Petition encourages more affordable solutions

Carbon dioxide emissions are a major concern with

During the co-op's annual meeting, more than 400 Capital Electric members signed a petition asking Congress to slow down when considering climate change legislation.

new
baseload generation. There are currently several bills in Congress which would impose added costs for carbon dioxide emissions. The Lieberman-Warner bill as introduced could have been very expensive for cooperatives’ coal-fired power plants.

During Capital Electric’s annual meeting, Lars Nygren, general manager, said these proposed costs would have an impact on electric consumers’ pocketbooks—nationally and locally.

“We think it’s prudent to get some answers up front, so we hope if you haven’t already, you will take a moment and sign Basin’s petition. We need your help to get some answers and express our collective concerns,” he said.

Erin Huntimer, staff writer and editor for Basin Electric Power Cooperative, said the petition encourages Congress to slow down when considering climate change legislation. She discussed the petition at length with interested members and answered their questions. More than 400 Capital Electric members stopped to sign the petition.

“Basin Electric wholeheartedly supports reasonable climate change legislation, but we are encouraging Congress to find solutions that keep costs down and electricity available and reliable,” she emphasized. “With reasonable timetables and investments in technology, we can solve the problem without unreasonable costs to Americans.”

Members urged to contact congressional delegates

On Friday, June 6, Congress voted to defeat the Lieberman-Warner bill. This however, will not be the end. More bills will follow, so Basin Electric is urging local co-op consumers to contact their U.S. Senators and urge them to develop a climate change plan that allows for a clean and healthy environment without further hurting the economy.

Local co-op members CAN make a difference! Basin Electric asks local consumers to contact their congressional delegates and ask the following questions:

     1. Experts say our nation’s 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?

For more information, visit www.findabettersolution.com.