Co-Mo Electric Cooperative News Service 3/10/2010 6:31:04 AM us=en newslist.aspx?itemID=22
That support could be extended even further, as the federal government has pushed back by two weeks the deadline for the grant application to be turned in. Because of that, Co-Mo has extended its deadline for when letters of support need to be turned in to March 25.

“The response has been great,” said Ken Johnson, general manager/CEO for Co-Mo Electric Cooperative. “We’ve heard from people from all walks of life — state senators, health care leaders, public safety officials, business owners, Realtors, city council members and everyday members of our system who see the need for this type of service.

“That said, we still need further support. The more people who can tell us how this project would help their lives, the better the chances are of us getting the grant,” Johnson said. 

The project, if funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, would bring fiber-optic connection to every home and business in Co-Mo’s service territory, creating the backbone for a cutting-edge system that would deliver high-speed broadband Internet and other related technologies.

Those interested in supporting the project can find materials on Co-Mo’s Web site, www.co-mo.coop, that explain how to do so. Those without Internet access can call Randy Klindt or John Agliata at (800) 781-0157 to have materials mailed to them.


ABOUT CO-MO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE - Co-Mo's service area comprises approximately 2,300 square miles in Central Missouri. Co-Mo exists to fulfill its members’ needs for superior electric and related services at fair and reasonable prices and support its communities through economic, civic and educational opportunities.

]]> Co-Mo Electric Cooperative News Service 03/08/10 Co-Mo Electric Cooperative News Service newslist.aspx?itemID=21 TO HELP CO-MO WITH THIS PROJECT download this file for instructions.

UPDATE: (March 3, 2010) The federal government has extended the deadline for grant applications as part of the second round of stimulus funding. The new deadline is March 29.

Because of that, Co-Mo is extending its deadline by which it will accept letters of support for its broadband project until March 19.

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Tipton, Mo (Feb. 24, 2010) — Co-Mo Electric Cooperative today announced the beginning of a process that could bring ultra-fast broadband Internet to its members.

The project, if funded, would bring fiber-optic technology to every home and business in Co-Mo’s service territory, creating the backbone for a cutting-edge system that would deliver high-speed broadband Internet and other related technologies. Co-Mo’s territory encompasses one of the most underserved areas in the state.

The first step in the process is for Co-Mo to apply for a grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The cooperative is working with Pulse Broadband, a St. Louis-based company that wrote the grant won in January by Ralls County Electric Cooperative in eastern Missouri., during the first round of stimulus funding.

“This fiber-to-the-home project will be a game-changer for Co-Mo members,” said Ken Johnson, Co-Mo’s general manager/CEO. “This will allow our rural area to leapfrog urban areas in the type of connectivity we have to the wider world. It also sets the stage for future developments in smart-grid technologies that will help our members conserve energy and save money on their electric bill.”

The project will also create a boost for employment in the area. Should the grant be successful and the project advance, construction of the fiber-optic network would provide up to 75 new jobs throughout Co-Mo’s territory over the three-year construction period. There would be additional permanent jobs created for things such as technicians and customer service representatives once the network is operational.

Beyond that, the fiber-optic backbone would be a major draw to businesses and residents who would potentially move to the area.

“What you hear in the residential market is that broadband connectivity is becoming an increasingly important factor. Many homebuyers won’t even look at a home without high-speed Internet capability,” said Randy Klindt, Co-Mo’s informational technology manager and project manager for the fiber-optic effort. “And in the commercial market, a company won’t even consider an area unless it has broadband connectivity, not just for its primary business but for its employees as well.”

Johnson likens this venture to what electric cooperatives did in the 1930s.

“Back then, we formed to serve areas that investor-owned utilities wouldn’t touch because they couldn’t make a profit. We turned the lights on for thousands of rural people in this area alone. Now, high-speed Internet is rapidly becoming the new electricity. It’s no longer a luxury. It’s becoming a necessity. If we can provide that to our

members, it’ll be like the 1930s all over again for us,” he said.

Johnson asked for member support.

“The more public support we have, the more favorable the grant committee will look on our application,” Johnson said.

To that end, the cooperative is asking its members and community organizations to download this file for instructions on writing a letter of support to be included with the grant application. Letters need to be mailed to the cooperative’s Tipton headquarters, P.O. Box 220, Tipton, MO 65081, or returned to either of Co-Mo’s offices by Friday, March 19.

“I can’t stress enough how important member support is,” Johnson said. “We need to demonstrate to a committee in Washington, D.C., that knows nothing of central Missouri how much of an economic-development tool and a life-changing force this project will be for our area.”

ABOUT CO-MO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE - Co-Mo's service area comprises approximately 2,300 square miles in Central Missouri. Co-Mo exists to fulfill its members’ needs for superior electric and related services at fair and reasonable prices and support its communities through economic, civic and educational opportunities.




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It is the responsibility of Congress to determine any climate change legislation, not EPA.

Tell Congress that they need to step in and prevent EPA from using the Clean Air Act as a tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It's the role of Congress to determine greenhouse gas policy that is fair and affordable for all Americans.

Were the EPA to act, the effect could be similar to what would have happened if cap-and-trade had passed — higher electric bills for Missouri consumers.

Visit www.ourenergy.coop now to make your voice heard.

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In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts v. EPA that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, had authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.  Since that time, EPA has been putting in place a framework to do just that.
 
I do not agree with the Supreme Court.  Congress never explicitly granted EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, under the Clean Air Act.  That law was enacted years ago and was meant to eliminate lead in the air and to reduce smog.
 
Because of the Supreme Court's ruling, the EPA has put in motion the process of writing complex rules to regulate emissions from both mobile and stationary sources in the United States - meaning both from automobiles (mobile) and from factories, farms, and power plants (stationary).
 
I have serious concerns with the powers given to the EPA by the 2007 Supreme Court ruling, and many people in Missouri's Fourth Congressional District share the same view, particularly relating to possibly costly regulations of stationary emitters.
 
In June 2009, I voted to move H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, to the Senate because that bill was the only legislative vehicle moving through Congress that would stop EPA from regulating greenhouse gases and also because it would strengthen America's renewable fuels industry overall.
 
The bill contained other provisions, such as a so-called cap and trade scheme, that I did not support.  Since the vote, I have met with Fourth District residents about cap and trade and am more convinced than ever there is little support for it in rural Missouri.  In fact, many rural Missourians are downright fearful of the unintended consequences associated with cap and trade.
 
This year, Congress must set aside cap and trade and instead piece together a scaled back, bipartisan energy bill.  But, even a smaller energy bill seems to be on shaky ground in the Senate, which has tied itself in knots over health insurance reform legislation.
 
Legislative stalemate combined with aggressive action by EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions without explicit authority from Congress make urgent Congress' need to assert leadership and to make clear that EPA does not have authority to regulate these sorts of emissions under the Clean Air Act.
 
That is why on February 2, 2010, I introduced H.R. 4572, bipartisan legislation to prohibit EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the authority of the Clean Air Act, to stop EPA from holding U.S. producers and renewable fuels industries responsible for land use changes in other countries, and to expand the definition of what qualifies as renewable biomass under U.S. energy law.
 
Congressman Collin C. Peterson, the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson, R-Missouri, joined me as original cosponsors of H.R. 4572.  This legislation sends a clear message that many of us in Congress are just plain concerned about what EPA is trying to do under the authority of the Clean Air Act and are ready to do something about it.
 
I am very hopeful that H.R. 4572 will become law or will be included in any sort of scaled back energy bill that could conceivably be drafted this year.  In my view, enacting common sense, bipartisan energy legislation, like the bill I have introduced, will help build consensus among the American people and Congress on energy and environmental reforms more generally and will allow for the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over time.

To keep in touch with me or track what I am doing in Congress, please feel free to sign up for my e-Newsletter or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.  You may also visit my official House website at www.house.gov/skelton.  With kind regards, I remain

Very truly yours,
 
IKE SKELTON
Member of Congress

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It’s one thing for a typical middle class family to be surprised by an energy bill. Usually what that means is a dip into savings or the sacrifice of some “wants” to pay this “need.”

It’s quite another thing for the Co-Mo Country families and individuals who are truly struggling and to whom an unexpectedly high electric bill can create financial chaos. For those in our community — and there are a growing number of people over the past year who have found themselves in this situation — Co-Mo is taking several steps to help make the monthly electric bill more predictable.

One way we do this is through our Levelized Payment Plan — LPP. You might have also heard this called Budget Billing. Under this, our members can spread their higher heating and cooling costs throughout the entire year. On this plan, you pay a rolling twelve month average bill. The levelized bill may vary slightly from month to month to adjust for your increase or decrease in usage, eliminating a yearly adjustment bill. But because you’re dealing with a 12-month average, the swing due to an especially hot or cold month isn’t going to be as drastic, eliminating the surprise when your bill arrives.

There are some restrictions to this plan, and the details can be found on our Web site — www.co-mo.coop — or by calling one of our customer service representatives at (800) 781-0157.

A new way in which we’re helping people avoid the surprise of a high electric bill after a month like January is through a feature on our newly revitalized Web site, co-mo.coop. It is called Power by the Hour, and it does just that — show you how much power you’ve used each hour over the past 24 hours. It also shows you how much power you’ve used each day over the past 30. There is absolutely no cost to use this feature.

You get your information very simply. Just visit our Web site and look for the Power by the Hour icon on the homepage. Punch in a few pieces of information from your bill and you will have your household’s energy usage displayed every time you return to the Co-Mo Web site. It’s completely safe and secure.

How can this help you avoid the surprise of a high bill? Many of us simply accept the electricity we use without taking a look at the times we’re using it and trying to find any correlation between our habits and our usage. Power by the Hour offers you information that you can use to help you link your daily activities to the effect on your electric bill. For example, how much did it cost to have the family in town for week, complete with extra showers and extra lights on? What about the effect if you lower your water heater from 150 degrees to 120 degrees?

Once you know the effect of your lifestyle on your electric bill, you can start to see ways to lower your energy use. And lower energy use translates directly into a lower electric bill, especially when you consider that Co-Mo is not expecting a rate increase in 2010. In other words, Power by the Hour can give you the information that puts you in control of your electric bill.

More energy-saving tips can be found on our Web site. You can also visit TogetherWeSave.com for more tips on lowering your electric bill.

Here’s hoping to a nice mild spring and summer that we all can enjoy.

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