2023 Endorsements | Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund

Endorsements on this page include:

Freddie O’Connell for Mayor of Nashville
Amelia Parker for Knoxville City Council
Van Turner for Memphis Mayor
Pearl Walker for Memphis City Council District 3

Van Turner and Pearl Walker Endorsed by Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund in Memphis Elections

Turner and Walker have proven records of working to advance clean and equitable energy choices that benefit the Memphis community

September 1, 2023
CONTACT: Amy Rawe, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund, amyr@cleanenergyactionfund.org

Memphis, TN — The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) Action Fund, which works to make clean energy solutions a top priority for our region’s elected leaders, today announced its endorsements of Van Turner for Memphis Mayor and Pearl Walker for City Council District 3.

Memphis residents pay some of the most unaffordable energy bills of major metro areas in the nation, while too often facing power outages and unreliable electric service. Memphis needs leaders who can tackle the energy issues that affect life for Memphians.

Van Turner for Memphis Mayor

Van Turner has the record to show that he is the mayoral candidate who will help solve the problems that energy poses to Memphians and bring improvements to people in the Memphis community through transitioning to clean energy.

Van Turner’s record includes:

Protecting residents from the proposed Byhalia crude oil pipeline with multiple actions as County Commissioner;
Supporting accountability and transparency for Memphians as MLGW considers their power supply contracts;
Making campaign priorities of investing in infrastructure to avoid power outages and prepare for global warming, promoting clean energy and clean transportation, ensuring Memphis’ power suppliers deliver the services that the community needs, and protecting Memphians’ environment from toxic coal ash.

Dr. Stephen A. Smith, Executive Director of the SACE Action Fund, said about Turner, “Of all the candidates for Mayor, Van Turner is the one with the most knowledge and experience of how Memphis’ utility company works and doesn’t work. As Mayor, he will be ready to lead on the issues of affordable bills, reliable service, and a clean and healthy energy future. He has the leadership skills to confront Memphis’ infrastructure problems and address energy burdens, and elevate Memphis to be a clean energy leader in the Mid-South.”

Pearl Walker for Memphis City Council District 3

Pearl Walker has a proven record of leadership through shedding light on the problems that energy poses to Memphians and proposing solutions that will benefit the Memphis community through transitioning to clean energy.

Pearl Walker’s record includes:

Helping lead the Memphis Has the Power campaign to achieve affordable, equitable, and clean energy for Memphians;
Helping lead efforts, alongside MCAP and other community leaders, to fight the Byhalia crude oil pipeline and protect against the pipeline’s impacts on residents and the local environment;
Serving as the Environmental and Climate Justice chair of the Memphis Chapter of the NAACP;
Demanding accountability from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) on their legacy coal ash pollution

Dr. Stephen A. Smith, Executive Director of the SACE Action Fund, said about Walker, “Pearl Walker is poised and ready to work for environmental justice for Memphis residents. From working on stopping the Byhalia Pipeline to demanding accountability for coal ash pollution, to pushing for affordable, equitable, and clean energy for MLGW customers, Pearl is a proven champion for environmental justice. As a member of the Memphis City Council, Pearl will bring these skills to tackle issues of affordable utility bills, reliable utility service, and a clean and healthy energy future. She has shown time and again that she works to ease the energy burdens that many Memphians face.”

Early voting for Memphis municipal elections begins September 15 and will run until September 30. Election Day is October 5.

Voters can find 2023 Memphis election information here.

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund wishes Van Turner and Pearl Walker well in their campaigns and thanks them for consistent leadership in advancing clean energy and climate progress for the people of Memphis.

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Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund (SACE Action Fund), the political arm of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, is a non-partisan, nonprofit (c4) organization striving to make clean energy solutions a top priority for our region’s elected leaders. SACE Action Fund engages in public education, legislative action, and electoral accountability here in the Southeast. Learn more at www.cleanenergyactionfund.org.

Endorsements for candidates by the SACE Action Fund are based primarily on the following endorsement criteria:

Does the candidate have a track record supporting clean energy and climate policies?
Has the candidate utilized social media or been quoted by the media expressing support for clean energy and climate change policies?
Does the candidate’s website provide a statement in support of clean energy or climate change or list clean energy or climate action policies as a priority?

Freddie O’Connell Endorsed by Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund for Nashville Mayor

O’Connell has a proven record of working to advance clean and equitable energy choices that benefit the community

August 24, 2023
CONTACT: Chris Carnevale, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund, chris@cleanenergyactionfund.org

Nashville, TN — The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) Action Fund, which works to make clean energy solutions a top priority for our region’s elected leaders, today announced its endorsement of Freddie O’Connell for Mayor of Nashville.

With the climate crisis more urgent than ever before, it is critical that we have true leaders at all levels of government–local, state, and federal. Freddie O’Connell has proven time and again that he is not only willing to be a real climate leader, but also skillful and adept at getting results so that Nashville residents can reap the benefits of clean energy.

Early voting for Nashville’s runoff election begins Friday, August 25, and will run until September 9. Election Day is September 14.

Voters can find 2023 City of Nashville runoff election information here.

Mr. O’Connell has a proven record of working to advance clean and equitable energy choices that benefit the community in Nashville. His record includes:

Championing the Nashville “green New Deal” package of policies enacted by Metro government, including transitioning the City to 100% clean, renewable energy, a zero-emission vehicle fleet, and stronger green building standards;
Sponsoring a resolution in Metro Council, urging the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to pursue clean, renewable energy and battery storage in Middle Tennessee to replace the retiring Cumberland coal plant, rather than TVA’s preferred plan of replacing the plant with a large fossil gas plant and pipeline;
Proposing to begin moving toward 100% solar power for municipal buildings on his first day as Mayor, which would help address the climate crisis, increase energy security, and be less reliant on TVA during extreme weather events;
Making a campaign priority of doing earnest preparation at the local level to make the best use of federal investment from the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Dr. Stephen A. Smith, Executive Director of the SACE Action Fund, said about O’Connell, “Freddie O’Connell has proven that he does the work to help Nashville residents benefit from the transition to clean energy. He is experienced and ready to go on day one to put Nashville on track to be one of the leading cities in the South on clean energy and addressing the climate crisis. We are proud to endorse Freddie O’Connell for Mayor of Nashville.”

Endorsements for candidates by the SACE Action Fund are based primarily on the following endorsement criteria:

Does the candidate have a track record supporting clean energy and climate policies?
Has the candidate utilized social media or been quoted by the media expressing support for clean energy and climate change policies?
Does the candidate’s website provide a statement in support of clean energy or climate change or list clean energy or climate action policies as a priority?

Early voting for Nashville’s runoff election begins Friday, August 25, and will run until September 9. Election Day is September 14.

Voters can find 2023 City of Nashville runoff election information here.

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund wishes Mr. O’Connell well in his campaign and thanks him for consistent leadership in advancing clean energy and climate progress for the people of Nashville and Davidson County.

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Amelia Parker Endorsed by Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund for Knoxville City Council

Parker has a proven record of working to advance a better environment and more equitable community

August 10, 2023
CONTACT: Chris Carnevale, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund, chris@cleanenergyactionfund.org

Knoxville, TN — The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) Action Fund, which works to make clean energy solutions a top priority for our region’s elected leaders, today announced its endorsement of Amelia Parker for Knoxville City Council, At-Large Seat C.

Councilwoman Parker has a proven record of working to advance a better environment and more equitable community in Knoxville. Evidence of her commitment includes:

Championing a charter amendment initiative to increase accountability, cost-savings, and transparency from KUB, which resulted in a five-year freeze on KUB (Knoxville Utilities Board) basic service fees, commitments from the mayor to appoint low-income and environmental advocates to the KUB Board of Directors, and the establishment of the KUB Community Advisory Panel;
Making campaign priorities of climate education and accountability, and helping residents, including low income households and renters, find policies and incentives to help them make home energy improvements and reduce energy pollution;
Formerly serving as Executive Director of SOCM (Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment), a leading organization promoting clean energy and energy justice.

Dr. Stephen A. Smith, Executive Director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund, said, “We are proud to endorse Amelia Parker as a proven leader for our community and champion for clean and equitable energy policy at the local government level. Amelia has demonstrated that good policies are not always the easiest policies to advance, yet time and time again Amelia stands up for our community even as powerful interests attempt to hold her back. This at-large district seat in this election is not for sale to the person with the most money, this is why we stand with Amelia Parker.”

Endorsements for candidates by the SACE Action Fund are based primarily on the following endorsement criteria:

Does the candidate have a track record supporting clean energy and climate policies?
Has the candidate utilized social media or been quoted by the media expressing support for clean energy and climate change policies?
Does the candidate’s website provide a statement in support of clean energy or climate change or list clean energy or climate action policies as a priority?

Early voting for Knoxville’s primary election began Wednesday, August 9, and will run until Thursday, August 24. Primary election day is August 29. The top two winners of each City Council district primary election will be on the general election ballot in the fall.

Voters can find 2023 City of Knoxville primary election information here.

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund wishes Councilwoman Parker well in her campaign and thanks her for consistent leadership on behalf of advancing clean energy and climate justice for the people of Knoxville.

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