A longtime supporter of North Carolina’s cooperatives, Rep. Robin Hayes, Republican from Cabarrus County, listened to and agreed with statements about the need for a balanced federal energy policy that combines alternative and conventional energy resources.
Rep. Heath Shuler, Democrat from Haywood County, told the co-op representatives that he supports safe and environmentally responsible energy production and will back measures for research and development.
After meeting with the cooperatives’ delegation in May, U.S. Sen. Richard Burr voted in early June against a climate change measure that the co-op representatives told him would raise consumer prices significantly.
Rep. G.K. Butterfield, who represents much of northeastern North Carolina, met with more than 135 electric co-op delegates and stressed that as a “natural ally” of co-op member-consumers he aims to ensure that low- and middle-income families are not the “loadbearing agents” of federal climate change and energy policy reforms.
in Washington that while she and the co-ops might disagree on the impact of the climate change bill, she is willing to listen to the co-ops’ views on all issues. In early June, the Senate held a vote to end debate on the climate change bill and move it forward. Electric cooperatives asked their senators to vote “no” because the bill did not contain enough consumer protection. However, Dole was among 48 senators who voted “yes” to end debate on the bill and move it forward. Sen. Richard Burr, a Republican from Winston-Salem, supported cooperatives by voting “no.” The 48 votes fell short of the 60 required to move the bill forward, so the controversial climate change measure did not prevail in the Senate this term. At the May meeting, Dole did mention her support for maintaining federal loans for co-ops involved in building
generation plants, as well as rural economic development programs. She said, “I am with you on that.” Sen. Burr supported the cooperatives’ message on the Lieberman/ Warner bill and on balancing climate change reforms with sensible energy policy. He said Americans must not only address climate change but also must “consider where an energy policy will take us in the next two decades.
We shouldn’t make up energy policy as we go along.” He urged action toward bringing the world’s developed nations “financially into the game” on climate change and energy issues. He also noted that “for us to become independent of foreign oil, we need to increase our own production.” As climate change debate continues in the Senate, Burr said “it doesn’t make sense to set a bar before the technology is there.”
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Contact your representatives Consumers can ask elected officials about a balanced energy plan. Your questions will help our elected officials set climate change goals that keep electric bills affordable. Electric cooperatives have a Web site that will send a question from you, directly to your representatives. Go to www.ourenergy.coop and plug in your address. There you’ll be able to ask a series of questions to your representatives in Washington. Carolina Country JULY 2008 13
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