North Dakota Coal Regulation Controversy Continues
Posted on Nov 21, 2011 in Environmental, Rates, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on North Dakota Coal Regulation Controversy Continues
Two North Dakota coops and environmental groups have presented widely divergent estimates of the cost to retrofit two coal-powered plants under new proposed federal pollution rules. According to the analysis commissioned by the Sierra Club and the National Parks Conservation Association, Minnkota Power Cooperative consumers would face a 10.3 percent rate increase, and Basin Electric...
Coops Must Obtain Additional Permits to Spray Pesticides and Herbicides Under New EPA Regulations
Posted on Nov 18, 2011 in Environmental, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Coops Must Obtain Additional Permits to Spray Pesticides and Herbicides Under New EPA Regulations
With legislative efforts to reevaluate the regulations making little progress in Congress, the new EPA regulations went into effect on November 1. These regulations require permits in addition to those already required under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. According to an NRECA spokesperson, coops will continue to seek a legislative solution. Electric...
Legal Challenge of Clean Water Act Permit for Arkansas Coal Plant Moves Forward
Posted on Nov 18, 2011 in Environmental, Litigation, Project Development | Comments Off on Legal Challenge of Clean Water Act Permit for Arkansas Coal Plant Moves Forward
On November 16, a federal judge ruled that several environmental organizations had standing to challenge the issuance of a Clean Water Act permit to the John W. Turk Power Plant under construction in southwestern Arkansas. The judge also ruled that even though construction of the coal plant is nearly complete, the environmentalist’s challenge is not moot. This is the most recent...
Development of Tennessee Solar Farm Delayed
Posted on Nov 7, 2011 in Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Development of Tennessee Solar Farm Delayed
The West Tennessee Megasite Solar Farm, originally expected to open this month, is now expected to go online early next year. Roughly nine miles of electrical lines must be upgraded before the project is complete. These lines run from the solar farm to the Chickasaw Electric Cooperative substation, where the power will hook into the grid. Click here to read more about the farm and...
Vermont Coops Become Customers of State’s Largest Wind Farm
Posted on Oct 31, 2011 in Environmental, Innovation/Efficiency, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Vermont Coops Become Customers of State’s Largest Wind Farm
The largest wind farm in Vermont officially opened on October 26, and two of the state’s coops plan to be big customers of the facility. Washington Electric Cooperative and Vermont Electric Cooperative will buy a combined 60 percent of the output from the farm. The new $90 million, 40-megawatt, 16-turbine wind farm is the result of an eight-year planning and building process. To...
Proposed Legislation Would Exempt Coops from EPA Rules Applicable to Stationary Engines
Posted on Oct 14, 2011 in Environmental, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Proposed Legislation Would Exempt Coops from EPA Rules Applicable to Stationary Engines
U.S. Rep. Bob Latta recently introduced H.R. 3185 to provide exemptions for coops and municipal utilities from two rules referred to as the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines. Without congressional action, the rules will require additional emission control technologies starting in 2013. See Rep. Latta’s press...
NRECA Fights New EPA Air Rule
Posted on Oct 13, 2011 in Environmental, Litigation, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on NRECA Fights New EPA Air Rule
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) has filed petitions in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) directly seeking review of the EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2012. NRECA raised concerns that the new rule would increase electricity...
Attorneys Plan to Sue Coop Over Las Conchas Fire Damage
Posted on Oct 10, 2011 in Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Litigation | Comments Off on Attorneys Plan to Sue Coop Over Las Conchas Fire Damage
Two attorneys are joining together to file a lawsuit against Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative, whose power lines sparked a fire after a tree fell on them. The Las Conchas fire was the largest fire in New Mexico’s history, charring more than 156,000 acres of land and damaging dozens of homes. The fire started when high winds caused a tree, which was located on private property...
Coop Researching Peak-Time Power Consumption Reduction
Posted on Oct 3, 2011 in Climate Change, Environmental | Comments Off on Coop Researching Peak-Time Power Consumption Reduction
General Electric (GE) Appliances & Lighting and Montana-based Flathead Electric Cooperative (FEC) are partnering up to uncover cost-effective methods of reducing peak-time power consumption. The FEC Peak Time pilot will study power supply costs associated with peak-time demand, which is usually from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Participants in the pilot program will each receive a GE...
Solar Energy Gets a Boost in Alabama
Posted on Oct 3, 2011 in Climate Change, Environmental, Innovation/Efficiency, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Solar Energy Gets a Boost in Alabama
Alabama-based Arab Electric Cooperative (AEC) is making it a little easier for its members to be green. AEC voted unanimously this week to join the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Generation Partners incentive program. Under the program, the TVA gives homeowners and businesses a $1,000 incentive to help offset equipment costs, plus a 30 percent federal tax break through 2016. The...
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