WASHINGTON, D.C.— The leader of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), expressed in a letter sent to President Trump at Mar-a-Lago, that the nation’s at an energy crossroads, and that his leadership in our nation's energy policy is more critical than ever.
Jim Matheson wrote the letter on behalf of the 900 not-for-profit electric cooperatives across the country, and urged Trump’s administration to take actions that will ensure electric cooperatives can fulfill their mission of delivering affordable, reliable, and safe electricity.
Matheson cited unreasonable EPA regulations, the premature closure of existing power plants and skyrocketing demand for power as reasons why urgent action is needed. He shared the forecasts released by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, (NERC), that warn over the next five years, all, or parts of several states from North Dakota to Louisiana are at high risk of rolling blackouts during normal peak conditions. Ohio, part of the grid managed by PJM, is at an elevated risk. Here are some of the highest priority actions Matheson asked Trump’s administration to take:
- Repealing EPA's unlawful power plant rule for greenhouse gas emissions as well as numerous other unlawful EPA regulations that threaten electric reliability;
- Fixing broken permitting regulations to streamline and accelerate project reviews;
- Making effective and efficient use of the remaining infrastructure dollars appropriated by Congress in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to invest in our electric infrastructure, enhancing grid reliability and resiliency;
- Ensuring access· to federal programs utilized by cooperatives across the country to harden, upgrade, and modernize their systems in ways that will bolster affordability and reliability for rural Americans, keep pace with the increasing electricity demand in rural America, and deploy broadband to unserved rural communities, thereby boosting economic growth; and,
- Supporting Treasury's successful implementation of direct pay (or elective pay) tax credits which level the playing field for electric cooperatives and allow them to utilize the tax credits available to the rest of the energy sector and invest in a range of energy technologies in their local communities.
Matheson explained the electricity supplied by cooperatives is vital to rural economies, and stated electric cooperatives look forward to working with Trump’s administration to keep energy reliable and affordable for the American people.
Read the full letter here.
