The is no doubt, after the events that have transpired in the past few months, that the TVA Office of Inspector General needs to be independent of the TVA Board.
Having the TVA OIG answer to the TVA Board is like allowing a city mayor to be sole authority of the police department. Some cities have this type of system, but it begs for corruption. The people of the Tennessee Valley don't deserve a second-rate power utility.
During the past 20 years the U.S. Congress has moved away from exercising oversight of TVA. Moves were made to make the TVA like a regular corporation. There is only one problem. TVA is a federal agency that was built by the U.S. taxpayers. The TVA Board has their own police with no real independent oversight.
If this smacks of Stalin's Russia, it should. TVA is presently a totalitarian regime.
The TVA was built by taxpayer money. TVA is not a corporation. The board didn't purchase majority shares, the general counsel didn't create TVA, and I don't remember the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association being integral in the formation of the TVA. In fact, the electrical industry in this area at the time fought the TVA. They called the TVA a socialist idea.
The TVA is property of the United States Government. It is a national treasure. To allow any group of people to operate the TVA, a federal agency, outside of independent oversight is a travesty.
The fact that TVA and the organization representing the largest TVA power consumers is fighting an independent TVA OIG is a sign of their continued attempt to hide what is already apparent. The board and senior management at TVA are asleep at the wheel.
President Bush and President Obama have both sought to make the TVA OIG independent of the TVA Board. It is time for this proposal to become reality.
Steve Durham
freethinker1963@yahoo.com