A Herald article on Jan. 20 mentioned the contention at the prior La Plata Electric Association board meeting over a proposed “long-range planning committee.”
A flyer circulated at the County Commissioners’ Land Code meeting the night before urged people to unite against this committee, misrepresenting it as an attempt at a Tri State buyout.
The final vote was 6-5 in favor of the committee meeting one time to propose its agenda to the board. Given that the buy-out agenda is false, what could possibly be wrong with gathering information?
The board is clearly divided. Let’s just say it is between the “renewables” and the “coals;” opposing ideologies that are fueling (pun intended) an emotional debate over the future direction of our co-op.
The Union of Concerned Scientists has developed a method of attributing climate change to companies according to the share for which they are responsible. It’s called climate accountability. Now that the big oil companies are being sued by New York and seven jurisdictions in California, it is only a matter of time until Tri State gets sued.
It is unlikely that LPEA would fare well in that scenario, even without Tri State’s other outstanding financial burdens. Perhaps our divided board could unite around what’s best for our community and for the environment, both from a health and safety standpoint as well as economically.
LPEA co-op members are currently held hostage to an expensive contract for electricity that is not safe for our health or good for our pocketbooks.
Lauri Costello
Durango
