As part of TVA's historic reorganization, Bill Baxter has stepped down from his position as board chairman. He remains on the new board as a director.

Because being a TVA board member is no longer a full-time job, Baxter announced new career plans, saying he has accepted a position with the Knoxville News Sentinel as "Senior Environmental News Editor." His duties will involve monitoring the News Sentinel's TVA fax hotline for breaking press releases on TVA's fifty-year program to upgrade pollution controls at its eleven coal-fired power plants, and penning a new weekly column entitled "Baxter Clears the Air on Coal: Why It's Good For You and Critical to My Friend President Bush's Clear Skies Initiative." As part of his duties, Baxter will also have editorial control over all News Sentinel environmental reporting.

In a press conference announcing Baxter's hiring, News Sentinel publisher Bruce Hartmann said, "We couldn't be more happy to have Bill on board. I've felt for some time that our reporting on TVA could be more balanced. I talked to our editor Jack McElroy about it and he suggested Baxter for the new post, citing their long-standing relationship and Baxter's extensive background in editing News Sentinel coverage of TVA. It's a win-win for everybody, and especially the environment."

News Sentinel environmental reporter Scott Barker was out on assignment covering the breaking South Knox Waterfront story and could not be reached for comment.