KNOXVILLE (Tenn.) – The Southern Environmental Law Center sued the nation’s largest utility for failing to disclose all contracts related to natural gas pipelines.
The Tennessee Valley Authority plans shutting down its remaining coal-fired power plants to make way for natural gas. Under the federal Freedom of Information Act, the SELC requested copies of TVA contracts with 2 gas companies. The lawsuit last week stated that TVA provided the contracts but that they were heavily redacted.
TVA explained the redactions by stating that the contracts contained confidential business information and is exempt from disclosure.
George Nolan, an attorney for SELC, said that it appears that TVA has committed itself to purchasing gas before it meets its National Environmental Policy Act obligations. TVA claimed in an email that it had not made any final decision.
SELC is seeking unredacted contracts and a declaration that TVA has violated Freedom of Information Act.
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