Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) filed a FOIA lawsuit against the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) seeking to compel full disclosure of information about TVA’s contracts with gas companies regarding planned methane infrastructure projects. SELC contended that TVA improperly redacted large portions of the two contracts it provided, claiming that FOIA’s Exemptions 4 and 5 applied. Exemption 4 permits withholding of “trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential.” Exemption 5 authorizes withholding of “inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters that would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency.” SELC alleged that the redacted contractual provisions contained information needed for SELC “to continue to fully participate in public decision-making processes about TVA’s power generation decisions, and to determine whether TVA has complied with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in connection with its plan to build new gas plants.”

Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking full disclosure of Tennessee Valley Authority contracts for methane infrastructure projects.

Southern Environmental Law Center v. Tennessee Valley Authority

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FOIA Lawsuit Sought Full Disclosure of TVA Contracts with Gas Companies

Filed

United States of America

Tennessee

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Justice is the ethical and political framework that addresses fairness, including issues of responsibility, rights, and structural inequity.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

A loan is a policy instrument where funds are provided to a borrower with the expectation of repaying the principal plus interest.

An agency providing government-backed financing, guarantees, and insurance to support domestic companies' international exports, that can play a role in financing climate-related projects.

A company that is owned wholly or partially by the state, typically operating in key sectors.

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

A potent, short-lived greehouse gas, largely released from livestock, fossil fuel extraction and waste management.

Actions to reduce emissions in energy generation and supply.

Social inclusion is the process of improving the terms on which individuals and groups take part in society—improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged on the basis of their identity.

Fossil gas, commonly known as natural gas, is a fossil fuel consisting chiefly of methane with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and trace gases, found in underground deposits.

This sector involves the wholesale and retail selling of goods.

FOIA Lawsuit Sought Full Disclosure of TVA Contracts with Gas Companies

Policy instrument

Just transition

Renewable energy

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Finance