Eversheds Sutherland Coop Law Blog
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Louisiana Cooperatives to Receive Nearly 30 Million in Disaster Aid

Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) recently announced 28.7 million in FEMA grants will be awarded to Jefferson Davis Electric Cooperative and Beauregard Electrical Cooperative. The coops will use the funds to repair damage from Hurricanes Laura and Delta.
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NRECA Urges Coops to Apply for Federal Broadband Funding

The federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program is offering up to $42.5 billion in funding to deploy or upgrade broadband networks to increase access to high-speed internet service in rural areas. NRECA is encouraging coops to begin evaluating the new rules for the grants, noting that if coops do not apply and win it to serve their areas, “someone else will.”
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ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE HELPING TO PROTECT THREATENED WILDLIFE

The CEO of East Central Energy, the first rural electric cooperative to receive a certificate of inclusion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service into the Monarch Butterfly Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances, spoke to a House panel about the ways the federal government can collaborate with local property owners to conserve wildlife.
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Trico Electric Cooperative Participates in Light up Navajo Program

Employees of Trico Electric Cooperative are the first Arizona participants in the Light Up Navajo program to provide electricity to members of the Navajo Nation in Chile, Arizona.
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United Power announces 20 year battery storage contract

Colorado cooperative United Power, Inc. announced a 20 year agreement for battery storage throughout their service territory designed to integrate renewable resources and balance their load. Ameresco Inc, a cleantech integrator will install the 78.3 MW, 313.34 MWh batteries.
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Leaders from Electric Cooperatives Testify to USDA on Farm Bill Recommendations

Leaders from electric cooperatives testified before the USDA on programs that are being considered in the 2023 farm bill that have been valuable to electric cooperative and the rural communities they...
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Florida Cooperatives Receive Federal Funds for Rural Broadband Expansion Projects

Five Florida electric cooperatives and their broadband partner have collectively secured nearly $56 million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funding to deploy multi-gigabit-capable fiber-to-the-home networks in rural communities. The expansion is expected to span 20 counties and serve the cooperatives’ nearly 100,000 members.
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South Carolina Cooperative to Open Housing Facility for Linemen

Aiken Electric Cooperative recently announced it will open a storm restoration and community center in September 2023 that will serve linemen in the area responding to storm-related power outages. The cooperative expects the facility to improve response times and increase morale.
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New Environmental Rules Threaten Reliability

In addition to recent reliability issues caused by demand for electricity exceeding supply, nine new environmental rules are threatening to cause additional issues for electric cooperatives.
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Carbon Capture Project Moves Into Final Development Stage

Minnkota Power Cooperative has announced that Project Tundra is moving into its final stage of project development. The project combines decades of energy industry expertise to build one of the world’s largest carbon capture projects in North Dakota.
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Minnesota Cooperative Increases Commitment to “Pollinator Strong” Pledge

Great River Energy (GRE) recently announced its plans to plant and restore 300 acres of pollinator-friendly habitat across current and future sites in addition to the 300 acres it has already restored. The move reflects GRE’s commitment to being a good steward of the environment while providing reliable energy to its members. In addition to environmental benefits, pollinator habitats help maintain service reliability by reducing the risk of plant material impacting overhead lines and towers.
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National Environmental Policy Act to Streamline Permitting and Environmental Review

Congress recently passed reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act as part of the bipartisan agreement to raise the country’s debt limit. The law, which NRCEA supported, is expected to expedite the permitting process for electric cooperatives, requiring environmental impact statements to be done with two years and less intensive environmental assessments to be completed within one year.
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Florida Cooperatives Providing Broadband Now Subject to State Pole Attachment Regulations

Florida recently enacted a law subjecting electric cooperatives that provide broadband service to pole attachment regulation by the Florida Public Service Commission. Florida previously maintained the same regulatory exemption for electric cooperative poles as Federal law, but now if an electric cooperative in any way provides broadband service, then it will be subject to Florida’s pole attachment rules.
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Minnesota Cooperatives Seek Federal Funds for Small-Scale Utility and Electrification Projects

A partnership of Minnesota electric cooperatives and utilities, including Arrowhead Electric Cooperative and Wild Rice Electric Cooperative and its transmission supplier, Minnkota, are seeking $240 million in federal funds to advance roughly 300 small-scale utility and electrification projects throughout the state. The U.S. Department of Energy is expected to announce grant awards later this year.
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