Mobile Courant

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ranking Member of the AG Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, led a hearing to address the need for robust infrastructure to protect rural areas from natural disasters. The session also examined how federal support can be improved for disaster response, recovery, and resiliency in these communities.

Senator Tuberville questioned two Alabama natives—Wiregrass Electric Cooperative CEO Brad Kimbro and Alabama Rural Water Association President Mark Bohlin—on topics including apprenticeship programs for workforce development, cybersecurity, disaster assistance access for rural communities, and ensuring a diverse energy resource portfolio for utilities.

In his opening statement, Senator Tuberville highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by rural areas during natural disasters. He noted that rural infrastructure often lags behind during national disasters and emphasized the importance of rapid recovery and community safety.

"You know, today’s discussion [is] on a very important issue for my constituents in Alabama. We’re on the Gulf and we’re obviously in the tornado fly-away," Tuberville stated. He pointed out that "communities never expect to have this happen to them" when natural disasters strike unexpectedly.

Tuberville stressed that access to affordable electric, water, and wastewater infrastructure is essential for survival across the country. He remarked that "rural areas are usually the last one to get any relief."

Hurricane Beryl's recent impact across Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and the Midwest was cited as an example of the urgent need for prioritizing investments in rebuilding critical infrastructure in rural areas. Tuberville acknowledged that many farmers still struggle from past hurricanes due to insufficient aid.

During a Q&A session with Mark Bohlin about workforce challenges in rural areas, Tuberville asked about an apprenticeship program in water management. Bohlin explained: "We’ve found out by partnering with the Alabama Rural Water Association and the apprenticeship program [...] they can provide an avenue that we can get our employees classroom time [...] so that they can become licensed operators."

Bohlin shared success stories from their apprenticeship program: "I’m proud to say that right now, we’ve got one employee that is in the apprenticeship program [...] And we’ve got another employee we’re fixing to put in there."

In another Q&A session with Brad Kimbro on energy resources in rural areas, Tuberville discussed devastation caused by tornadoes and hurricanes. Kimbro emphasized reliability and affordability: "We would like to see an all [of the above] approach [...] Certainly after these storms [...] reliability is very critical."

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and serves on several committees including Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP.