Commentary
114th Congress Ends with Co-op Wins The fi rst provision brought certainty in the en-
Y
Chris Meyers General Manager, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives
our local elec- tric cooperative works close- ly with the
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in Washington D.C., to shape federal poli- cies that help electric coop- eratives achieve their goal
of providing affordable, reliable, and safe elec- tric power to you, the member-owner. Electric co-ops are “hands on” in legislative and agency rule making processes. The combined efforts of all 900-plus electric co-ops across the nation are very powerful. At the end of the 114th U.S. Congress, co-ops
were successful in addressing several areas of con- cern while others are yet unresolved and left to be picked up again in the next Congress. In the final hours, well after midnight, the Senate passed the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. This broad bill was championed by Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe and contained two important provisions for co-ops.
forcement of coal ash disposal. Coal ash is a non-hazardous material, but there are rules to be followed for safe disposal. Much of it is repur- posed as an additive in concrete used to build highways and bridges. The enforcement of EPA rules on proper disposal of coal ash was given specifi cally to state agencies. Clarifying enforce- ment responsibilities reduces uncertainty and most likely avoids expensive litigation. The sec- ond important provision was the elimination of easement renewal fees for the electric coopera- tives on Corps of Engineers’ property. The origi- nal easements signed by both parties are at the end of their initial 50-year term. The powerlines within those easements have long served the Corps and other members and will continue to do so long into the future. Resolving this conten- tious issue will save Oklahoma co-op members hundreds of thousands of dollars. These two important wins directly affect costs.
When it comes to federal legislation, it’s a team effort. We are thankful for our U.S. senators and congressmen who support us in our constant bat- tle to maintain affordable, reliable and safe elec- tric power.
Setting Goals for the New Year T
Gary McCune President, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives
his is the time of year that we tend to be re- fl ective on what
we “were” to accomplish last year and what we “ac- tually” accomplished. It’s also a time to set new goals for the upcoming year. These don’t always seem to match up for me. I’m
always thankful for the many blessings I have: good family, health, friends and resources. Yet, I still feel there is more out there for me. So, I set goals for the upcoming year, while knowing that many of them will not be as fruitful as I might like. If I don’t make an attempt to plan my own future, there will be those who will determine it for me. Somehow, I want to be the one in charge. I won’t go into specifi cs here on my personal
goals; maybe a veiled attempt to fudge on some if they are not published. Setting our personal goals is not that much different than those of our cooperatives. Your cooperative is very deliberate in forecasting projected growth rates, revenue resources, building of additional plants and the
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evaluation of current and future economic con- ditions. Through a thoughtful strategic planning process, they are able to determine when, where and how to allocate your resources to provide the best return on that investment. Maximizing and properly investing these revenues provide us the most reliable and dependable energy we need. Unlike some of my goals that are not written
down, there is no room to fudge. Their work is documented and reviewed by your local boards and staff. It is not a ‘wish’ list, but an educated evaluation of what conditions exist now and what may be possible in the future. Although none of us know exactly what the future holds, it is still better to assess, prepare, plan and imple- ment the best practices that we have before us to attain the best results. Next year, we will again get the opportunity to re-evaluate what we were able to accomplish and hopefully improve upon that. But by being de- liberate, we have the opportunity to be in charge of that part of our destiny. I am claiming a successful, fruitful, healthy and prosperous 2017 for each and every one of you and your families.
Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Chris Meyers, General Manager Gary McCune, President
Scott Copeland, Vice-President Larry Hicks, Secretary Tim Smith, Treasurer
Sid Sperry, Director of PR & Communications
sksperry@oaec.coop
Staff
Anna Politano, Editor
editor@ok-living.coop
Hayley Leatherwood, Multimedia Specialist
hleatherwood@ok-living.coop
Shannen McCroskey, Marketing Specialist
smccroskey@ok-living.coop
Kirbi Mills, Director of Admin. Services
kmills@oaec.coop
Hillary Barrow, Admin. Services Assistant
hbarrow@oaec.coop
Amanda Lester, Editorial Intern
intern@oaec.coop
Editorial, Advertising and General Offi ces P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154 Phone (405) 478-1455
Oklahoma Living online:
www.ok-living.coop Subscriptions
$3.48 per year for rural electric cooperative members.
$7 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: 323,937
Periodical postage paid at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Association of Electric
Cooperatives is a statewide service organization for the following electric cooperatives: Alfalfa, Arkansas Valley, Canadian Valley, Central,
Choctaw, Cimarron, CKenergy, Cookson Hills, Cotton, East Central Oklahoma, Harmon, Indian, KAMO Power, Kay, Kiamichi, 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.
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