Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 2007)
The INDEPENDENT, January 18, 2007 Power of the People By W. Marc Farmer, General Manager, West Oregon Electric Cooperative Y o u will be hearing a lot in the next several months about our Ore- gon Governor’s plans for re- newable energy. While we sup- port renewable energy and even own some ourselves, through our joint ownership of Coffin Butte, a landfill gas facil- ity located by Corvallis, we do feel that there are some facts that are not being adequately addressed by the Governor’s office. To better inform our mem- bers, we would like you to know the following information: Co- operatively owned utilities in the Northwest are long-time supporters of renewable power; hydropower makes up over 70 percent of the wholesale ener- gy they purchase. West Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc. is for- tunate to be able to purchase power from one of the world’s largest renewable power sys- tems: the Federal Columbia River Power System. Northwest cooperatives have been carefully watching the development of – and in some cases, investing in – power generated by renewable technology. Electricity from re- newable energy refers to forms of power generation (such as wind, solar, geothermal, or landfill gas) that are not based on fossil fuel sources and do not have significant air emis- sions. Large-scale hydropower produces zero emissions and is by definition, a renewable re- source. Cooperative leaders and consumers have made it clear that they strongly support incentives for alternative ener- gy sources rather than man- dates. Thus, three key statements should govern any discussion of renewable standards. • Mandates will increase customer rates. Local utility of- ficials should be allowed to continue to make decisions to control rate increases for their customers. • Existing hydroelectric pow- er produces no emissions, and should be eligible in any leg- islative package. • Reliability must not be threatened. Dependable, firm energy must be a top priority for utilities. Mandates based on politics and not science or eco- nomics threaten reliability. The Oregon Renewable En- ergy Action plan states clearly that “cost-effectiveness must be considered in state agency decision-making related to en- ergy sources, facilities or con- servation.” Cooperative boards already face the same require- ments and are committed to this principle. Plans for our state should encourage renew- able through incentives, rather than mandates. Recent grassroots surveys confirm that these priorities are shared by our customers: • 66 percent oppose raising power rates to add renewables for current power loads. • 87 percent support local decision-making on renewable options. • 44 percent support incen- tives rather than mandates to encourage development of ad- ditional renewable power. Only 16 percent support mandates. Oregon’s Governor has in- troduced a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) bill that is being considered by the legislature. Washington’s legislature is looking to fix the problems cre- ated by passage of Initiative 937 requirements. Some of the resources cho- sen to meet future needs will in- evitably be renewable. But, state mandates forcing specific power purchase decisions onto utilities has the potential to raise rates and take away the ability of utilities to choose the best mix of generation re- sources for their individual needs and priorities. As an al- ternative, with proper incentive- based policies in place, renew- able power, including hy- dropower, has great promise now and far into the future. My biggest frustration has been the continued dismissal of our current hydro power as a renewable resource. It is re- newed with each rainfall and each snowfall and is one of the cleanest forms of energy avail- able. To require us to invest more dollars to replace an al- ready existing, low cost form of energy serves no economic or environmental purpose. The al- ternative forms of renewable energy are far more costly to build and operate and are not constant forms of energy. You spend a great deal of money for 503-429-0280 Basic Auto Repair Specializing in Brakes & Light Auto Repair Oil Change Special $19.95 most cars & trucks - up to 5 quarts Transmission service Rotor and drum machine on site Open Monday thru Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday & Sunday call for appointment 62481 Nehalem Hwy 47 North, next to Spartree Restaurant a resource that only produces power when the sun shines (solar) or when the wind blows. How do they propose we fill in the times that the sun or wind is not available to meet the con- stant needs of our members for power? Renewable energy just for the “feel good” aspect of it, without thought for the costs, return on investment, integra- tion and transmission of it, and the unreliability of it as a con- sistent form of energy makes no sense to me. Let’s remem- ber the clean, low cost power we currently have and supple- ment it with a well-thought-out, cost effective, and prudent source of additional renewable energy. Lose your card, $8 replacement The cost of replacing a boater education card in- creased from $5 to $8 on Jan- uary 1, due to increasing costs of processing and mailing. The Oregon State Marine Board approved the fee increase at their December 14 meeting. “If boaters have lost their card, had their name changed, or if their card is damaged or stolen, they need to order a re- placement card,” said MariAnn Koloszar, Education Coordina- tor for the Marine Board. The fee for not carrying a boater education card is $97. In 2007, boaters who are 60 and younger, operating a boat over 10 hp, need to take a Page 15 boating safety course and ap- ply for a boater education card. More than 150,000 Oregonians have their boater education cards. For more information about boating safety courses, visit www.boatoregon.com. WEATHER REPORT DECEMBER 2006 DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 TEMPERATURE HI LO 41 45 43 43 49 52 50 42 47 50 52 51 52 55 * * 39 37 41 43 48 40 47 47 45 49 46 45 40 40 41 31 28 26 29 27 27 30 33 40 34 36 36 41 35 * 23 23 26 25 30 32 32 35 33 40 39 26 26 24 25 28 PRECIP. AMT. T -- -- T -- -- -- .08 .01 .27 1.03 .93 .37 1.91 .17 -- -- -- T .64 .24 .58 .19 .93 .15 .62 -- -- T -- T * power outage, no data available. Temperature and precipitation amounts are from the official U.S. weather station at the Vernonia wa- ter plant. Measurable precipitation in December totalled 8.12 inches. W illiams M etal F ab Custom Fabrication & Welding All Metals Including Stainless Steel & Aluminum Portable W ELDING A VAILABLE 5 0 3 - 4 2 9 - 8 4 3 1 17819 Noakes Rd., Vernonia, Oregon