Press reports have surfaced recently showing that Tri-State Generation and Transmission and other coal-burning power companies have funneled large sums – $7.8 million in 2017 and up to $8.8 million in 2018 – to a firm that a secretive intermediary group retained to lobby the Environmental Protection Agency to gut the Clean Air Act.
The current EPA officials charged with enforcing this act were, in 2017, partners in this lobbying firm. Indeed, one of these officials was paid $2.1 million that year for this lobbying immediately before he left for the EPA to oversee Clean Air Act implementation.
In April, the House Energy Committee told Tri-State and the other utilities to identify the source of their funding and to “explain how your substantial annual contributions... are consistent with your obligations to ratepayers.” Tri-State must respond by April 25.
Congress’ focus understandably is on the allegations of unethical behavior by EPA officials. There is a much more important concern – Tri-State allegedly has been using our money to gut the Clean Air Act. This is not acceptable. Tri-State’s actions do not reflect the La Plata Electric Association’s values.
My recommendation is that LPEA, with fellow rural co-ops, form a special audit committee to investigate all the money Tri-State has spent for its own political agenda.
In addition, LPEA should file a complaint with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. The PUC, as recently as April 1, reaffirmed that it has regulatory authority to consider complaints alleging that Tri-State has engaged in an unjust and unreasonable practice. Tri-State’s use of LPEA’s money to gut the Clean Air Act constitutes a clear violation of state law.
Jeff Bork
Durango
