Alliance Defends Appointment of U.S. Senator to Board

The Washington, D.C.-based Alliance to Save Energy takes issue with our report pointing out how Tennessee U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander was named to the group’s board, despite his opposition to a NextEra Energy wind farm in his state.

Spokesman Ben Evans wasn’t defending Sen. Alexander’s stand against the wind farm but rather his appointment to the board.

“We are an organization that supports using energy more wisely and efficiently, no matter what energy,” he said in an interview with OK Energy Today. “To suggest we are hypocritical is false and incorrect.”

He said Alexander’s appointment was about saving energy, whether it’s wind or otherwise and it had nothing to do with the wind farm controversy in Alexander’s home state.

“That’s not our thing. It’s a completely separate issue,” added Evans.

Sen. Alexander and six others were named to the board to help lead the Alliance in advancing energy efficiency in the U.S. Joining him were Washington Rep. Dave Reichert, Paula Glover, President and CEO Of the American Association of Blacks in Energy, Bert Van Hoof who is Group Program Manager at Microsoft, Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of Thyssenkrupp Elevator AG, Maryrose t. Sylvester, President and CEO of Current, powered by GE, and Steve Wright, General Manager of Chelan Public Utility District.