Yes, thank you Mr. President, and thank you Senators Alexander and Corker and Rep. Fleischmann, for taking a stand together to protect the sovereignty of this country against intrusion into (or to some, seemingly partial control of) our Constitutional government and protections affecting the health, education, welfare, and security of our people and our land and resources by way of any other entity such as the United Nations. That includes the Conference of Mayors established by President Obama. We, as a nation, need to commit and spend our resources wisely for the benefit of ourselves and for others in circumstances threatening life's basic needs as we have always done.
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 encompasses sweeping requirements and regulations promulgated by our government pertaining to any action related to or otherwise affecting our environment by any person, agency, or entity that employs or uses taxpayer funds, contracts, agreements, or services to further such actions in the United States. Those actions assumed by the States pursuant to the Constitution likewise inherit the same provisions and responsibilities in the interest of protecting the environment and the taxpayers within such States and their conduct of activities, operations or businesses elsewhere.
TVA is a unique federal agency that reports directly to the President on its resource development and power production activities and operations within the seven-state area it serves and carries out regional or site-specific cooperative projects in the interest of protecting or enhancing the environmental quality of air, land, and water resources and the wise and beneficial use and consumption of electric power. It is connected to the national grid to provide emergency power to other parts of the country if operational circumstances permit.
We should never lose sight of the forward thinking of Congress and the former Presidents in establishing, carrying out, and enforcing the laws on the books and keeping them within the standards we have set for ourselves. They have worked well. Oversight by Congress has kept them within the boundaries of superior parameters with few exceptions. That is one good reason why we are so well respected by other countries and we do not want to lose or jeopardize that. (That does not excuse failures by the government, cities, or states to locate and responsibly monitor the condition of all those pipes that have been in the ground for 50 years or more that the people depend upon for drinking water, sewage disposal, transport of hazardous materials, or other contaminants or health hazards.)
If we have failed in recent years insofar as the environment is concerned, it is in research. We certainly have the talent, capability, and facilities. What we do not have are expert guidance in looking into the future and putting together an "I have a dream" policy, knowing where we are in the Universe at the moment and what and how long it will take for us to get where we want to be from our current position and circumstances. And, most importantly, how much of that likely will be a requirement sooner than we may be prepared to deal with it.
Our greatest scientific and engineering minds need to come together for the benefit of our country and the world we live in and for that which awaits for us beyond our present climate and atmosphere. Our leadership is responsible for the determination and implementation of that bold assessment and proposal for action. We need to hear about it as soon as possible.
Charlotte Parton
Chattanooga