Title
Resolution - Approval of Possible PEC Positions or Resolution(s) and Consideration of 2019 NRECA Proposed Resolutions - M Viesca
Other Info
Submitted By: Sylvia Romero on behalf of Mike Viesca
Department: Public Affairs
Financial Impact and Cost/Benefit Considerations: N/A
Discussion
The NRECA National Resolutions Committee will meet to kick off the annual member resolutions cycle on June 21, 2019. That meeting will be livestreamed on cooperative.com beginning at 7 a.m. Central Time. The agenda for the June meeting is listed below. Please review the agenda and 2019 adopted resolutions and submit any comments or proposals to Mike Viesca so they may be forwarded to the NRECA National Resolutions Committee by June 14, 2019 (resolutions@nreca.coop <mailto:resolutions@nreca.coop>).
The Cooperative's membership in NRECA allows PEC to name one (1) voting delegate and one (1) alternate delegate for the regional and national meetings. The delegates are also allowed to vote during NRECA director elections for their respective state. Certifications for director elections may also be submitted at the election or prior to the submission deadline of August 16, 2019.
The Committee's agenda is below for voting member review and comment; additional proposals will be added in the order they are received.
In July, the Committee's report and the Compendium of Proposed Resolutions, which will be considered at the NRECA Regional Meetings <https://www.cooperative.com/nreca/member-resolutions/resolutions-process/Pages/Secure/Regional-Meetings.aspx>, will be sent to all voting members and posted on their website.
Questions, comments, or agenda submissions will be sent to resolutions@nreca.coop <mailto:resolutions@nreca.coop>.
Website: <https://www.cooperative.com/nreca/member-resolutions/resolutions-process/Pages/Secure/National-Resolutions-Committee.aspx>
Committee Roster:
<https://www.cooperative.com/nreca/member-resolutions/committee-lists/Documents/Secure/2018NationalResolutionsCommitteeRoster.pdf>
Pedernales Electric Cooperative, Inc. will continue to work with NRECA to update PEC voting delegates, directors, and co-op staff on issues presented in the resolutions.
AGENDA - JUNE 21 ISSUES MEETING
1. Discussion Topic - Allied Organizations Resolutions (pp. 24-26; 95-100): The CMEC and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing to consider: a) merging resolutions of support for various allied organizations; or b) adding new resolutions to address those allied organizations that do not currently have a stand-alone resolution of support;
2. Discussion Topic - Hydropower Resolutions: The Regulatory and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, flagged the below resolutions to review and consider merging where similar subject matters are addressed:
• "Protection of Hydroelectric Dams" (pp. 2; 33);
• "Protection of Federal Hydropower Customers Through Proper Allocation of Dam Repair Costs" (pp. 3; 33);
• "Opposition to the Sale of Federal Power Marketing Administrations" (pp. 3; 34);
• "The Columbia River Treaty" (pp. 3; 34);
• "Support for Preference Power and Full Development of Hydroelectric Power Resources" (pp. 3; 35);
• "Protection of Preference Power" (pp. 3; 36);
• "Change of Federal Purpose and Reallocation" (pp. 4; 38);
• "Western Area Power Administration Power Rate Stability" (pp. 4; 38);
3. Discussion Topic - "Alignment of Gas and Power Markets" (pp. 6; 44): The Regulatory and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing to consider merging with existing resolution, "Development of a Plan to Meet the Fuel and Infrastructure Requirements of the New Natural Gas Fleet and Complying with Environmental Regulations" (pp. 6; 43), to better cover what increases in gas generation are doing from an industry perspective;
4. Discussion Topic - "Renewable and Environmentally Favorable Energy" (pp. 7; 46): The Regulatory and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing to consider separating ethanol and biofuels into a stand-alone resolution;
5. Discussion Topic - "Social Cost of Carbon" (pp. 10; 57): The Regulatory and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing to consider merging with other similar resolutions (no existing resolutions specified);
6. Discussion Topic - "Fish, Wildlife, and Avian Mitigation" (pp. 10; 59): The Regulatory and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing to consider merging with existing resolution, "Engangered Species" (pp. 9; 55);
7. Discussion Topic - "Rural Electric Mascot Willie Wiredhand" (pp. 16; 79): The CMEC and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing to consider whether this resolution is still needed;
8. Discussion Topic - "Stranded Assets and Economic Impacts" (pp. 16; 74): The Regulatory and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing in consultation with the resolution's original sponsor, Lane Electric Cooperative, Oregon, to better understand the origins and context of the resolution;
9. Discussion Topic - "Prepay Metering" (pp. 17; 75): The CMEC and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing to consider merging with other similar resolutions (no existing resolutions specified);
10. Discussion Topic - "Takeover Threats" (pp. 19; 81): The CMEC and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing to consider merging with existing resolution, "Electric Service on Indian Reservations" (pp. 18; 79);
11. Discussion Topic - "National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) Legislative Issues" (pp. 25;98): The CMEC and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing to consider amending the resolution to more accurately reflect NRTC's business activities;
12. Discussion Topic - "Investment to Strengthen Rural America" (pp. 26; 100): The Legislative and Resolutions Committees, at their January 2019 meetings, discussed reviewing to consider merging with existing resolution, "Support for USDA Rural Development Programs" (pp. 24; 95);
13. Discussion Topic - Civilian/Criminal Liability: The Resolutions Committee, at their January 2019 meeting, discussed considering a new resolution to address civil/criminal liability protection from wildfires in light of recent events (no language is currently drafted);
14. Discussion Topic - Lexicon Project: The Resolutions Committee, at their January 2019 meeting, discussed considering whether the language in the member resolutions should be consistent with the findings of the Lexicon Project;
15. Proposed Amendment to Existing Resolution: "Touchstone Energy®" (pp. 25; 98), submitted by Ohio's Electric Cooperatives <https://www.cooperative.com/nreca/member-resolutions/resolutions-process/Documents/Secure/Proposed%20Amendment%20-%20Touchstone%20Energy%20-%20Submitted%20by%20Ohio%27s%20Electric%20Cooperatives.pdf>.
Process:
NRECA Regional Meetings take place in September and October of 2019, with Regions 8 & 10 meeting being held October 24-25, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. The NRECA Annual Meeting will be held on February 27 - March 4, 2020 in New Orleans, LA. Current NRECA Regional Meeting Voting Delegates will be decided by resolution and will be due to NRECA by August 16, 2019.
The National Resolutions Committee is comprised of the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the three member standing committees. To ensure every Region is represented, the NRECA President reviews the remaining standing committee members and appoints additional regional representatives, if necessary.
Members are encouraged to submit <https://www.cooperative.com/nreca/member-resolutions/Pages/Secure/Write-Submit-a-Resolution.aspx>their ideas for consideration in advance of the National Resolutions Committee meeting. The National Resolutions Committee starts the yearly resolutions process each June by meeting to identify and discuss emerging policy issues important to the NRECA membership.
In July, the Committee's report and proposed resolutions will be emailed to the membership, posted to the Regional Meetings <https://www.cooperative.com/nreca/member-resolutions/resolutions-process/Pages/Secure/Regional-Meetings.aspx> page and forwarded to the Regional Resolutions Committees.
Following the standing committee meetings in January, the National Resolutions Committee convenes to compile and package the proposed resolutions for NRECA voting delegates to consider at the NRECA Annual Meeting.
The National Resolutions Committee convenes at the Annual Meeting to answer questions regarding the proposed resolutions or review new resolutions on issues that have arisen since their January meeting. The Committee may add a new resolution to the business meeting agenda if the issue is deemed as one requiring immediate attention; otherwise, the Committee will revisit the issue at their June meeting to allow for broader discussion with the membership.
National Resolutions Committee Meetings
June 21, 2019 Arlington, Virginia
January 15, 2020 Palm Desert, California
March 1, 2020 New Orleans, Louisiana
A full list of NRECA dates is on page “iv” in the board packet document entitled: 2019 MEMBER RESOLUTIONS (ADOPTED AT THE 77TH NRECA ANNUAL MEETING MARCH 12, 2019 • ORLANDO, FLORIDA).
Body
RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COOPERATIVE, that PEC follows and adopts the Board’s directive regarding positions or proposed NRECA resolutions as discussed by the Board this day.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Executive Officer, or designee, is authorized to take such actions necessary to implement this resolution.