Electric Co-op Today

Lee McLaughlin, Paul Sigurdson and Marty Dahl, all co-op officials from North Dakota, had a big job to do on the second day of the NRECA Legislative Conference.

Rep. Bob Latta discusses energy policy with leaders from Georgia co-ops. (Photo By: Luis Gomez Photos)

McLaughlin and Sigurdson, board directors of Nodak Electric Co-op, Grand Forks, and Dahl, general manager of McLean Electric Co-op, Garrison, were tasked with educating members of Congress who have a short history with electric co-ops about key issues.

ECT.coop caught up with the men while they were waiting in a long security line outside the Longworth House Office Building, which houses the office of freshman lawmaker Rep. Rick Berg, R-N.D.

Later that day, they were scheduled to meet with members of Congress from Connecticut, which has no electric co-ops.

While Berg is likely no stranger to electric co-ops (“If you run for office in North Dakota, you know who we are,” said Sigurdson), some education, co-op-style, is in order, the men said. “He’s got to be educated,” Sigurdson said.

At the top of the agenda for the North Dakotans—and for the some 2,500 co-op leaders in Washington, D.C., for the annual conference—were issues relating to captive rail; comparable incentives for renewable generation; funding for the Rural Utilities Service; and regulation of coal ash.  Read more

Tags: Grassroots, Legislation, Legislative Conference