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COM M E NTARY Celebrate Cooperatives around the world


Chris Meyers General Manager, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives


he year of 2012 marks the In- ternational Year of Coopera- tives. It was offi cially launched on October 31, 2011 in New York City at the United Na- tions General Assem- bly. The international attention is intended to raise public aware- ness of the invaluable contributions that


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cooperative enterprises have and continue to make to social and economic demands around the world. The year offers a chance for us and cooperatives of all types to showcase their legacy of innovation and achievement.


As electric cooperatives we’re focused on provid- ing safe, reliable, and affordable power. Electric co- operatives may only serve 12 percent of Americans, but our lines cover 75 percent of this great nation. By banding together, we deliver power to 42 million rural Americans in 47 states.


Electric cooperatives make up only 900 of Amer- ica’s 29,200 co-ops. Our business model works for dairy farmers and small business owners, fi nancial institutions, grocery stores, insurance, housing, and child care. Therefore, it’s no wonder the number of


J. Chris Cariker President,


Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives


his is the last article in a se- ries describing proposed Environmen- tal Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory poli- cies. If fully implement- ed, these policies could raise the cost to gener- ate electricity by mil- lions of dollars.


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On January 2, 2011, the EPA began regulating greenhouse gas (GHG)


emissions from stationary sources, including power plants, under the prevention of signifi cant deterio- ration (PSD) and Title V permitting programs of the Clean Air Act (CAA). BACKGROUND: The U.S. Supreme Court in 2007 determined the


defi nition of ‘pollutant’ in the CAA to be so broad that it includes emissions of GHGs, and directed EPA to make a determination as to whether or not emissions of these gases from new automobiles “en- dangered” public health and welfare. When EPA and the U.S. Department of Trans- portation’s National Highway Safety Administra- tion announced their joint fi nal rule in April 2010, regulating tailpipe emissions from motor vehicles, the decision triggered provisions in the CAA that require EPA to regulate new and modifi ed stationary


4 OKLAHOMA LIVING


cooperative enterprises see a continuous growth. One out of every four Americans is a co-op mem- ber; there are more than 1 billion members around the world. Co-ops fi ll a community need, giving a voice to folks that profi t-driven businesses often overlook. Co-ops share a common set of principles and values, including self-help and democracy. It’s important to remember co-ops put people rather than profits first. Electric cooperatives brought electricity to rural areas, improving our quality of life and economic well being when no one else would. Nearly three-quarters of a century later we are still delivering power to our residential, commercial and industrial members. We also want to celebrate our legacy of innova- tion. Co-ops adapt quickly to change, and we work together—cooperatively—to fi nd solutions to im- prove service for our members. Innovation at the electric cooperatives takes many forms, from our energy effi ciency and renewable energy efforts to transforming the electric grid. We have been lead- ers in the deployment of smart grid technologies that improve operating effi ciencies and lower costs. Our members receive all the benefi ts associated with these system improvements.


When a community is challenged to make life better, the cooperative business model can be used to meet the challenge. By putting people fi rst and innovating to meet member needs, cooperative en- terprises build a better world. OL


Last of “Big Five” EPA regulations: Greenhouse Gas Emissions


sources as well – including electric power generation plants.


WHERE WE STAND: ✓ The National Rural Electric Cooperative Associ-


ation (NRECA) and its electric cooperative members believe the Clean Air Act is unsuitable for control- ling greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, coopera- tives oppose using the CAA to regulate greenhouse


gases from stationary sources. ✓ Electric cooperatives support legislative propos- als and similar efforts to develop a responsible reso- lution to the issue of how the nation will address


climate change concerns. ✓ NRECA has submitted fi nal comments to the EPA explaining why we believe that fossil-fuel fi red electric generating facilities would be signifi cantly affected by any decision EPA may make regarding regulation of GHGs emitted from mobile or sta- tionary sources under the existing provisions of the


Clean Air Act. ✓ NRECA, through the Utility Air Regulatory Group (UARG), has also submitted formal com-


ments to EPA on their “tailoring rule.” ✓ NRECA has fi led a petition for review in the D.C. Circuit Court challenging EPA’s motor vehicle


greenhouse gas rule. ✓ NRECA has fi led comments with EPA stating that the proposed 10-month time period between proposal and fi nal action on GHG new source per- formance standards (NSPS) is inadequate to fully consider all comments that the agency has surely received. OL


Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives


Chris Meyers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .General Manager J. Chris Cariker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President Glenn Propps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vice-President Joe Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Secretary-Treasurer


Staff


Sid Sperry . . . . . . . . . . . . Director of PR & Communications sksperry@oaec.coop


Anna Politano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Managing Editor editor@ok-living.coop


Larry Skoch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Advertising Manager lskoch@ok-living.coop


Christy Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Offi ce Manager cjohnson@oaec.coop


Kirbi Bailey . . . . . . . . . . . . .Accountant/Offi ce Manager Asst. kbailey@oaec.coop


Emilia Buchanan . . . . . . . . . . . . Communications Assistant ebuchanan@oaec.coop


Hayley Imel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intern intern@ok-living.coop


Editorial, Advertising and General Offi ces


P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309 Phone (405) 478-1455 Oklahoma Living online: www.ok-living.coop


Subscriptions


$3.12 per year for rural electric cooperative members. $6.00 per year for non-members.


Cooperative Members: Report change of address to your local rural electric cooperative.


Non-Cooperative Members: Send address changes to Oklahoma Living, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309.


Oklahoma Living (ISSN 1064-8968), USPS 407-040, is published monthly for consumer-members of Oklahoma’s rural electric cooperatives by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, 2325 E. I-44 Service Road, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309.


Circulation this issue: 317,496 Periodical postage paid at Stillwater, Oklahoma.


The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives is a statewide service organization for the following electric cooperatives: Alfalfa, Arkansas Valley, Caddo, Canadian Valley, Central Rural, Choctaw, Cimarron, Cookson Hills, Cotton, East Central Oklahoma, Harmon, Indian, KAMO Power, Kay, Kiamichi, Kiwash, Lake Region, Northeast Oklahoma, Northfork, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Ozarks, People’s, Red River Valley, Rural, Southeastern, Southwest Rural, Tri-County, Verdigris Valley, and Western Farmers Electric Cooperative.


Audit


Bureau of Circulations


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