Co-op Power:Safe, Reliable, Affordable & Environmentally Responsible

At Access Energy Cooperative, we have three top priorities: provide you safe, reliable access to electric power; offer that service as affordably as possible; and do both of those things in a fiscally and environmentally responsible fashion.
    
Because Access Energy Cooperative is a not-for-profit enterprise—which means your money stays local; we don’t have to worry about distant shareholders. We are well-positioned to make any necessary investments for ensuring safe, reliable, and affordable electricity. However, fulfilling our commitment to environmental stewardship in a fiscally responsible manner has become more challenging. Today, many environmental laws that were adopted by Congress decades ago are being used by federal agencies and the courts to address issues for which they were never intended.
    
For example, the federal Clean Air Act is now 40 years old and was last amended in 1990—more than two decades ago. Much has changed in the intervening years, including technology, our understanding of the environment, and the electric utility industry.
    
Today, officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?often under court order—are trying to modify the Clean Air Act to fit new circumstances. Without a doubt, new EPA rules being issued will wind up back in the courts?and lengthy litigation will ensue.
    
Reasonable people can and will disagree over how to find a balance between protecting the environment, guaranteeing a reliable supply of power, and keeping electric bills affordable. Under the right circumstances, Congress eventually will have to revisit the Clean Air Act and update it to fit the needs of the 21st century.         In the meantime, Access Energy Cooperative will keep you updated on our efforts to encourage lawmakers and regulators to strike the proper balance on these concerns.