As you know, last month signaled the dawn of a new Oregon Legislative Assembly, a new U.S. Congress, and a new presidential administration. I have been asked what this means for Douglas Electric Cooperative.
My answer is that, like every odd-numbered year, it’s another excellent opportunity to shape policies ensuring your access to affordable, reliable electricity.
The 83rd Oregon Legislative Assembly convened in Salem on January 21, a few weeks after the 119th Congress began in Washington, D.C. Douglas Electric Cooperative will have a voice in both capitals through our state and national associations: the Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
As always, there are several new faces on both sides of the aisle in Salem, as well as 2 new members of Congress from our great state. Oregon’s electric cooperatives will work hard to build new relationships and continue existing relationships on a bipartisan basis with these important decision-makers.
It is clear that wildfire policy will be an important issue in both Salem and Washington, D.C. The tragic fires last month in Los Angeles confirmed what we already knew: Wildfires can strike anywhere, rural or urban. We will continue to pursue policies that protect our communities from the risks posed by wildfire.
Because federal hydropower marketed by the Bonneville Power Administration is such an essential part of our power supply, we will engage with the new administration and the appropriate federal agencies to advocate for a more common approach to hydropower. As the Northwest’s demand for power grows, this is no time to remove a carbon-free, reliable form of electricity, as some have proposed.
There is no shortage of energy challenges, and I look forward to working with our elected officials to help solve them.
Keith Brooks
General Manager