Not one more acre baby!

The TVA board just passed a new (progressive) lands policy, one that reflects the value and the most appropriate uses of TVA's remaining public land (less than 293,000 acres in 7 states). We don't manage a lot of land and this policy protects the remaining acres from residential and retail development. See, in the last 70 years TVA would sell and trade land for those purposes in the name of economic development. Half of this land was acquired in the 30's via eminent domain - TVA kicked people off their land and proceeded to flood it. Folks, this is why we have many of our public lands in the east, like the National Recreation Areas managed by the Forest Service. It is crumy to think that TVA has been selling land that was once owned by native folks (who still live in the Valley) to developers. Those native folks drive by and now see affluent condos and fancy marinas on their sacred property. Back to the new Lands Policy... TVA will still consider trading land for shoreline parcels that provide public access or use, as well as industrial uses that require water access. It is a convaluted policy but one that reflects that our land has a broad regional resource conservation and development mission. It is an interesting time to be working for this agency - lots of changes, good changes. In time though, things tend to change back. Lets hope this policy has legs and TVA has teeth. Not one more acre lost to short-sighted sprawl or affluent development. Photo below: A sign that God approves the new TVA Lands Policy.