith, Knoxville, TN; Paul Teague, Parsons, TN; and Greer Tidwell, Jr., Nashville, TN.

Shupp will continue to serve as council chairman, working with members and TVA to prepare agendas for future meetings and chair each session. Kate Jackson, TVA executive vice president of River System Operations and Environment and TVA's environmental executive, serves as the designated federal office for the council.

Members will serve two-year terms in accordance with the FACA, and membership can be extended. Council meetings are open to the public. The first meeting is scheduled for October 23-24 in Knoxville. Full details on time and place will be released closer to the meeting date.

TVA is the nation's largest public power producer, and its power system is self-financed. TVA provides power to large industries and 158 power distributors that serve 8.3 million consumers in seven southeastern states.