WFEC Launches Our Energy, Our Future Campaign at 2009 Annual Meeting

GRACEVILLE – Pressure is mounting in Congress to do something about climate change. And while political debates in Washington, D.C. may seem far away, the outcome will have a direct impact on our cooperative – and on cooperative members and other electric consumers.

Climate change is only one aspect of a looming energy crisis created by increasing demand and decreasing capacity to meet that demand. Experts now say some areas of the country will be short of power within one or two years, but energy supply isn’t an issue our elected representatives are spending a lot of time on. These forces, the desire by government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions quickly and growing demand for power consumers are about to collide. Some people say we can meet demand through efficiency and renewable energy; the reality is that we need all the efficiency and renewable energy we can get, but that will not be enough.

To avert an energy crisis, the federal government must exercise true leadership, the same leadership that got Americans to the moon in the 1960s. Without that leadership – without a sound, responsible plan – government risks not only the reliability of our electric system, but literally the ability of many Americans to be able to afford to pay their electric bill.

Electric co-op members and constituents must call on elected officials to provide this leadership. That’s why West Florida Electric is launching the Our Energy, Our Future Campaign. Right now, members of Congress as well as state elected officials are hearing from lots of different interest groups who have ideas about how to address climate change. No one is talking to consumers, however. We need a plan people can live with today while we deal with the climate change problem of tomorrow. Asking questions of elected officials will help find the answers to solve the problem of balancing climate change goals with keeping your lights on and your electric bills affordable.

To make things easy, we have a website that will send an e-mail for you. Go to www.ourenergy.coop and plug in your address. There you’ll be able to ask a series of questions to your representatives in Washington. We’re kicking this effort off with a basic but critical question: Will you please work with the electric cooperatives to be sure public policy meets my need for affordable electricity? You may also stop by any one of our district offices and pick up a post card to send to your legislator.

Far too often questions don’t get asked by policy makers until plans go wrong. We believe it makes sense to know the answers before the laws are passed. You can help your elected officials and yourself by having this conversation. The electric bill you save will be your own.

West Florida Electric Cooperative is a non-profit Touchstone Energy® Cooperative owned by its members and locally operated. WFEC serves approximately 28,000 meters, providing dependable electricity and other services at competitive prices in Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson and Washington Counties in Northwest Florida.

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