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COM M E NTARY


Give local solutions a chance C


Chris Meyers General Manager, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives


an the lesser prairie chicken and Oklahoma’s farmers, ranchers, and energy producers coexist? Better yet, can they all fi nd a way to prosper together? State offi cials, agricul- tural organizations, and energy industry leaders, including electric cooperatives, think so.


The lesser prairie


chicken inhabits a fi ve-state region that includes parts of Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas and Colorado. Their habitat also happens to be some of the best locations for wind energy development and oil and gas production. The lesser prairie chicken has been identifi ed as a candidate to be placed on the federal endangered species list. Once initiated, the listing process has a specifi c timeline and set of steps or decision points mandated by law. That process has already begun, and the clock is ticking with a scheduled deter- mination due out by September 2012. All parties should hope that, as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- vice process moves forward, local efforts to increase the population of the lesser prairie chicken will be


T


J. Chris Cariker President,


Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives


his is the fourth article in a series describing pro- posed Environmen- tal Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory poli- cies. If fully imple- mented, these policies could raise the cost to generate electricity by millions of dollars. On March 16, 2011,


the EPA signed a pro- posed rule intended to


address hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), including mercury, from coal – and oil-fi red electric generating units (EGUs), using maximum achievable control technology (MACT). The rule will replace the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR). Once the rule is fi nalized, affected EGUs will have up to three years to comply, with the potential for an extension of one year. EPA is required to issue a fi nal rule by November 16, 2011, but EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson, has acknowledged that this deadline may be extended.


The proposed toxics rule would reduce emissions of heavy metals, including mercury, arsenic, chro- mium, and nickel, and emissions of acid gases, in- cluding hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fl uoride. BACKGROUND:


On March 15, 2005, EPA issued CAMR to perma- 4 OKLAHOMA LIVING given serious consideration.


At the encouragement of U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, the Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dan Ashe, recently visited Oklahoma to hear our con- cerns about the listing of the lesser prairie chicken as an endangered species and the impact it would have on landowners, energy producers, and the state’s economy - especially in western Oklahoma. At two public meetings held in Woodward and Ed- mond, a simple and logical request was made of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: delay the listing for a period of 24 months while a regional effort of private and public groups already underway dem- onstrates that the population of the lesser prairie chicken can be increased.


We believe that our local coalition of partners can do a better, faster, and more effi cient job of preserv- ing the lesser prairie chicken than would otherwise occur if the chicken were listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Rather than put Oklahoma land- owners and energy providers in a compliance role full of red tape, delays, and high costs, lets focus real efforts on growing the lesser prairie chicken popula- tion through local cooperative efforts. What a great opportunity for a federal agency to give a willing local effort a chance. Oklahoma’s public offi cials, landowners and energy providers are highly motivated to succeed. Their success is measured by the success of the lesser prairie chicken – makes sense to me. OL


Fourth of “Big Five” EPA regulations: Hazardous Air Pollutants


nently cap and reduce mercury emissions from coal- fi red power plants by 70 percent for the fi rst time ever. However, on February 8, 2008, the D.C. Circuit Court vacated the CAMR. On December 24, 2009, EPA approved an Information Collection Request requiring all U.S. power plants with coal or oil-fi red electric generating units – including generation and transmission cooperatives – to submit emissions in- formation for use in developing air toxics emissions standards.


WHERE WE STAND: ✓ Electric cooperatives are concerned that EPA’s


strategy to require signifi cant emissions reductions of multiple pollutants with very compressed time- lines may be unachievable and could damage the economy of rural America without providing com-


mensurate and meaningful environmental benefi t. ✓ Electric cooperatives have been working to de- velop mercury-control technology, and in general, were supportive of the Clean Air Mercury Rule that


the D.C. Circuit Court vacated. ✓ NRECA will be providing EPA with extensive comments on this proposed rulemaking based on information received from electric co-ops and how


they will be impacted by this regulation. ✓ NRECA has already fi led comments in regards to EPA’s Industrial Boiler MACT proposed rule- making for controlling HAPs, noting that EPA’s proposal would result in overly stringent standards, and it would be very diffi cult, if not impossible, for affected facilities to comply. 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.


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