1. Climate Change and Its Affect on the Northwest Paul Griffin Sr. Legislative Representative NRECA Government Relations

2. About NRECA  Private not-for-profit electric utilities  Over 900 member cooperatives in 47 States –Oregon -- 432,744 consumers –Washington – 363,292 consumers –Idaho – 166,928 –California – 72,740 consumers –Alaska – 537,225

3. About NRECA  12% of the Electric Utility Sector or 42 million consumers  6 consumers per/mile  Cover 73% of the nations landmass  Own 41% of the electric distribution network

5. Renewable Energy Development  Leading the Charge –Co-op renewable energy capacity grew more than 60 percent in each of the last two years –Co-ops received over 11 percent of their power from renewable sources in 2008

6. Renewable Energy Development  April 2008 – 24 NRECA members form the National Renewables Cooperative Organization (NRCO) –www.renewable.coopwww.renewable.coop  NRCO helps electric co-op members participate nationally in diversified alternative energy projects

7. Northwest Renewables  Umatilla Electric Cooperative --$433,000 award for solar development in Hemiston  Flathead Electric Co-op $3.6 million in Clean Renewable Energy Bonds for a landfill gas plant in Kalispell  PNGC invest $500,000 in the development of the Reedsport OPT Wave Energy Park

8. Snake River Dams

9. Snake River Dams/NRECA  “The removal of federal multipurpose dams or other navigational and impoundment facilities is a shortsighted and irresponsible proposal that would create potentially disastrous economic impacts…the breaching of multipurpose dams would wreak havoc on commerce dependent on barges and other waterway navigation.” (NRECA Resolution)

10. 2009 – A Busy Year!  February 2009 – $787 Billion Stimulus signed into law –$3.25 Billion in BPA bonding authority

11. 2009 – A Busy Year!  June 2009 – Waxman- Markey Climate and Energy Bill passes House –Highly partisan measure –Speaker Pelosi driving force

12. 2009 – A Busy Year!  June 2009 – Bipartisan American Clean Leadership Energy Act passes Senate Energy Committee (S.1462) –Includes Renewable Energy Standard –Incentives for building out the Electric Grid to improve reliability and integrate renewables –Efficiency measures

13. Clean Air Act and CO2  What does the EPA’s Endangerment finding do? –Regulates the following Greenhouse Gases: 1.carbon dioxide, 2.methane, 3.nitrous oxide, 4.hydrofluorocarbons, 5.Perfluorocarbons 6.sulfur hexafluoride Lisa Jackson, Administrator, EPA

14. Congress Responds  “ The Clean Air Act was not designed to regulate greenhouse gases…such regulation will result in a glorious mess and regulation of greenhouse gas emissions should be left to Congress.” (Rep. John Dingell, December 7, 2009) Rep. John Dingell (D-MI)

15. Clean Air Act, CO 2 and the Northwest  Why should the Northwest Care?  Isn’t the Bonneville system a clean, renewable, emitting resource?  Yes, but it’s a finite resource.

16. The Congressional Response Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO) Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D- ND)

17. Clean Air Act and CO 2  S.J. Res 26 – (Murkowski/Lincoln)  H.J. Res 76 – (Skelton/Peterson)  H.J. Res 66 – (Jerry Moran)  H.R. 4396 – (Pomeroy)

18. What Happens Next?  All eyes are on the Senate  What bill gets the magical 60 votes? –Bingaman/Murkowski Energy bill –Kerry-Lieberman-Graham Climate Bill  Is there enough time? –Will Healthcare return to the forefront?

19. Thank You  Paul Griffin  Sr. Legislative Representative  NRECA  (703) 907-5809  paul.griffin@nreca.coop