Forum Focuses on Upcoming Issues
Southeast Iowa legislators met with Access Energy Cooperative directors and staff to exchange ideas on upcoming and current issues facing the electric utility industry.
Senators David Miller and Eugene Fraise, and Representatives Dave Heaton and Sandy Greiner attended the cooperative’s annual legislative meeting in Mt. Pleasant.
Access Energy Cooperative was created, owned and directed by our consumers – our members. Our entire focus is on these members.
It was reported that any margins not returned to our members are used to maintain and improve on providing safe, efficient and reliable service.
Access Energy remains very involved in local communities by sponsoring local events, contributing economically, and actively participating in economic development projects such as construction of the spec buildings in the Crossroads Industrial Park through our revolving loan program. Assistance is also provided for business expansions such as Cambridge Investment Group in Fairfield and Riverside Paper Corp. in Mt. Pleasant.
Access Energy Cooperative proposed that the assigned area of service law that was introduced at the end of the last session would weaken the current successful model Iowa enjoys for handling territorial issues. The current model fosters cooperation and partnership among utilities and development agencies for the benefit of all. The current law also allows better planning for power generation and infrastructure development, as well as eliminating unnecessary duplications of service.
Renewable energy issues, the electric grid and net metering were discussed. Other upcoming issues legislators discussed with the cooperative included air quality issues for livestock facilities, imminent domain and a redefinition of public good, as well as ethanol, the sex offender law and the budget.
Board members attending from Access Energy Cooperative were Richard Bloomquist, Fred Hickenbottom, Jeff Rich, Dwight Krebill, Don Atwood, and Marvin Holtkamp. Staff attended were Robert Swindell, David Peer, Don Roach, and Kimberly Brumbaugh.