Environmentalist to stay on review board, says TVA

By Jesse Tinsley · Knoxville News Sentinel

In this mention

TVA Chairman Craven Crowell announced the utility will allow Steve Smith, executive director of the Tennessee Valley Energy Reform Coalition, to remain on TVA's Energy Vision 2020 review board despite his involvement in a July protest at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant. Smith defended his participation in the demonstration as a constitutional right and criticized TVA's nuclear-focused energy approach. TVA declined to pursue legal action against the 57 protesters or create a tracking entity for anti-nuclear groups.

I am pleased with the fact that TVA has decided there is no reason to remove me from the group. I don't feel I need a second chance because I did nothing wrong in the first chance. Participating in a demonstration is a right in this country.
Stephen A. Smith

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Environmentalist to stay
on review board, says TVA
By Jesse Tinsley
News-Sentinel staff writer

TVA has decided to let Knoxville environmentalist Steve Smith remain on TVA's Energy Vision 2020 review board despite his role in a July protest at the Watts Bar nuclear plant.

The Tennessee Valley Authority considered removing Smith, executive director of the Tennessee Valley Energy Reform Coalition, from the review group, which is studying the utility's future energy needs.

"While I do not condone his (Smith's) activities in connection with the demonstration at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, I think he should be given a second chance," TVA

Chairman Craven Crowell said.
"He has been an active, contributing participant in the review group, and changing members now could be a setback for the group. We realize his views are often different from TVA's, but we hope he can be an objective member and keep an open mind to a variety of ways we can meet the region's energy needs."

Although he considers TVA's tone condescending, Smith said he will remain.
"I am pleased with the fact that TVA has decided there is no reason to remove me from the group," Smith said. "I don't feel I need a second chance because I did nothing wrong in the first chance. Participating in a demonstration is a right in this country."

Regarding TVA's comments about open-mindedness, Smith said, "This is most ironic. I have been pushing for TVA to have an open mind about energy ... to get it out of its one-dimension, nuclear-energy approach."

TVA's office of the inspector general, which investigated the July 11 protest by Earth First, issued a report two weeks ago that stated Smith was involved in planning the protest — which cost TVA an estimated $500,000 in damages and lost work.

The utility has decided against suing the 57 protesters because the group lacks financial assets. It also will not create an entity to track the activities of anti-nuclear energy groups, as recommended in the inspector general's report, to protect TVA facilities.

Smith said he was at the protest, which started about 4 a.m., as an observer. He said the report contained a number of inaccuracies about his involvement and arrest by Rhea County sheriff's deputies on a charge of disorderly conduct.

"I have repeatedly stated that I am not guilty of the charges leveled against me by the Rhea County Sheriff's Department," Smith said. "I will fight the charges and investigate legal charges against the Rhea County Sheriff's Department for false arrest. I have pleaded guilty to nothing."