(the following account of the 2008 NRECA Annual Meeting
appeared in the April 2008 Rural Missouri)

Let's Talk

NRECA urges dialogue on climate change and rising rates

An introduction by Glenn English to the "Our Energy, Our Future" grassroots lobbying campaign.

With climate change legislation on the front burner in Congress, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association launched a new campaign at its annual meeting to get members nationwide involved in the debate. The “Our Energy, Our Future” campaign is designed to ensure elected officials grasp the importance of reliable, affordable power.

During his annual speech to the members, NRECA CEO Glenn English said the association is launching an unprecedented effort to open a dialogue between the 40 million electric cooperative members and lawmakers about a topic that has not been part of the debate to date — the effect climate change laws will have on the price and availability of electricity.

“It’s going to be extremely difficult to have affordable electric power or even, in some case enough power, given some of the discussion that’s taking place in Washington and some state legislatures,” English said. “We need for our members and their elected officials to get together and get on the same page.”

The grassroots campaign launched at the meeting hopes to motivate electric cooperative members to ask their legislators three important questions:

1. Experts say that our nations’ growing electricity needs will soon go well beyond what renewables, conservation and efficiency can provide; What is your plan to make sure we have the electricity we’ll need in the future?

2. What are you doing to fully fund the research required to make emissions-free electric plants an affordable reality?

3. Balancing electricity needs and environmental goals will be difficult. How much is all this going to increase my electric bill and what will you do to make it affordable?

Those attending the meeting got the ball rolling by sending thousands of e-mails to Capitol Hill.

Whatever your stand on the climate change debate, the price you pay for electricity in the future — and likely its availability as well — depends on getting involved in this discussion. NRECA has made it easy by setting up a Web site at www.ourenergy.coop. Those logging on to the site can quickly send an e-mail or letters to their elected officials asking them these important questions.

In the end, it’s your wallet that will most be affected by what is happening in the halls of Congress. For this reason, it makes sense to get involved.

The nation’s electric cooperatives believe the twin goals of protecting our environment and keeping the price of electricity affordable are possible. But doing so requires a seat at the table during this far-reaching debate.