March 2009
Working and Striving for Our Co-op Members
By Glenn English,
Chief Executive Officer
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Over the past 30 years, the issue of climate change has been an issue on our national agenda. Lawmakers have discussed it. And certainly the news media has focused on it. And over the past few years, it has taken on mythical proportions as people discuss it back and forth.
The reality is that what we have are experts who are voicing their opinions on both sides. The reality is no one can prove their position. So what we are left with are experts stating theories which are really opinions.
However, there are some major issues that can be proven. We do have some facts before us. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency, under the Clean Air Act, today has the authority to regulate carbon emissions in this nation. What can be proven is that the President of the United States has stated his intention to regulate carbon emissions, but has now asked the Congress to address this very important issue.
But in the short term, it will require all the political strength we can possibly muster if in fact we are going to do our best for our members.
What can be proven is that the leadership of Congress has expressed their intention to pass legislation which will regulate carbon emissions. And what can also be proven is that the leadership of the House of Representatives enjoys an 80-vote majority. And the leadership of the United States Senate enjoys a nine-vote majority. And several members in both the House and the Senate of the minority party have voiced their strong support for regulating carbon emissions.
Now, the discomfort of thought is that, barring any monumental shift, we are going to see carbon regulated in this country. And likely it’s going to be sooner rather than later.
The issue before us today is not a question: Will carbon be regulated? The question is: How? And the issue we must decide is how we will respond. How will we react? Will we ignore these facts and take comfort in simply expressing our opinions? Or will we deal with the facts and impact legislation as it moves forward through this Congress?
The options we have facing us are not favorable to our membership. The options that we have facing us will be costly. However, some options are less costly than others. Some options are more workable than others. And we have an opportunity to determine which options will be implemented.
There is a lot of work that has to be done if in fact we’re going to do our best for our membership. There is no question that the future is going to be different for all of us.
Electric bills are going up, and there is not much we can do about that. We can control by how much, but they are going up. And it’s incumbent on us to level with our membership, to explain what is taking place, and explain the fact that these are requirements that have been placed on us by government, not costs because of actions by the co-op itself.
The electric cooperative business model can either go the way of the Polaroid camera, the electric typewriter or 45 rpm records, and simply become a footnote in history; or, we can embrace change. We can be creative and come up with new ideas. We can in fact re-invent and develop ourselves for the future, in keeping with those Cooperative Principles we all hold so dear.
This will require great strength, great determination, great conviction, on the part of all the leadership of the electric co-op program. All of us have to join together. But in the short term, it will require all the political strength we can possibly muster if in fact we are going to do our best for our members. Grassroots strength is what will be required to minimize the size of the increases in electric bills.
Folks, in 47 states, 42 million people are counting on you [cooperative leaders] giving the right answer. They are counting on all of us [cooperative leaders], together, united, to look after them, to do this job for them. And, my friends, we must not let them down.
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