US Court of Appeals to Hear Arguments Regarding Clean Power Plan on Tuesday
Posted on Sep 26, 2016 in Climate Change, Environmental, Legislative & Politics, Litigation | Comments Off on US Court of Appeals to Hear Arguments Regarding Clean Power Plan on Tuesday
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia will hear arguments regarding the EPA’s Clean Power Plan on Tuesday, September 27. Twenty-six states have joined West Virginia to challenge the Plan, which requires states to cut greenhouse gas emissions by a cumulative 32 percent from 2005 to 2030. Leading the plaintiffs is the West Virginia Attorney General, Patrick...
Coal Ash Legislation Passes Senate
Posted on Sep 20, 2016 in Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Coal Ash Legislation Passes Senate
New coal ash legislation passed in the Senate recently in a 95-3 vote. The new legislation gives state agencies the authority to enforce federal regulation through state permits.
Coop-Friendly Railroad Reform Law Reportedly on Track
Posted on Aug 26, 2016 in Grid & Infrastructure, Legislative & Politics, Rates, Reliability | Comments Off on Coop-Friendly Railroad Reform Law Reportedly on Track
Federal regulators have reported that they are on track in implementing a railroad reform law intended to promote shipping efficiency and potentially competition among railroads. The NRECA and electric cooperatives generally have pushed for reforms, recognizing the impact that costs of hauling coal can have on electric rates.
Cooperative CEO Urges Congress to Authorize FBI to Assist in Identifying Utility Insider Threats
Posted on Jul 25, 2016 in Legislative & Politics | Comments Off on Cooperative CEO Urges Congress to Authorize FBI to Assist in Identifying Utility Insider Threats
On July 12, before the Senate Energy Subcommittee, Duane Highley, CEO of Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp., requested that Congress consider legislation that would allow the FBI to assist in background checks for personnel that perform critical functions. Highley cautioned the senators to avoid a one-size-fits-all strategy as the insider threats are both the biggest threats and...
Tennessee Coops Encouraged by Findings and Recommendations of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
Posted on Jul 22, 2016 in Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics | Comments Off on Tennessee Coops Encouraged by Findings and Recommendations of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development recently issued a report finding that regulatory barriers hinder electric cooperatives from providing broadband internet access to their members. The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association issued a press release praising the report, stating that “[c]o-ops have a legacy of expanding critical services beyond the city...
Environmental Compliance Costs Rise above $6 Billion
Posted on Jul 12, 2016 in Environmental, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Environmental Compliance Costs Rise above $6 Billion
The Energy Information Administration reports that power plant operators nationwide have spent at least $6.1 billion to comply with new environmental regulations, including the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard. Operators have also retired 20 gigawatts of coal generation capacity during the period from January 2015 through April 2016.
Federal Appellate Court Overturns Minnesota Law Restricting Imported Power
Posted on Jul 8, 2016 in Legislative & Politics, Litigation | Comments Off on Federal Appellate Court Overturns Minnesota Law Restricting Imported Power
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a decision finding that a Minnesota law that prohibited sales of coal-based generation into a regional market violated federal statutes and interfered with interstate commerce. Basin Electric Power Cooperative and Minnkota Power Cooperative argued that the law had detrimental impacts on power generators across the Midwest but may now serve...
NRECA Names Former U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson New CEO
Posted on Jun 14, 2016 in Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on NRECA Names Former U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson New CEO
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) has announced that former U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson has been selected to serve as NRECA’s sixth chief executive officer. He will join the association and assume his duties as CEO in July.
Drone Amendment to Senate FAA Bill Helpful to Coops
Posted on Apr 20, 2016 in Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics, Technology | Comments Off on Drone Amendment to Senate FAA Bill Helpful to Coops
Under a bill that passed the Senate by a vote of 95-3, drones may become a more useful tool for electric coops. The drone provisions, which were added as an amendment to a larger bill reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), would ease current restrictions on drones and call for the FAA to set up a process enabling companies with critical infrastructure to use drones...
Wind Energy Strong in 2015
Posted on Mar 28, 2016 in Financing, Legislative & Politics, Project Development, Regulation & Policy, Renewable Energy, Tax | Comments Off on Wind Energy Strong in 2015
Data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that wind energy accounted for over 41 percent of generating capacity additions in 2015. Wind energy’s growth was strongest in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa and North Dakota. But resource availability in windy states was not the only driving factor in the growth that 2015 saw, as the federal production tax credit continued to...
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