Blue Ridge Electric and Local Leaders Work to Balance Environmental Goals with Affordable Electricity
Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Public Relations, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383, Ext. 3213; or E-mail: Renee Whitener
WASHINGTON, DC, (May 26, 2009) – Local community leaders recently joined representatives of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation to travel to Washington, DC, to talk with Congressional leaders about the need to balance environmental goals with ensuring affordable electricity for families and businesses as Congress considers climate change legislation.
Dan McMillan, Ashe County Manager and chair of Blue Ridge Electric’s Ashe Community Leaders Council, and Ron Beane, Caldwell County commissioner and chair of the Caldwell Community Leaders Council, joined Blue Ridge Electric and 3,000 other electric cooperative representatives across the country that made the trip to discuss this timely issue. Congress is currently debating The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA), proposed legislation crafted by Henry A. Waxman (D-California), and Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts).
“Blue Ridge Electric and other cooperatives are committed to a cleaner environment, however, the legislative language as currently proposed has the potential of increasing electricity rates up to 40 percent over the next five to 10 years,” explained Doug Johnson, chief executive officer of Blue Ridge Electric. “We believe that will pose a very real hardship for many consumers, especially in the current economy. We believe it’s possible to craft an energy policy that meets our environmental goals while also ensuring affordable electricity and we found our elected officials to be in agreement.”
Consumers wanting to help ensure affordable electricity while meeting environmental goals should also make their wishes known to Congress by contacting their elected officials today. Blue Ridge Electric and other cooperatives are making it easy to get information and contact elected officials by visiting the web site: FindABalancedSolution.com. Look for the green box to link to the site that enables consumers to directly e-mail their elected officials or gives instructions on how to call.
Blue Ridge Electric is a local, member-owned electric cooperative serving some 73,000 consumers in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes and Alexander counties.
