Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933, United States
Published: December 12, 2006, 1:10 am
Updated: December 12, 2006, 1:10 am
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Brian Black
Norris Reservoir in east Tennessee extends 73 miles up the Clinch River and 56 miles up the Powell from Norris Dam. It was the first dam TVA built, and is named for Senator George Norris of Nebraska, author of the legislation that created TVA. Photo: TVA
Effects of the Great Depression hit the Tennessee River Valley fiercely, forcing Congress to pass the Tennessee Valley Authority Act in 1933 in an effort to rejuvenate the region. The Act established the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which oversaw the development of resources within the entire valley. It mainly focused on the construction of dams to generate, sell, and distribute electrical power in a manner that minimized waste production. With access to electricity, farmers were able to use newer, more efficient technologies to improve yield, and industries began moving into the valley, increasing employment.
The TVA was also responsible for controlling flooding, improving navigation, aiding the region's national defense strategies, conserving land, helping farmers reestablish crops, improving education, holding off disease, and rejuvenating the economy. The TVA worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to supply farmers with improved fertilizers and to teach them new soil and water conservation methods and fertility-building strategies. In coalition with the USDA Forest Service, they worked on replanting forests in the hopes of minimizing erosion and rebuilding the region.
The TVA increased employment in the region not only by hiring residents to work on its projects, but also by establishing job training programs to help workers find jobs outside the TVA. Today, the TVA supplies seven states through eleven fossil fuel plants, 29 hydroelectric dams, three nuclear power plants, six combustion turbine plants, a pumped-storage facility, and 17,000 miles of transmission lines, making it the biggest power company in the nation.
Further Reading
Tennessee Valley Authority Act: Summary (USNews.com)
Tennessee Valley Authority Act: Full Text (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Tennessee Valley Authority Homepage
About the Tennessee Valley Authority (New Deal Network)
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Citation
Ida Kubiszewski PhD (Lead Author);Brian Black (Topic Editor) "Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933, United States". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth December 12, 2006; Last revised Date December 12, 2006; Retrieved May 22, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Tennessee_Valley_Authority_Act_of_1933,_United_States>
The Author
Stewardship Committee
The Encyclopedia of Earth
Dr. Ida Kubiszewski is a Senior Lecturer at the Crawford School of Public Policy at Australian National University. She is also a co-founder and former-Managing Editor the Encyclopedia of Earth. Dr. Kubiszewki is currently working as the Managing Editor for a magazine/journal hybrid called Solutions. Solutions is an outlet for discussions focusing on solutions to the complex problems we are now facing in ... (Full Bio)
Norris Reservoir in east Tennessee extends 73 miles up the Clinch River and 56 miles up the Powell from Norris Dam. It was the first dam TVA built, and is named for Senator George Norris of Nebraska, author of the legislation that created TVA. Photo: TVA
Effects of the Great Depression hit the Tennessee River Valley fiercely, forcing Congress to pass the Tennessee Valley Authority Act in 1933 in an effort to rejuvenate the region. The Act established the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which oversaw the development of resources within the entire valley. It mainly focused on the construction of dams to generate, sell, and distribute electrical power in a manner that minimized waste production. With access to electricity, farmers were able to use newer, more efficient technologies to improve yield, and industries began moving into the valley, increasing employment.
The TVA was also responsible for controlling flooding, improving navigation, aiding the region's national defense strategies, conserving land, helping farmers reestablish crops, improving education, holding off disease, and rejuvenating the economy. The TVA worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to supply farmers with improved fertilizers and to teach them new soil and water conservation methods and fertility-building strategies. In coalition with the USDA Forest Service, they worked on replanting forests in the hopes of minimizing erosion and rebuilding the region.
The TVA increased employment in the region not only by hiring residents to work on its projects, but also by establishing job training programs to help workers find jobs outside the TVA. Today, the TVA supplies seven states through eleven fossil fuel plants, 29 hydroelectric dams, three nuclear power plants, six combustion turbine plants, a pumped-storage facility, and 17,000 miles of transmission lines, making it the biggest power company in the nation.
Further Reading
Tennessee Valley Authority Act: Summary (USNews.com)
Tennessee Valley Authority Act: Full Text (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Tennessee Valley Authority Homepage
About the Tennessee Valley Authority (New Deal Network)
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