Speaking before 8,000 local co-op leaders from around the nation, Glenn English, CEO of NRECA, warned that federal climate change legislation will be terribly expensive and make electric bills less affordable for consumers. He asked the assembled: “How will we respond?”

The answer he proposed should be to engage with co-op member-consumers, to share with them the real life impact that changes in the industry will have on their power bills and to enlist them as grassroots advocates for affordable energy and climate policies.

“Barring any monumental shift in the prevailing attitude of Congress,” he said, “we will soon see carbon dioxide regulated at the federal level.” English urged co-op leaders to look beyond the polarizing rhetoric and become engaged in a fast tracked policy debate that will bring “seismic change to the electricity business.”

The former ten-term Congressman from Oklahoma told the crowd that Representative Henry Waxman, Chairman of House Energy and Commerce Committee, had set an ambitious agenda to move an energy and climate change bill that sets federal carbon dioxide targets by the Memorial Day recess. “We have 90 days in which to maximize our strength,” said English. “90 days to demonstrate to elected officials in Congress that affordability is something they must take into consideration.”

He predicted that any success co-ops have in protecting consumers from excessive increases in their electric bills would be in direct proportion to the amount of political strength they could demonstrate in Washington.

The Senate Leadership and New Administration share Chairman Waxman’s agenda for fast tracked legislation to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions, said the co-op leader who lamented that current, politically expedient, cap-and-trade proposals amount to turning consumer electric bills over to Wall Street. “Any way you go, this is a tax, either through cap-and-trade or a straight carbon tax,” said English. “A carbon tax is the honest, straightforward way to do it.” A carbon tax, he said would have multiple advantages; ensuring transparency of application, enabling consumer advocates to directly track cost increases and providing near-term certainty to an industry in transition. “In the end, it is the responsibility of our elected officials to pass taxes – not pass the buck.”

English implored the association’s co-op membership to adapt to the new political landscape and to embrace their role as consumer advocates, engaging their member-consumers and working with Congress to find solutions that will help keep electricity affordable for all Americans.