June 12, 2007

A Word from Zach Wamp

Tennessee Valley Corridor Leading the Way to Energy Security

One of the most important challenges facing our nation is clearly ending America’s dependence on foreign sources of energy. Nothing is more important to our future energy security, economic security or national security than solving this critical challenge. And the Tennessee Valley Corridor, as one of the premier science and technology “hot spots” in our nation, is leading the way.

Over the past several years, the Tennessee Valley Corridor National Technology Summits have focused on many of the problems facing our nation and our region – and this year’s Summit once again focused on solving some of the nation’s most immediate and pressing challenges.

More than 500 regional and national leaders in the fields of science, technology, education, healthcare, homeland security, energy and several other subject areas recently gathered in Kingsport, Tenn., at the Tennessee Valley Corridor’s 17th National Technology Summit.

A stellar panel of speakers helped explore some Tennessee Valley solutions for the America’s energy sources of tomorrow – ranging from nuclear to clean coal, to new cutting-edge alternatives like bio-fuels and “grass-oline,” in which switchgrass is used to produce ethanol.

Other sessions addressed equally important topics, including homeland security and building a resilient America. The presentation from the National Institute for Hometown Security, Y-12 National Security Complex and the new Southeast Regional Research Initiative at Oak Ridge National Laboratory offered insight into those who work to assist local, state and regional leaders in the Southeast in developing new tools and techniques to better prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters – whether man-made from terrorist attacks or from natural causes like hurricanes and tornados.

A session led by Summit host Congressman David Davis and Congressman Lincoln Davis focused on how to boost health care access and affordability to all who live in the Corridor – including in our most rural areas. And another session centered on boosting college rates and how to maintain a technical workforce in the Corridor.

Tennessee U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander brought keynote remarks to the event at the Summit’s opening dinner where he addressed America’s future economic competitiveness and how to maintain our competitive advantage. For the past two years, Senator Alexander has helped craft legislation to keep America’s brainpower advantage, and just this year helped introduce and pass the America COMPETES Act in the U.S. Senate to provide incentives to keep America competitive in fields of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

As our great nation continues to face challenges such as energy independence and remaining competitive in science, technology and math – it is now, more than ever, absolutely vital that we continue to work smarter at working together – and to show national leadership through the regional cooperation we have developed in our Tennessee Valley Corridor.