Electric Co-op Today

Co-op leaders from 28 states spread across Capitol Hill Sept. 28–29, armed with more than half-a-million postcards from their members urging lawmakers to keep affordable electricity at the forefront of the debate on climate change legislation.

With Missouri co-op leaders, U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-Mo., looks at more than 30,000 postcards sent to his office. (Photo By: Luis Gomez)

About 125 managers, directors and top co-op officials gathered at Climate Change Rally Day, a fly-in event timed to ensure co-op voices are heard as the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee starts to work on a climate bill.

In support of the co-op position, participants carried plastic bins, storage containers and tote bags full of postcards, all collected since the House passed its version of a climate change bill in late June, to Senate offices before meeting with senators or their staffers.

NRECA CEO Glenn English said he was delighted at the volume of postcards, which have been distributed to members at annual meetings, as inserts in statewide magazines and monthly bills, and through mailings.

“You might want to tell your senator today that this is the beginning of this campaign, not the end,” English said.

Dena G. Stoner, NRECA vice president for government relations, said more postcards are on the way. Some states are still in the process of distributing postcards to members, in addition to the 515,000 counted through Sept. 27. “We know that we will get a lot more from other states,” she said.

At press time, Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., was set to introduce a greenhouse gas bill that is expected to become the basis for deliberation in the Senate. In the full Senate, English told co-op officials that a group of 10 to 15 swing votes is likely to hold the balance of power on a final bill.

“Those are people, for the most part, that have heavy representation from electric cooperatives. So we have an opportunity to make an impact on those senators and the Senate at large to deliver those cards and talk about this issue,” he said.

Tags: Climate Change Legislation, Grassroots, Our Energy Our Future, Statewides