Attaching Objects to Poles Puts Lives on the Line – And It’s a Crime
What do yard sale signs, basketball hoops, deer stands, satellite dishes, and birdhouses have in common? They’re often found illegally attached to utility poles. But this isn’t only a crime of inconvenience. S afety i ssues caused by unapproved pole attach- ments place the lives of linework- ers and the public in peril. It may seem innocent, but a small nail partially driven into a pole can pierce a lineworkers glove, stripping away critical pro- tection from high-voltage electric- ity.
“NFEC line crews climb utility poles at all hours of the day and night, in the worst of conditions,” explains Richard Bowdre, NFEC director of operations. “Anything attached to utility poles can create serious hazards for our line person- nel. Sharp objects like nails, tacks,
staples, or barbed wire can punc- ture rubber gloves and other safety equipment, making linemen vulner- able to electrocution.”
Not only do these attachments put line crews at risk—anyone illegally placing these items on
poles comes dangerously close to energized power lines with thou- sands of volts of energy pulsing overhead. 10564-001 It’s always wise to keep any structure at least 10 feet away from utility poles.
There’s Still Time for Energy Tax Credits
If you need new windows, roof- ing or air conditioning, try to buy them before the end of 2011. That’s when the federal government’s tax improvements will expire. Bigger, better tax credits for in- sulation, roofs, doors, windows, heating/air conditioning and water heaters—up to $1,500—expired at the end of 2010. But the govern- ment extended smaller tax credits through this year.
October is Cooperative Month
When the economy is uncertain and the country’s leaders can’t seem to agree what to do about it, it’s good to know that your neighbors have your back.
One of those good neighbors is your electric cooperative. Your electric utility is locally owned. In fact, you and your neighbors
own it.
That’s the nature of the cooperative way of doing business. A coopera- tive is owned by the people who use its services. That’s why your coop- erative refers to you as a consumer-member instead of as a customer. As a member-owner, you have a say in how your electric cooperative
operates. You may attend the cooperative’s annual membership meeting, vote for which of your neighbors may sit on its board of directors, or even run for a seat on the board yourself. Electric cooperatives do not sell stock on Wall Street or rely on inves- tors to stay in business. It’s a community business—and it always has been.
They include a credit for 10 percent of the cost, up to $500, for biomass stoves; heating, ventilating and a/c, insulation; metal and asphalt roofs; non-solar water heaters; and win- dows and doors.
Through 2016, you can take a cred- it of 30 percent of the cost with no limit for geothermal heat pumps; small, residential wind turbines; and solar energy systems. You’ll need to have the product in- stalled by Dec. 31 to take the credit on your 2011 taxes. For more details, visit www.ener-
gystar.gov.
Hidden Account Number If you see your account
number in this newsletter, call our number. We will credit your elec- tric bill $25. The number may be located anywhere in the newslet- ter and is chosen at random. If you don’t know your account
your bill. To get the credit, you must call before the next month’s newsletter is mailed.
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