TVA Today:
Daily news for employees

Thursday, October 2, 2003

TVA and Ocoee Partners Celebrate Milestones
TVA participated in a ceremony at the Ocoee Whitewater Center near Ducktown, Tenn., on Sept. 26 to celebrate progress made by the Ocoee Economic Development Partnership, also known as the “Kitchen Cabinet” initiative. (Ducktown is east of Chattanooga, near the border with Georgia and North Carolina.)

Director Bill Baxter was on hand, along with U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Tennessee and other stakeholders and members of the partnership effort, to announce a range of new initiatives designed to support economic and recreational improvements for the area.

The Kitchen Cabinet initiative began this past spring with the purpose of broadening the focus of Ocoee recreational opportunities from an “all water” approach to one that includes more diverse and sustainable developments.

Baxter says TVA is encouraged with the progress made to date on a broad range of issues impacting the Ocoee region, including a refocusing of attention and efforts to improve highway and rail access to the area, the development of a shared marketing strategy for the region, and the promotion of new trails and other recreational opportunities.

“The efforts of the Kitchen Cabinet initiative will help the region take advantage of seasonal business opportunities, as well as build stronger year-round job opportunities,” Baxter says. “The Kitchen Cabinet process has engaged key stakeholders and partners and helped develop shared working agendas to promote sustainable job opportunities in the region.”

A key component of the initiative is TVA’s affirmation of a conceptual 15-year water-release plan for the Ocoee River. TVA has reached an agreement in principle with the Ocoee Outfitters Association and other key partners on water availability on the upper section of the Ocoee through the 2018 rafting season. This section of the Ocoee River was the location of the 1996 Olympic whitewater events.

The plan calls for water on the Upper Ocoee to be available for whitewater recreation 54 days a year, April through September. The 54 days are the maximum permitted by the Environmental Impact Statement on post-Olympic use of the Upper Ocoee River Corridor. Previous contracts on the use of the Upper Ocoee provided 20 days of releases for whitewater recreation each year since 1998, as requested by the outfitters to determine the use and demand for additional releases.

TVA and the Ocoee River Outfitters Association are finalizing the details of the 15-year agreement, which is to include full-cost recovery to TVA for lost power revenues that will result from 54 days of water releases.

Others attending the celebration included Joe Guthrie of the Southeast Tennessee Development District; Larry Mashburn, a representative of the Ocoee Outfitters; Polk County Mayor Hoyt Firestone; Anne Zimmerman of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cherokee Forest; Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation Deputy Commissioner Karen Stachowski; and members of the Ocoee Economic Development Partnership.

“TVA especially appreciates the leadership and commitment of Congressman Wamp, Mayor Firestone, the Polk County commissioners and the many organizations and groups that have worked to make this Kitchen Cabinet process an effective effort,” says Baxter.

Staff members from several TVA groups – including Economic Development, River System Operations & Environment, Communications & Government Relations, Power Resources & Operations Planning and the Office of the General Counsel – have played a role in helping Ocoee-area partners develop comprehensive marketing strategies and tools.

Program Today in Russellville on Cedar Creek Historic Site
A TVA archaeologist and TVA Police officers will join a local historian in a public program today in Russellville, Ala., to discuss the protection of Franklin County’s historic sites and artifacts during the drawdown of Cedar Creek Reservoir.

The program, “Protecting Franklin County History Through Community Involvement,” begins at 6 p.m. at the A.W. Todd Community Center in Russellville. It is open to the public.

The speakers will discuss what the community can do to help protect the archaeological sites and artifacts of Franklin County.

The planned drawdown of Cedar Creek Reservoir to 16 feet below normal winter-pool level will enable the Water & Sewer Board of Russellville to construct a new water-intake structure.

The Cedar Creek area was surveyed in the 1970s, and about 70 historic archeological sites were identified before the reservoir was filled. Many of these sites are exposed during the normal winter drawdown, and several additional sites are expected to be uncovered when water levels are lower than normal.

Kenneth Johnson, a retired University of North Alabama history professor, will be the keynote speaker at today’s program. He will discuss the history of Franklin County. TVA archaeologist Erin Pritchard will discuss archaeological issues related to Native American cultures. TVAP Lt. Karyn Carter and TVAP Officer Stanley Ashe will discuss the U.S. Archeological Resources Protection Act, which protects historical sites and artifacts.

IBEW Local 765 Meeting Monday in Sheffield
Local 765 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers will have its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, at its usual location in Sheffield, Ala. Members are urged to attend.

Chattanooga Employee Says ‘Thanks’

Sharon Carter, a Procurement employee in Chattanooga, offers the following note of thanks to those who provided support in the days preceding and following the death of her husband, Danny Carter, who worked at Sequoyah Nuclear Plant.

As many of you know, my husband, Danny Carter, who was a machinist with TVA, passed away on Sept. 9, following a brief illness.

I just want to say thank you to everyone in the TVA family for overwhelming support, concern and the many prayers.

Also, I wanted to also thank those people who donated their leave to Danny during this time period.

Thanks,
Sharon Carter