Join us for this hour long interview with Tom “Smitty” Smith of Public Citizen. The program will be repeated for 24 hours and then again on the weekend.

"Smitty" has served as state director of Public Citizen since 1985. He has received the 2001 Austin Chronicles critics choice award for Best Peoples Lobbyist as well as a U.S. EPAs Environmental Excellence Award.

Mr. Smith served on four commissions that looked at the future of the utility industry in Texas and helped to pass laws requiring Texas to develop 5,000 MW of renewable energy. He also helped develop the City of Austin Green Power program which is one of the countrys most successful programs and which is now producing savings on customer bills due to fuel price savings. He can speak to a variety of issues related to both local and national energy policies, including renewable energy, Emissions Reductions Plan, wind power, solar power, utility industry, fighting new coal plants in TX and energy alternatives.

Public Citizen is a consumer and environmental group active in issues concerning energy, environment, ethics and campaign finance reforms. During his tenure at Public Citizen, Smitty has served on four commissions that looked at the future of the utility industry in Texas and has testified on more than 100 occasions on energy policy. His proudest accomplishments are: helping to pass laws requiring Texas to develop 5,000 MW of renewable energy and creating the Texas Emissions Reductions Plan, which reduces emissions from Texas dirtiest diesels, gives incentives for purchasing the cleanest new cars and trucks, requires political subdivisions to reduce their energy use by 25% over the next 5 years and requires all new homes or commercial buildings to meet newtough energy use standards.

He serves on the boards of Clean Water Action, Texas Wind Coalition, Texans for Public Justice, Campaigns for People, Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association, the Clean Energy Project of CEERT, Westcave Preserve, and a solar energy company.

Smitty hails from Illinois. He graduated from Valparaiso University in northern Indiana and became a Texan by choice in 1974. Before joining Public Citizen, he worked as a paralegal at a legal aid office, as a legislative aide, directed the Houston Food bank and ran an anti-hunger advocacy program.