Groups accuse Tennessee Valley Authority of misusing funds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Four environmental organizations on Wednesday asked the Tennessee Valley Authority’s internal watchdog to investigate whether the nation’s largest public utility misused ratepayer money for lobbying and litigation that fought federal environmental regulations. The documents prove TVA’s dues to the now-disbanded Utility Air Regulatory Group were used for unauthorized activities, the group said. Instead, TVA used its membership in the regulatory group “to help understand, plan for, and comply with highly technical and complex regulations developed” under the Clean Air Act, Lyash wrote. TVA did not directly respond to the new allegations but said in a written statement that “contacting the OIG or any other TVA oversight groups is an appropriate avenue for any member of the public to raise potential concerns.” The statement added: “Although TVA supported the decision to disband the Utility Air Regulatory Group in May 2019, our customers have directly benefited from the research and technical expertise gained from UARG participation, including significantly reduced air emissions and cleaner energy.” A spokesperson for the inspector general’s office, Terri Beatty, declined to comment on the letter, which also calls for a review of any TVA involvement in other trade groups, including the Utility Solid Waste Activities Group, the Utility Water Act Group, the Clean Air Act Monitoring Service and the Climate Legal Group.