Recent reporting indicates that the millions of dollars earned annually by Tennessee Valley Authority head Jeff Lyash are tied to fossil fuels, which could be one reason the federally-owned but privately-run power provider continues to build new power plants while slow-walking solar expansion.
Political analyst Otis Sanford says this represents an obvious conflict of interest. But the political wherewithal to change that is tied up in partisan views of climate change and support of the fossil fuel industry.
Meanwhile, local governments have settled on new regulations for solar farms in Shelby County, though many residents are unhappy with the prospect of large solar farms in their backyards.
Finally, the City of Memphis is considering a hefty increase in waste disposal fees, based on an increase in bulk garbage that piles up on curbs. Sanford says charging for individual pick-ups rather then across the board would only contribute to blight in a city where people already dump garbage on our roadsides.
