Sunflower News Archive

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, the latest episode of Along Those Lines takes you behind the scenes with a woman who’s making her way in a male-dominated industry.Kaitlyn Vaillancourt, 21, is an apprentice lineworker at Pedernales Electric Cooperative outside Austin, Texas—the only woman among the co-op’s 200 lineworkers.As co-ops and other utilities are seeing … [Read More]

Congress has taken the first step to protect electric cooperatives from losing their tax-exempt status when they receive government grants to help restore power after a storm or bring broadband service to rural communities. Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Tina Smith, D-Minn., introduced legislation Thursday to correct an unintended consequence of the sweeping Tax … [Read More]

NRECA is working with a bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress to pass legislation that would give electric cooperatives access to more money to modernize their plants and reduce costs for consumer-members. “Rural electric cooperatives reach underserved areas far and wide providing dependable electricity … to power their homes, farms and businesses,” said Sen. … [Read More]

President Trump’s 2020 budget proposal once again calls for selling off federal dams and transmission lines that are crucial for more than 600 electric cooperatives to provide low-cost power to their consumer-members. The president’s budget would privatize dams and transmission lines operated by the Bonneville Power Administration in Oregon, the Southwestern Power … [Read More]

Basin Electric Power Cooperative CEO Paul Sukut told a Senate panel Wednesday he supports efforts to help co-ops develop technology to capture carbon dioxide emissions from coal-burning power plants and turn them into useful products. Sukut spoke in support of bipartisan legislation by Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., that would spur new … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives have a broad financial impact on the United States, directly or indirectly supporting nearly 612,000 jobs each year and contributing hundreds of billions of dollars to the economy over a five-year period, according to a new analysis. Between 2013 and 2017, co-ops employed an average of 67,800 people a year, hired about 100,600 contractors, and by … [Read More]

Geoff and Tina Wilson planned to live off the grid in a remote part of Utah when things went horribly awry. Smoke from wildfires and steady rains hampered their lone solar panel, and their generator broke. Health problems prevented Geoff, a Navy veteran, from working, and Tina worked only part-time as a teacher’s aide. Their savings were all used up to pay for Geoff’s … [Read More]

Download the monthly “Along those Lines” Podcast to hear electric cooperative industry news and how electric cooperatives advocate on your behalf. For the latest episode of “Along Those Lines,” our host, RE Magazine Editor Scot Hoffman, talks to Kirk Johnson, NRECA’s senior vice president for government relations, and John Cassady, NRECA’s vice president for legislative … [Read More]

Reaching out and helping the communities in our service territory is more than just a part of the mission statement framed in our hallways. It’s a culture of concern for community that is encouraged among all Sunflower employees. With the last remaining funds of 2018, Sunflower staff decided that animal shelters across western Kansas should receive donations. Shelters that … [Read More]

NRECA advocates on many public policy issues on behalf of electric cooperatives. As the new Congress kicks off, here’s a look at several electric co-op policy priorities for 2019. Energy Policy/Infrastructure The potential for energy and infrastructure legislation presents a significant opportunity as electric cooperatives work to meet the growing needs of their … [Read More]

To the relief of electric cooperatives, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to replace its 2015 Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, which significantly expanded what waters and wetlands should be federally regulated. EPA on Dec. 11 proposed to limit “waters of the U.S.” to traditional navigable waters and tributaries, ditches, wetlands and other features that … [Read More]

From community development to broadband and renewable energy, electric cooperatives stand to benefit from the Farm Bill overwhelmingly passed by Congress this week and now headed to President Trump, who’s expected to sign it. The House voted 369-47 in favor of the bill on Wednesday, a day after the Senate approved it, 87-13. “The bill advances the interests of … [Read More]

"Tracey’s Takeaways" is a new feature focusing on employee development, management issues, leadership and organizational culture. Silos form over time and can be hard to break, but they are important for leaders to address. There's an African proverb that states, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others." This conforms to what I … [Read More]

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development Production leads to processing which leads to progress. That is the desired path of value-added economic development. It was true for the Kansas beef industry in the 1980s and 1990s, and it is now coming true in the Kansas dairy industry. Milk production in western Kansas has grown to the point that new … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives in 24 states will receive nearly $1.6 billion in loans from the Department of Agriculture to improve system operations, repair power lines and substations, and increase grid resiliency. Loans are going to 44 co-ops, a green energy developer in Hawaii and the Seneca Nation of Indians in New York. “Reliable and affordable power is an underpinning … [Read More]

The voters’ decisions last night resulted in several noteworthy shifts in power in Washington, D.C., and many state capitals. As of 7 a.m. on Wednesday, the Democrats gained a net total of 26 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, shifting control from the Republicans for the first time in eight years. Republicans gained a net of two seats in the U.S. Senate with four … [Read More]

What: 2018 Sunflower Local Planning Meeting When: December 4, 2018 Time:  1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Rose Garden Banquet Hall (Ballroom) – 2350 East 8th Street, Hays, KS   … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives want the Environmental Protection Agency to recognize their efforts to protect their members’ wallets, assure grid reliability and reduce carbon dioxide emissions as the agency works to replace the Obama-era Clean Power Plan over the coming months. The proposed Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, with some recommended improvements, could accomplish … [Read More]

The nation’s top cybersecurity watchdog and industry experts concur: When it comes to protecting the electric grid from cyberthreats, public-private partnerships are vital. “We can all agree our nation’s security depends on safe, reliable energy infrastructure,” said Jeff Baumgartner, senior adviser at the Department of Energy’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy … [Read More]

Cybersecurity is a never-ending battle, with online criminals constantly adapting their tactics to outsmart the latest patch or protocol. Fortunately, electric cooperatives have a partner in the fight: NRECA’s Rural Cooperative Cybersecurity Capabilities Program (RC3). RC3, now entering its third and final year of funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, is … [Read More]

Arlington, VA – The lack of broadband access for 6.3 million electric co-op households results in more than $68 billion in lost economic value, according to new research by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The new report investigates the cost of the digital divide and the growing economic advantages to America’s rural communities. The study … [Read More]

Electric cooperative leaders say the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to replace the Clean Power Plan would allow them to serve members the cleanest, most efficient and affordable electricity available. The proposed Affordable Clean Energy rule would provide “the certainty and flexibility we need to meet our member-consumers’ local energy needs,” said Paul … [Read More]

It took some time, but grandma and grandpa are getting with the digital revolution in a big way. "The once-wide technology divide between the old and the young continues to shrink as the middle-age and senior members expand their utilization of technology," said Audrey Gould, research analyst at TSE Services, which produced the Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives … [Read More]

As Congress enters the August recess, NRECA is urging conferees to reach a compromise on the Farm Bill that achieves electric co-ops’ priorities for the legislation. “We are encouraging Congress to pass a final Farm Bill that supports several key policy issues for electric co-ops and their member-consumers in rural America,” said NRECA CEO Jim Matheson. The House … [Read More]

Making Way for 5G 5G is coming. The much-anticipated next generation of wireless communication, expected to be launched as early as later this year, promises to deliver on a host of futuristic technologies, including self-driving cars, real-time virtual reality, and smart cities and towns. “With the proliferation of mobile technology and the growing popularity of … [Read More]

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As nuclear and coal-based plant retirements continue, the Energy Department is growing concerned about the impacts of a "historic shift" in energy resources. "Today, America's grid is reliable and resilient to disruption because of the diversity and security of fuels that supply it. But the most secure of these fuels are retiring at an alarming rate that if unchecked … [Read More]

  NRECA CEO Jim Matheson thanked electric cooperative leaders for coming to Washington for the 2018 NRECA Legislative Conference and for their work in building relationships with policymakers that improve their members’ lives every day.   “That’s so important that you are here today,” he told the more than 2,000 participants from co-ops across the … [Read More]

Modern bucket trucks rumbled into the electric utility industry starting in the 1950s, but it wasn’t until the late 1970s that McCullough Electric Cooperative in Brady, Texas, saw its first such vehicle. Danny Williams, now the manager of loss control at Texas Electric Cooperatives (statewide) in Austin, was a young McCullough Electric groundman back then. “We might … [Read More]

Sunflower and Mid-Kansas board members continue to support diverse electric generation. This is the third article in a series that gives an overview of each electric generation fuel type and describes how it fits into the Sunflower and Mid-Kansas systems. It seems as if they are popping up everywhere across the nation—giant “pinwheels” used to generate electricity from … [Read More]

Electric co-op members continue to diversify electric generation resources Hays, Kan.—February 27, 2018—Mid-Kansas Electric Company Inc., along with its sister company Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, announced its plan to purchase renewable energy from a 20-megawatt solar project scheduled for construction in southwest Kansas. The cooperatively operated wholesale … [Read More]

Federal energy officials have made their first forecasts for 2019, and they expect to see modest growth in the nation's electricity consumption, with a record set for renewables. In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, the Energy Information Administration predicts a 1.3 percent consumption increase this year, followed by a rise of just 0.5 percent in … [Read More]

The Environmental Protection Agency should act quickly to develop a “common-sense, flexible replacement rule for the Clean Power Plan,” an NRECA official told EPA officials at a public hearing. “We appreciate and support EPA’s proposal to rescind the Clean Power Plan,” Daniel Chartier, NRECA regulatory director, environmental policy, said at a Nov. 28 hearing in … [Read More]

If there’s one definitive truth about cybersecurity it’s this: We’re all in it together. That was a common theme at the forum “Insights on Cybersecurity for Electric Utilities,” hosted by NRECA in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Alliance and Department of Homeland Security. “Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. It touches all of our lives, at … [Read More]

  BONNER SPRINGS, Kan.—Throughout late August and September, electric cooperative linemen put their skills to the test rebuilding power systems destroyed by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. In October, they put those same skills to the test against elite utility linemen from around the world—and came out on top. A three-member journeyman team from Cobb … [Read More]

As the Trump administration proposes to withdraw the Clean Power Plan, electric cooperatives will work with the Environmental Protection Agency toward “sound regulation” with the durability and flexibility necessary to provide affordable and reliable electricity to their millions of members, NRECA CEO Jim Matheson said. “We look forward to working with the … [Read More]

ARLINGTON, Va. – NRECA CEO Jim Matheson today applauded the Department of Energy’s (DOE) loan guarantee for the Plant Vogtle nuclear power project. “Today’s announcement is welcome news for Oglethorpe Power, the Vogtle project, and the future of America’s electric generation,” Matheson said.  “Nuclear energy is an essential source of emissions-free, 24/7 power. This DOE … [Read More]

Electrically, August 21 was just another day for Southwest Power Pool (SPP), whose accurate forecasts and skilled real-time operations staff ensured that lights (and air conditioners) stayed on without interruption even while darkness fell during mid-day across its 14-state footprint during the totality of a solar eclipse. The eclipse’s most significant impact on the … [Read More]

During the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, state officials are expecting 1 million tourists to flock to Oregon—and about half could congregate in sparsely populated central Oregon, home of Central Electric Cooperative. The Redmond-based co-op serves Madras, population 6,729, the nation’s top-ranked location to view the rare spectacle. Epic crowds could clog the region’s … [Read More]

In his decades of experience as a lead electric cooperative lineman, Cal Wolterman has had more than his share of close calls with motorists zipping by work sites on highways. Take the time Wolterman, his crew and their bucket truck from Estherville-based Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative were sandwiched between two speeding vehicles on a two-lane highway in northern … [Read More]

Electricity is about the only thing you can buy and still get value for just a penny’s worth I’m old enough to remember when penny candy actually cost a penny. For a nickel, you could buy enough candy to rot your teeth out, as my mother used to say. But what does a penny buy these days? Not much. The government can’t even make a penny for a penny anymore. According to … [Read More]

A pair of electric cooperative priorities have passed the U.S. House of Representatives and are headed to the Senate. For the second time in less than two years, the House approved a measure that would make it easier for co-ops to maintain rights of way on federal lands. The Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act, H.R. 1873, cleared the chamber June 21 on a … [Read More]

Learn about how a tree becomes a power pole, causes of power outages, and vegetation management. https://www.sunflower.net/video-gallery/   … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives can be excused if they had a flashback when the Trump administration announced plans to raise $5.5 billion by putting a “for sale” sign on the grid-related assets of three federal power marketing agencies. It’s a battle co-ops have fought and won in the past, and they say they will wage it just as aggressively this time. “America’s electric … [Read More]

For many cooperatives, some of the most important conversations with federal officials during the recently concluded NRECA Legislative Conference occurred away from Capitol Hill. Nearly 100 electric cooperative leaders visited key federal agencies, where they talked with officials about issues ranging from endangered species designation to disaster relief. “Our board … [Read More]

Most celebrated it on April 10. Many waited until April 18. For some, it’s still going on. No matter the date, families, friends, co-workers and customers expressed their gratitude to the nation’s 117,000 power line workers as part of National Lineman Appreciation Day. “Electric linemen do not often receive the recognition they deserve,” said H. Wayne Wilkins, CEO of … [Read More]

VIDEO: Click here to view the Mutual Aid Helping Restore Power in western Kansas … [Read More]

An additional 11 electric co-ops in Colorado, Nebraska and Missouri have joined the efforts to restore power to tens of thousands of rural electric cooperative members in western and southwestern Kansas. The blizzard’s heavy, wet snow and high winds downed trees, power lines and transmission poles affecting rural electric cooperative members of CMS, Meade; Lane-Scott, … [Read More]

Throughout the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump pledged to review burdensome federal regulations when he became president. On March 28, President Trump took an important step to follow through on that commitment by signing an executive order to promote energy independence. The order also calls for review of the Clean Power Plan. “Electric co-ops have two key … [Read More]

Sunflower is pleased that the Kansas Supreme Court approved the addendum to the Holcomb Expansion air permit. Much work—by the Court, KDHE technical staff, and Sunflower staff—has gone into making certain that the HEP air permit meets all applicable state and federal requirements. Just as it would have been ten years ago when we began this process, the Court’s decision is … [Read More]

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) CEO Jim Matheson today issued the following statement about President Trump’s FY 2018 budget proposal:  “This is only the first step in the budget process that will include the input of America’s electric cooperatives. We will continue to work with the White House and Congress to reduce the burden of federal … [Read More]

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) CEO Jim Matheson today issued the following statement on the Trump administration’s executive order on the controversial Waters of the U.S. rule (WOTUS): “The Waters of the U.S. rule would increase costs for electric co-ops to build and maintain critical infrastructure without meaningful environmental benefits. We … [Read More]

More than 40 organizations today joined the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in sending a letter urging President Trump to focus on rural issues at the highest levels of his White House team. The letter specifically asks the president to designate a senior member of the White House staff as a rural advisor or to create an Office of Rural Policy … [Read More]

America’s Electric Cooperatives today applauded the 71 members of Congress who sent a letter to President Trump calling for him to include investments to bring broadband service to rural America in his infrastructure proposal. The letter was coordinated by the House Rural Broadband Caucus which is led by co-chairs: Reps. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Bob Latta (R-OH) Rep. Adam … [Read More]

  The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) today filed comments with the Fish and Wildlife Service arguing against listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken under the Endangered Species Act. In its filing, NRECA pointed to scientific data showing that the Lesser Prairie Chicken population is stable, thanks in part to the extensive voluntary conservation … [Read More]

Fourteen of the state's distribution cooperatives that lost hundreds of utility poles and experienced numerous line breaks from the weekend's ice storm continue to restore power to affected areas. Ice accumulations from the slow-moving storm ranged from a quarter inch to a half inch causing significant damage to trees and brought down power lines. Line crews from co-ops … [Read More]

Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz compares the global economic system to a frog in a pot of slowly boiling water. The water is not hot enough to prompt the frog to escape—until it’s too late. But cooperatives represent a model that can turn down the heat, he says. “There are alternatives to the current system,” Stiglitz told a gathering of world co-op … [Read More]

Whether it’s the pace of life, the economic base or the educational opportunities, there’s little doubt that there is a difference between rural and urban America. Now, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau show just how great those divides are. Rural residents are significantly less transient than their urban counterparts, and more likely to own their own homes and … [Read More]

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.—Joe Brannan, executive vice president and CEO of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, recalled an urgent early morning call from his IT group. A cyber vulnerability had been discovered But because the cooperative has a policy in place to fast-track security responses and protect systems, the vulnerability was isolated quickly and no data was … [Read More]

Rural America may not have turned the corner yet. But it has its blinker lights on. The nation’s rural communities are witnessing a bump in family incomes and a reduction in poverty levels, putting them in their best economic shape since before the 2007-2009 recession. Those are the encouraging findings in the Department of Agriculture’s annual Rural America at a … [Read More]

AUSTIN, Texas—As he caps an eight-year run as Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack sees challenges and opportunities ahead for both rural Americans and the electric cooperatives that serve them. “The biggest challenge is making sure the 85 percent of Americans who do not live in rural areas understand the contributions the 15 percent who do live there make,” said … [Read More]

On Veterans Day, World War II fighter pilot and electric cooperative member John Wheelihan is observing a big anniversary: Seventy-five years ago, he got his wings as one of 971 members of Flying Cadet Class 41-G. “Second lieutenants drew $125 a month and if they could keep flying they got $65 in flight pay. That was big money back then. It was one of the best jobs … [Read More]

Everyone knows that electric co-ops keep the lights on. And on Election Day in America, co-ops voted. As pundits continue to dissect Donald Trump’s election as president, NRECA CEO Jim Matheson declared, Co-ops Vote, the nonpartisan campaign to boost rural voter turnout, a resounding success. “We really do feel quite confident that our Co-ops Vote program had … [Read More]

While all electric utilities offer the same product, where it comes from makes a difference. In the U.S., the vast majority of people receive their electricity from one of three types of utilities; investor-owned, municipal-owned or through their electric cooperative, which is owned and controlled by the people who use it. Let’s take a closer look at these three types … [Read More]

Kansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. turns 75 years old this week, and the organization celebrated its decades of growth at its Aug. 1 membership meeting. The cooperative was formed by seven leaders in electric who gathered in 1941 to talk about the challenges in their industry and to pool resources to do things more efficiently and effectively, said Bruce Graham, … [Read More]

The Energy Department has chosen the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association to receive grant funds to develop and commercialize a tool for utilities to detect cyber attacks and compromised systems in near real-time. NRECA said Thursday its React project is based on the DoE-funded Essence prototype platform that NRECA built in partnership with the Pacific Northwest … [Read More]

AS a supporter of NRECA’s Co-ops Vote campaign, Sunflower pledged to inform our Members and employees to register to vote in the primary and general elections. Efforts included educating individuals on how to register and providing election information on social media and website platforms. Sunflower also hosted a successful political event in July, where local politicians … [Read More]

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) today announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) will be awarding funding to NRECA to advance “React,” a cybersecurity solution for utilities that monitors IT networks for near real-time detection of possible cyber intrusions. React is one of twelve projects receiving grants from the Office of Electricity … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives have an important story to tell, which is exactly what they did in Cleveland and Philadelphia. [1]Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., (left) discussed energy and other issues with NRECA’s Kirk Johnson. (Photo By: NRECA) “Our goal has been simple—to make more officials, regardless of their political stripes, aware of the consumer-owned, not-for-profit … [Read More]

Gotta catch ‘em all? Fine. Just be careful catching Pokémon around high voltage equipment. [1]On its Facebook page, Mississippi’s Coast EPA posted this cautionary note to Pokémon Go players. (Photo By: Coast EPA) That’s the warning electric cooperatives and other utilities are sounding to players of Pokémon Go, the new smartphone-based augmented reality game in which … [Read More]

Sales of coal-based generation into a regional market cannot be prohibited by the law of one state. That’s the conclusion of a federal appeals court that found in favor of electric cooperatives, North Dakota, and other challengers to Minnesota’s restriction of imported power from fossil fuels. “Overall, we’re very pleased with this decision,” said Paul Sukut, CEO … [Read More]

Posted By Michael W. Kahn On July 12, 2016 @ 3:15 am In Co-op News,Editor's Pick | Comments Disabled When the Republicans converge on Cleveland and the Democrats assemble in Philadelphia, electric cooperative leaders will be there, pressing their members’ concerns. [1]NRECA President Mel Coleman (left) and NRECA interim CEO Jeffrey Connor will be among the co-op … [Read More]

(Arlington, Va.) -The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association has joined with a coalition of energy technology partners to create a tool for developing and testing what could be a critical component of the future electrical grid. Led by Atlanta-based ProsumerGrid, Inc., the group signed a $3-million contract with the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research … [Read More]

Amid the election-year rancor on Capitol Hill, there’s positive news for electric cooperatives on the Rural Utilities Service Electric Loan Program that supports a strong, reliable electric infrastructure. The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a $5.5 billion loan level for the program for fiscal year 2017, while rejecting language proposed by the Obama … [Read More]

In a positive move for electric cooperatives, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that landowners can legally challenge the Army Corps of Engineers over its determination that property use is restricted under the Clean Water Act. [1]A U.S. Supreme Court ruling is a hopeful one for co-ops. (Photo By: iStock/GettyImages) Before this unanimous decision, [2] electric co-ops … [Read More]

The electric grid is a complex system of power plants, transmission lines, substations and distribution lines that transmit electric power from the place where it’s generated - all the way to electric co-op members at the end of the line. This video from the Straight Talk team helps explain how the electric grid connects us all. … [Read More]

SANTA FE, N.M. — Capitalizing on their $5.6 billion transmission buildout, SPP members voted last week to reduce the RTO’s planning reserve margin to 12% from the current 13.6%. The Markets and Operations Policy Committee approved a recommendation by the Capacity Margin Task Force that members said will reduce SPP’s capacity needs by about 900 MW, saving about $1.35 … [Read More]

VIDEO: This week the U.S. Supreme Court halted implementation of the Clean Power Plan until all legal challenges to it are resolved. Sunflower was one of 39 electric cooperatives that joined in petitioning the Court for the stay so that electric cooperative members will not incur costs for complying to a plan that is facing serious legal challenges. Check out this short … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives said they welcome the U.S. Supreme Court’s Feb. 9 decision to block the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan until all legal challenges to it are resolved. The Supreme Court has blocked the Obama administration’s climate change rules from taking effect, pending further litigation. (Photo By: Steven Johnson) “Charging ahead with … [Read More]

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) today joined utilities and other allies in telling the U.S. Supreme Court that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to mischaracterize the Clean Power Plan’s true impacts on electric co-ops and other power producers. NRECA and industry partners filed the brief in response to EPA’s claims to the … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to put the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan on hold until all legal challenges are resolved. NRECA has joined in asking the Supreme Court to put the EPA's Clean Power Plan on hold. (Photo By: Getty Images/iStockphoto) NRECA has joined in asking the Supreme Court to put the EPA’s Clean Power Plan … [Read More]

A federal appeals court rejected requests to delay the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan until lawsuits filed against the greenhouse gas limits on power plants are resolved. The Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit rejected requests to delay the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. (Photo By: Tish Wells/MCT/Newscom) The Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit … [Read More]

Two Republican senators opened up a broadside assault against the Environmental Protection Agency last week in the ongoing battle over President Barack Obama’s controversial “Waters of the U.S.” rule (WOTUS), a regulation that extends federal authority over smaller waterways. In a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Sens. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma and Ben Sasse of … [Read More]

America’s Electric Co-ops Remain Focused on Policies to Promote Affordable, Reliable Electricity (Arlington, Va.) – National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Interim CEO Jeffrey Connor today issued the following statement regarding federal energy policy and tonight’s State of the Union address: “As the President delivers his final State of the Union … [Read More]

Electric cooperatives scored key wins in a $1.1 trillion spending bill that, among other things, boosted Rural Utilities Service funding, sidelined the “Cadillac tax” until 2020, improved cyber security information sharing, and delayed federal listing of the greater sage grouse. Electric co-ops scored several key wins in the spending bill that cleared Congress and was … [Read More]

The bad guys are becoming ever more flexible and creative in the ways they scam electric cooperative members. “You never know who they’re going to be in a given day,” said Mike Morley, corporate communications manager at Midwest Energy [2] in Hays, Kan. “They’ve adapted their tactics to where the same group will impersonate a number of utilities.” Morley, who first … [Read More]

Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest agriculture organization, welcomes this week’s decision by a U.S. District Court judge dismissing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s listing of the lesser prairie chicken as a “threatened” species. “This decision is a clear step in the right direction,” said Kansas Farm Bureau President Rich Felts.  “But our guard is not down. … [Read More]