The annual National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Legislative Conference serves as an essential platform for sharing with our Congressional Delegation how decisions made in our nation’s capital impact the communities we serve.
Electric cooperative representatives annually travel to Washington, D.C., to engage with legislators. While there, these representatives advocate for you and our communities to ensure you have access to reliable and affordable power.
This year, Bill Conley, Boone REMC president and CEO, attended the conference. He and other electric cooperative leaders engaged in meaningful discussions with elected officials and their staff.
A primary concern NRECA shares is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent rule for existing coal and new natural gas power generation plants. Not-for-profit electric cooperatives like Boone REMC are responsible for representing the best interest of our consumers and are concerned about the impact of this rule.
The final rule forces the premature closure of always-available power plants while making it harder to permit, site, and build critical new power plants. The rule comes at a time when reliability concerns are growing, and energy demand is increasing across the country. Indiana’s electric cooperatives support a responsible energy policy that balances our members’ energy needs with environmental concerns.
Another issue electric cooperative leaders raised is the protection of the rural electric infrastructure that powers our homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses. The electric pole network owned by Boone REMC is also used by cable, telephone, and broadband companies. Our cooperative must ensure that pole infrastructure is structurally sound for all intended uses and meets electric reliability and safety standards. However, legislative or regulatory proposals could impact electricity’s safety, reliability, and cost. We asked federal legislators to leave rules about our local electric infrastructure up to state policymakers.
Throughout our meetings, legislators recognized our role as representatives of our members, ensuring that your voices are heard in Washington.
To stay informed about government relations activities affecting the electric industry, sign up as a grassroots advocate at bremc.com/political-engagement.
