November - Beltrami Electric Cooperative, Inc.

L
i
g
h
t
s
November 2013
Beltrami Electric
Cooperative Inc.
®
New EPA regulations
explained – pages 4-5
The Mitten Tree
returns! – page 3
NORthern
L
i
g
h
t
s
Northern Lights (USPS 016488), Vol. 60, No. 11 is
published monthly by Beltrami Electric Cooperative
Inc., 4111 Technology Drive N.W., Bemidji,
Minnesota 56619-0488. Subscription rate $5.
Periodicals postage paid at Bemidji, MN 56601.
Postmaster: Please send address corrections to
Beltrami Electric Cooperative Inc., P.O. Box 488,
Bemidji, Minnesota 56619-0488.
Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday – Friday
Customer Service: 218-444-2540
or 1-800-955-6083
www.beltramielectric.com
Board of Directors
President
Rick Coe, District 6
(Square Butte Director)
Vice President
Jeff Nelson, District 3
Secretary
Murl Nord, District 1
Treasurer
Judy Honer, District 9
Directors: Lea Perkins, District 2; Jerry Larson Sr.,
District 4; Robert Wallner, District 5; John Lund,
District 7; Terry Diffley, District 8, (Minnkota
Director)
General Manager
Lynette Nieuwsma
Editor
Mitch Raile
Minnesota State Electrical Inspectors
Beltrami and Clearwater Counties
Mark Smythe
218-751-0487 or fax 218-751-3900
e-mail: [email protected]
smytheelectricinspections.com
Cass and Hubbard Counties
Steve Schauland
218-652-2213 or fax 218-333-0451
These are the inspectors covering the area served
by Beltrami Electric. They can be reached by
phone Monday through Friday between 7 and
8:30 a.m. or by fax or email as indicated.
Gopher State One Call
1-800-252-1166 or 811
Anyone who plans to dig is required by law to
notify the state of their intentions at least 48
hours in advance.
All digging requires the 48-hour notification
so that buried telephone line, television cable,
pipelines, utility electrical lines, municipal water
and sewer lines can be located to ensure that
none will be severed or damaged.
ON THE COVER: This year's fall colors were
definitely on display for a neighborhood
located in the Beltrami Electric area in
mid-October.
2 Northern Lights • November 2013
Guest
EDITORIAL
Jolene Kallroos, Manager of Member Services
M
y name is Jolene Kallroos and
I recently became a member of
Beltrami Electric Cooperative this
past spring by moving into the service
area. Not so long after, I was hired at the
cooperative to be its new manager of
member services. I live in the Turtle River
area with my husband and two dogs. We
have five adult children, all living on their
own now. Before accepting my current
position, I worked at Beltrami County
Health and Human Services for 15 years.
I am very passionate about my work and
about management in general. I would
like to thank CEO/General Manager
Lynette Nieuwsma for giving me the
chance to use her monthly column space
to introduce myself.
There are key factors in my
management philosophy and I would like
to share them with you in this edition of
the Northern Lights.
Dedication: I am very devoted to my
work and the people I serve. Dedication
to me is being devoted to not only the
members and the cooperative but also to
the employees, staff and management. You
need this to be successful in any business.
I was elated to find out the employees
at Beltrami Electric and I share this
dedication.
Excellent customer service: I believe
in providing excellent customer service,
which includes treating our members with
respect and dignity. We have a job because
of our members. Superior customer
service has many different aspects from
treating our members with respect when
they come into our office to being efficient
at our customer billing to keeping our
costs down. We have a business to run
and we have to keep in mind that we also
have to be financially successful to provide
this superior customer service to our
members.
Respect: Everyone should be treated with
respect whether it is our members, coworkers, managers and other departments
within our co-op. You cannot have a
successful business without growing a
mutual respect for your customers or
the other departments working at the
cooperative and I will strive to create
and build these relationships. All the
departments at the cooperative have to
work closely together to meet our goals
for our members.
Communication: Clear and concise
communication is needed to be
successful, no matter what the project or
aspect of the business. Striving for clear
communication with our member needs
to be a top priority. We also have to clearly
communicate internally to ensure this
success. I have an open door policy. I
strive for positive communication and I
strongly believe in solution-based input.
It is easy to be misunderstood when you
don’t communicate and I think this is
important not only for our members,
but also for our employees. Electricity is
complicated and we need to ask questions.
I have learned that you can never assume
anything! If you have a question or you are
unsure of something we all need to take
the time to ask and learn when applicable.
Patience: We all deserve patience, but
sometimes we get caught up in the rush
of our jobs and our deadlines. However,
taking a step back and giving attention
that is needed, where it is needed is a great
way to see the whole picture.
Continuous improvement: There
is always room for improvement!
Continuous improvement is key, as
nothing is stationary. Our economy,
politics, the environment and our needs
are continuously changing and we need
to keep up with these changes. Our
employees are the experts and we need
to learn from them. We need to build
off of their expertise and skills to make
the improvements that are needed.
Educating ourselves on a continuous basis
to strive for knowledge to make these
improvements is vitally important. Every
day is a new day and a new opportunity
for improvement.
Guest
EDITORIAL
I am very excited to work for a
cooperative that is member-owned and
where the staff and employees really care
about the work they do and the members
they serve. I have only been here about
three short months and am really proud
to be a part of this organization. One
highlight so far was that I was lucky
enough to go on the recent power plant
tour and meet several of Beltrami Electric
cooperative members. I have to say, what
a great group of people! I am even more
excited to be able to be of service to all
the other extraordinary people who make
up this Cooperative’s membership. Thank
you for your time and I look forward to
working with you.
Help us decorate the mitten tree
Drop off items at Cooperative
Headquarters by Dec. 9
With the holiday season approaching fast, it’s once
again time to decorate Beltrami Electric’s annual mitten
tree! For the 13th consecutive holiday season, we will
be accepting donations of new and homemade mittens,
gloves, hats or scarves for distribution to area Head Start
programs. If you’d like to help keep our area children
warm and cozy this winter, please consider joining BEC
in collecting these items. Donations can be delivered to
the Beltrami Electric office at 4111 Technology Dr. NW
in Bemidji. Donations will be accepted until Monday,
Dec. 9, and be distributed very soon after.
Beltrami Electric will
be closed on
Monday, Nov. 11,
in observance
of Veterans Day and on
Thursday, Nov. 28
for Thanksgiving.
Protect your home from electrical fires
E
ach year, electrical failures and
malfunctions cause 43,900 home
fires, resulting in 438 deaths,
1,430 injuries, and $1.47 billion in
property damage. But many home
electrical fires can be prevented simply
by understanding basic electrical safety
principles and following safe practices.
The Electrical Safety Foundation
International (ESFI) and the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) have teamed up to offer safety tips to
help protect your home and family:
• Safety should always be the top priority when working with
electricity. ESFI recommends that a qualified, licensed electrician
perform all home electrical work in compliance with local and
national safety standards.
• Consider having your circuit breakers replaced with arc fault
circuit interrupters (AFCIs), which provide enhanced electrical
fire protection by detecting dangerous arcing conditions.
• Make sure all electrical panel circuits are properly labeled.
Always replace fuses or circuit breakers with the correct size and
amperage.
• Keep the area around the electrical panel clear so you can easily
shut off power in an emergency.
• Every month, use the TEST button to check that ground fault
circuit interrupters (GFCIs) at outlets and AFCIs are working
properly.
• Be mindful of warning signs of an electrical problem, such as
outlets and switches that are warm or make crackling, sizzling or
buzzing noises.
• Regularly check cords, outlets, switches and appliances for signs of
damage. Do not use damaged electrical devices.
• Do not use extension cords on a permanent basis, and never use
them with space heaters or air conditioners.
• Avoid overloading outlets.
• Do not use light bulbs that exceed the recommended wattage of
the light fixture or lamp.
Despite your best efforts at prevention, a fire could still happen.
Follow these tips to make sure your family is prepared to make a safe
escape:
• Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping
area and on every level of the home.
• Test smoke alarms every month by pushing the TEST button.
• Create a family fire escape plan that includes two ways out of each
room.
• Pick an easy-to-find meeting place outside, a safe distance from
your home.
• Practice your escape plan by having at least two fire drills a year.
One fire drill should be at night while your family is sleeping.
• If anyone in your household is deaf, or if your own hearing is
diminished, consider installing a smoke alarm that uses a flashing
light or vibration to alert you to a fire emergency.
Visit www.esfi.org for more home electrical safety information.
Northern Lights • November 2013 3
Facts on proposed carbon rule
Give me the basics.
What is the EPA doing?
How, exactly, will the EPA
regulate future power plants?
The EPA is proposing limits on carbondioxide emissions from all future coal
and natural-gas plants built in the
United States. This is just a first step that
only covers power plants not yet built.
Later on, the EPA will separately tackle
emissions from the thousands of existing
power plants that are already operating.
This is an issue that affects power
production for every single utility and
consumer in the United States.
If a power company wants to build
a natural gas or coal power plant in the
United States, it has to get permits from
the EPA. And as part of that permits
process, the firm has to show that the
plant will follow certain guidelines.
To get more specific: All future coal
plants will need to emit no more than
1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide per
megawatt-hour. That’s well below the
current U.S. coal plant average of 1,800
pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatthour.
All new large natural gas-fired plants,
meanwhile (roughly 100 megawatts or
larger), would be restricted to 1,000
pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatthour. Natural gas shouldn’t have too much
trouble here: Modern combined-cycle gas
plants can already meet this standard.
Minnkota, your cooperative’s
wholesale energy provider, does not have
plans to build any new coal-based power
plants.
Why is the EPA regulating
carbon-dioxide emissions?
Back in 2007, the Supreme Court
ruled that the agency was required to
regulate carbon dioxide under the Clean
Air Act if it found the gas posed a threat
to human health and welfare. Some
scientists tend to agree that carbondioxide emissions from power plants,
cars and other fossil-fuel sources are
heating the planet.
So, after Obama took office, the
EPA began regulating. The agency first
set stricter fuel-economy standards for
cars and light trucks. Today’s rule, which
falls under the New Source Performance
Standards portion of the Clean Air Act,
sets rules for power plants that haven’t
been built yet. Eventually, the EPA
will have to move on to existing power
plants, and then — in theory — other
sources like refineries and so forth.
So it’s much, much easier
for natural gas plants to
meet the standard?
Correct. By and large, burning
natural gas in a modern combined-cycle
plant for electricity produces about half
the carbon-dioxide emissions that you
get from burning coal in an average plant
for electricity. While both fuels, when
burned, produce energy from oxidizing
the carbon and hydrogen they contain,
the ratio of carbon to hydrogen in coal is
much higher.
How are coal plants going
to meet that standard?
It won’t be easy. The limits on coal
plants are stringent enough that utilities
will likely only be able to build new
4 Northern Lights • November 2013
coal facilities if the plants can capture
20 to 40 percent of the carbon they
produce and bury it underground. That
technology is still in its infancy.
So a lot hinges on whether carbon
capture and storage (CCS) technology
will ever become viable. The EPA thinks
this is possible — and that the rule will
ensure progress. The coal industry is less
sure about this.
Right now, there are four coal
plants under construction that plan to
capture their carbon dioxide and could,
in theory, survive under the rules. That
includes the $2.4 billion Kemper County
coal plant being built in Mississippi by
Southern Company, which is scheduled
to begin operation in 2014 and was built
with the help of a $270 million federal
grant. That plant will sell some of the
captured carbon for use in oil recovery
in order to defray costs.
That said, it’s not at all clear that
CCS technology will become widespread
anytime soon — in part because it’s so
expensive. Power plants that can capture
and store their carbon are initially
expected to cost about 75 percent more
than regular coal plants.
Will this disrupt our
electricity supply?
Not a lot. It’s true that coal currently
supplies around 37 percent of the
country’s electricity. A key point here
is that today’s rule only affects future
coal plants. And utilities haven’t been
building very many coal plants in the
past decade anyway.
So these rules just maintain
the status quo?
The EPA thinks so: “Because these
standards are in line with current
industry investment patterns, these
standards are not expected to have
notable costs and are not projected to
impact electricity prices or reliability,”
the agency said recently.
That said, nothing is ever for
certain. The coal industry likes to point
out that natural gas prices have often
spiked in the past. If that happens again,
they’ll say, these rules could hamper our
ability to build new coal plants and keep
electricity prices down.
Doesn’t that mean that
these rules will have little
effect on carbon emissions?
Correct. The EPA expects the
standards “are not expected to change
(greenhouse-gas) emissions for newly
constructed (electric generating units).”
That’s because, again, few coal
plants were going to be built anyway and
modern natural-gas plants can already
meet the standard without needing
many changes.
So why do these rules
even matter?
Today’s rules are significant for three
reasons. One, this is the first time that
the EPA is regulating carbon-dioxide
emissions from power plants. That, in
itself, is a big symbolic step — a sign
that the agency is becoming more active
in tackling climate change. That’s why
environmentalists have hailed the move.
Second, this is a sign of what’s
to come. Over the next year, the EPA
will craft carbon regulations for the
6,500 existing power plants that are
currently operating around the United
States. That’s a much bigger deal. Those
power plants are responsible for about
40 percent of U.S. carbon-dioxide
emissions, and the EPA will have to
figure out how much to reduce that
carbon.
Third, these rules could influence
the development of carbon capture
technology — either making it harder
or easier. That’s a big deal because some
analysts, like the International Energy
Agency, think that we’ll need carbon
capture to become much cheaper and
more widespread in order to have any
hope of averting drastic climate change.
and modify the rule accordingly. In
theory, the whole thing should get
finalized a year from now. Go to action.
coop to learn more.
Could the rule get
struck down in court?
Are there better ways to
tackle global warming than
these EPA rules?
Many economists would say that
putting a price on carbon and letting
the market figure out how best to cut
emissions is the ideal policy here. That
could include a carbon tax or a cap-andtrade system. Congress would have to
set this up, though, and Congress doesn’t
seem inclined to do much about climate
change right now.
So what happens next?
The rule for future power plants
will go through a 60-day comment
period. EPA will then consider all the
comments it gets from industry groups,
environmentalists, and other citizens,
Anything’s possible. Utility
companies with lots of coal power plants
are getting ready to challenge the rule
in court on the grounds that the agency
is requiring emission controls that have
not yet been “adequately demonstrated”
in the marketplace.
The EPA has already revised this
rule once out of concern that it was
vulnerable to a challenge in court.
Seeing as how the agency is taking
some unprecedented steps by regulating
carbon, it’s always possible that the D.C.
Circuit Court could find some way to
strike the rule down. In that case, the
agency would either have to tweak the
rule even further or start all over again.
Source: NRECA
How to apply:
Name
City/Zip
1. Purchase LED Christmas plug-in (not battery
operated) lights and decorations in 2013.
Account #
Phone #
2. Complete this coupon and submit it to Beltrami Electric Cooperative
by Dec. 13, 2013, with your original sales receipt and the LED packaging showing the ENERGY STAR® logo and number of lights per string.
Address
Number of Strings
Rebate per string
Total Rebate
3. Strings must be 100 or fewer lights.
4. $3/string of lights, maximum of 5 strings per customer. Rebate cannot exceed price of LED string per package.
Mail to: Beltrami Electric Cooperative •
P.O. Box 488 • Bemidji, MN 56619
Northern Lights
For Sale:
IH 240 tractor, 30 hp, older utility, $2,600; IH 5488
tractor, 175 hp, no 3pt 1000, $9,500; IH 300 row
crop, wide front, 294-6729.
John Deere 6’, 3pt, snow blower, excellent condition, $600, 766-7012.
Hydraulic lift pickup camper; 2-year-old Australian
Shepherd; older sewing machine; horse saddle;
horse trailer; desk calculator, 586-2860.
1997 Polaris Lite DLX snowmobile, electric start,
excellent shape, $600/obo, 586-2168.
Burris timberline ballistic plex 3x9 scope, fits standard or magnum calibers, 497-0231.
1999 Subaru Forester, 140K, runs great, $5,900;
antique drop leaf table w/6 chairs, additional 2
leaves, $550; no sew tie blankets, will make for
any occasion, any size, you pick colors/prints,
320-248-5795.
Pilates work machine by Ellen Croft and 5 workout
DVDs, all in excellent condition, exercise instruction
manuals included, $35, 243-2491.
Rabbits, cages, hutches, dishes, feeders and a lot
more, 333-1314.
Very nice oak and glass entertainment center, 32”
TV included (no remote & not a flat screen), $40;
TV stand with swivel top, cabinets underneath for
storage, $10; weight bench, $10, 444-6517.
30” white GE electric stove, very clean in great
condition, $100/firm, 586-2803.
’99 Mercury Cougar, red, excellent condition,
5-speed, 2.5l, 6-cyl, 159K miles, 751-9357.
Registered lowline Angus, purebred bull, DOB
2011, $1,500; 3 heifer calves, 835-3276.
used, $400/obo, was $800 new, 987-2932.
Cozy propane gas stove, 40,000 Btus with 20’ of
4” aluminum no moisture pipe, asking $425, 3393083 ask for John.
Ruger 77 270 Winchester, like new, Tang safety,
Bushnell 3x9 scope mounted and ready to hunt,
$600, 766-3038.
Maple sap aluminum bucket, lid & tap, $6/set, make
your own maple syrup, 766-4829.
Fish house, Frabill, 4’x6’ portable, new in box, paid
$260, sell for $160/obo, 335-7838.
Truck box style trailer, $295/obo, 224-2836.
Four 21” homemade steel gates; fiberglass calf
hutch, needs work; used western saddle w/13’
seat, 224-2895 after 7 p.m.
Singer treadle sewing machine, $75; older Sears
sewing machine/chair, $100; stainless steel natural
gas range top w/vent, $150; 5’ oak table/leaf, $25;
Kenmore natural gas dryer, $30; entertainment
center, $20, 751-9311/368-9034.
2002 Ford XLT F150 4x4 pickup, very good shape,
153,000 miles with topper and Linex liner, $7,500,
556-5958.
Men’s Ram golf clubs, 1,3 woods, 3 hybrid, 4-9
irons, PW, putter, head covers and golf bag, $50,
call Steve, 224-2699.
Stainless steel propeller, 15¼”, 19 pitch, never
been used; Shorestation boat cover, 201 HW, used
one month, 987-2410.
Crochet thread, white and ecru, DMC Cordonnet
#80 and #100, $2.75/ball, 759-1929 before 6 p.m.
Used HJC CL-X4 fuel helmet, yl/bk/slvr, size youth
L, 335-3994.
32” TV w/stand, $25; wood headboard/footboard,
$10; small tan swivel rocker, $20, 2 white vinyl
kitchen chairs, $5; microwave stand, $15, all in
good condition, must get rid of, 467-3343 evenings.
Frigidaire chest freezer, 20-cubic-feet, $275,
335-6404.
Cambridge solid walnut grandmother clock, Hermle
movement, completely restored, mint condition,
make offer, 444-6165.
Baby furniture, 1 bantam feather foot rooster, oil
furnace, $125, plus farm tractors, saddle, 2433112 evenings.
Browning 7 mm with Leupold scope, $700; Strike
Master ice auger, Magnum 3 plus, $100, 835-7484.
265-gallon oval fuel oil tank, used in basement,
complete including gauge/filter/legs/copper line/
cap and plastic pipe, $85, 766-8481.
1994 GMC K1500 4x4 standard cab, runs great,
tires are 75 percent, asking $2,500/obo, 333-8699.
Lady Amherst pheasants, 2013 hatch, also ring
neck pheasants, $20/each, 586-2839.
Stand-up tub surround, one-piece with seat, never
6 Northern Lights • November 2013
14’ aluminum boat, 243-2009 or 251-4017.
Aluminum canoe, good condition, 224-2836.
2007 Honda CRF250R dirt bike, factory dual
exhaust, 15 hours on new bottom end, shop says
top end looks like new, runs great, $2,400, text or
call 308-4461 evenings.
Used steel roofing or siding, color and length
doesn’t matter, 224-2271.
Men’s cross country skis, size 9, like new, $75;
Baby George rotisserie, never used, $20; 9’ x 10’
area rug, $30; glider, $20; 2 artificial Christmas
trees, $15/each; dog cage for med. sized dog,
like new, $35; 2 bird cages, $10/each, 547-2157
evenings.
Snow blower and 14” snowplow for Craftsman
lawn tractor, blower dual stage w/extra chute and
controls, also included is the mounting kit, either
separately or together, $725, 444-3849.
2006 Chevy Impala LT, burgundy, 102,000 miles,
$8,500, 760-9044.
Maytag dryer; cabin furnace, 209-5484.
2007 Toyota 4Runner, 122,000 miles, runs good,
no rust, $15,500/obo, 766-0486.
1982 Ford Courier pickup, 82K miles, California
truck with no rust and has a Palomino crank-up
camper, $2,500/firm, 340-0110.
1998 Plymouth Voyager, 200K miles, $800,
407-3374.
Boy's Columbia coat size large, light green; girl's
Columbia size small, pink, good condition, $50/
each, 586-2962.
Large bird cage on stand, cage is 24” x 18” x 30”,
$50, 586-2839.
4x4 older Kawasaki 4-wheeler, 400 Bayou liquid
cooled, extra set of new tires mounted on wheels,
possible attachment for snowplow, 586-2860.
Ice skates, size 8, white, $10; Chico stroller, $80;
highchair, $35; Juiceman, automatic juicer, $15;
Conair thermal spa, $20; 224-2141 days.
La-Z-Boy luxury lift chair, heat and massage, paid
$1,400, used 7 months, perfect condition, big man’s
chair, asking $700/obo, 751-3086.
Travel trailer, 1999 Fleetwood, 23’, $4,000,
444-2102.
Older commercial camps, fits long bed pickup,
double over cab bed, double sink, toilet, like new
stove, oven and refrigerator, converter needs to be
replaced, ideal for hunting and ice fishing, $500
firm, 333-0723.
Sled for moving fish house, homemade, welded
steel frame w/orange plastic runners, $150,
586-2884.
Green beads; broken necklaces, containing shades
of green; dangle bracelets with green beads; bracelets with some green beads; Spyrograph from late
60s, early 70s, 224-2722.
Free:
Hide-a-bed, 751-9357.
Loveable cat, gray and white, neutered male,
243-3443.
Swisher 22-ton wood splitter, low hours, excellent
condition, $600/obo, 333-3552.
For sale and wanted items only. No
rental, business, service, real estate
or personal ads. Ads are published
on a first-come, first-served basis and
are free to Beltrami Electric members.
Due to space constraints, there is no
guarantee your ad will appear. The
ad deadline is the first of the month
to be included in the next issue. For
example, an ad received November
1 would be included in the December
issue due out the end of November.
An ad received November 2 would be
included in the January issue due out
the end of December. Ads are preferred
to be submitted to the Web at www.
beltramielectric.com or via email
at [email protected], but
may be submitted by mail, phone or in
person at the cooperative. All telephone
numbers are presumed to have a 218
area code unless otherwise noted.
Iver Johnson 16-gauge, single shot shotgun,
$135, 751-5667.
’93 Chevy 4x4, rusty but trusty, 4.3 V6, 192K
miles, 444-9422.
Claw portable fish house, $500; Grizzly wood lathe,
2 hp, 43”, 16” swing, $400, 280-8226.
Fuel oil furnace Rudd, 84,000 Btu, high efficiency,
only used 7 years, $400; 250-gallon tank and Minnesota #3 tractor with loader, 243-3141.
Twelve place settings, Haviland china and serving pieces, $150/obo; 30,000 Btu unvented dual
fuel gas heater, new in box, $150/obo, 556-6736.
Dray 80” x 30” top with front end and back eyes
for attachment to tow, bunk post squares at each
corner, runners full-length 7.5” corrugated steel
upturned each end, $50/obo, 243-2510.
Homemade crazy-block quilts, twin, $35, full, $40,
queen, $45; king, $55; antique oak chairs, $25
each; rockers, $75; parlor table, $75; square oak
dining room table, $220; portable or cabinets sewing machines, $15 each; new pink king-size bed
spread, $20; portable white sewing machine, $20;
newly covered desk chair in navy, $25; brown metal
desk, $100/obo; 1 General Super all-grip 700-15
tubeless tire, $75 new, 243-2702.
Wanted:
Fainting sofa, light blue, floral, $800, 835-8145
after 6 p.m.
Blacksmith’s vise and blacksmith’s drill; good conditioned oak bent back chairs, 751-7206.
Classified ads rules
Looking for someone who can transfer the small
VHSC home videos onto DVD, 224-3688.
Small square straw bales, 751-0408 leave
message.
Ceiling-mounted natural gas garage heater for
2-car garage, 444-6014.
Vintage drum set, Zildjian cymbals, very nice,
$400, 586-3514.
Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires (4), 225-65R17,
$300; new women’s long Pendleton coat made
by Bemidji Woolen Mills, size L (12-14), $200/
obo, 335-7665.
1986 StarCraft 14’ boat with 25 hp Johnson motor
with electric start and trailer, Eagle depth finder,
Minnkota trolling motor, live well and bilge pump,
lake ready, $1,500; Farmhand F236 loader with dirt
bucket and bale fork, in good shape, well taken care
of, $1,800/obo, 243-2670.
Three-point or hydraulic 2 bottom 14”, 243-2663.
Two male mini-Lop bunnies, 13 weeks old, parents
are registered, 751-1161.
Mercury H14X11P prop; Remington 870 LW 20
gauge shotgun, 368-2261.
Red fiberglass topper, will fit ’80-’96 Ford long box,
sliding side windows, $200, 368-6922.
Adult-size wheelchair in good condition, nonmotorized, 224-2303.
For recycling: Any type, any age appliances, water
heaters, furnaces/ACs, pianos, computers/laptops,
etc., LP bottles, picked up free of charge; scrap
iron cut/hauled on $%, $$ paid for aluminum (#10
minimum) cans & junk vehicles, 75 mile radius of
Bemidji, 712-369-3291.
28’ x 24’ cabin to be moved, 821-6009 or 987-2494.
2004 Ford Expedition XLT, 5.4l, auto, 4x4, 3rd row
seating, 110,000 miles, great shape, $10,500/
obo; 2002 Dodge, 1500 SLT, 4x4, Quad cab,
5.9l, auto, 110,000 miles, sharp truck, $11,500/
obo, 766-8813.
Box scraper, 60” Buhler; 72” heavy-duty rock bucket
with grapple, new; 2001 Arctic Cat Panthera 550,
liquid cooled w/reverse, like new, 243-2844.
Polaris 500 4-wheeler, in good condition, new tires
and new clutch installed; large snow blower, used
about 2 hours, prices will be given when you look
at items, 224-2287.
2003 Cadillac CTS, loaded, 4-door, must see
and drive, need nothing, $6,000/obo, 444-4134
or 368-1464.
My Little Pony by Hasbro toy horses, will buy in any
shape, 1982 – now, may not have year on them,
prefer 80s line, let me pay you for them, 556-9285.
Wanted old axes or axe heads, leave a message,
679-3565.
Wrought iron fence, 5-6’ high, 20-50’ length,
835-7719.
Inexpensive vintage license plates and auto/
motorcycle related signs to hang in my garage,
any state, any size and any condition, purely for
decoration, 444-6014.
Reliable snow blower; early to mid-90s ¾-ton
Dodge or Ford pickup, 8’ box, standard cab,
987-2932.
'Like' Northern Safety & Security on Facebook
Win an iPad Mini!
N
orthern Safety & Security is now on Facebook!
"Like" their page to get more information about
current products and services provided by your local,
cooperative-owned home security and safety company. In
addition, be the first to know about upcoming offers and
special promotions.
As a bonus, everyone who "Likes" Northern Safety &
Security on Facebook between now and Jan. 31, 2014, will
be entered into a drawing for a 16 GB Wi-Fi Apple iPad
Mini.
To "Like" the page, type "Northern Safety & Security"
in Facebook's search area or access the page directly by
going to https://www.facebook.com/NorthSS.
*Some restrictions apply. This promotion is not in conjunction with Apple, Inc. or
Facebook. Drawing will be conducted on Feb. 3, 2014. Winner will be contacted
via Facebook private message. You do not need to be a cooperative member or a
Northern Safety & Security customer to enter the contest. Winner must continue
to "Like" Northern Safety & Security on Jan. 31, 2014, to be included in drawing.
One (1) 16 GB Wi-Fi Apple iPad Mini will be given away, color may vary.
We are l king
for you!
Beltrami Electric is looking for Larry Strowbridge,
whose last known address was in Bemidji. If you
know his whereabouts, please call the cooperative
office at 218-444-2540 or 800-955-6083.
Important notice for military personnel
Effective Aug. 1, 2007
Section 325E.028 of the Minnesota statutes pertaining to utility payment arrangements
for military service personnel outlines their rights and responsibilities effective Aug.
1, 2007. Minnesota’s electric cooperatives must not disconnect the utility service of
a residential customer if a member of the household has been issued order into active
duty, deployments, or change in duty station if residential consumer meets criteria set
forth in this statute.
Application and appeal forms are available at Beltrami Electric Cooperative
located at 4111 Technology Drive NW, Bemidji, MN. If you would like a copy of these
policies or forms sent in the mail, please contact the office at 218-444-2540 or 800-9556083. An application without copies of income statements and proof of military orders
overseas is considered incomplete resulting in the possibility of no shut off protection.
Board Meeting
Highlights
Beltrami Electric’s board of directors conducted
its monthly meeting Wednesday, Sept. 25,
2013. All directors were present. Also present
were General Manager Lynette Nieuwsma,
Manager of Finance & Accounting Sid Sletten
and Executive Secretary Kay Olson.
The following reports were given:
• Jeff Nelson shared a letter from a member
in his District recognizing Beltrami Electric
employees for their excellent service and
help on a project.
• Manager Nieuwsma made her monthly
report, including an update on the
cooperative financials and new services
built to date. Also discussed was the hiring
of a general manager for Cooperative
Development, LLC, and the retirement
announcement from Mark Glaess of
Minnesota Rural Electric Association
effective Dec. 31, 2013.
• Sid Sletten presented the August financial
report and work order procedure and
inventories. He also reviewed insurance
coverage and rates for our building,
equipment and Workers’ Compensation.
• Jerry Loud, Red Lake Nation TERO
director, met with the board to discuss
Beltrami Electric Cooperative services.
• Manager Nieuwsma and Rich Riewer,
manager of engineering, presented a
new Standard Distribution Construction
Guidelines policy.
• Manager Nieuwsma presented a proposed
2013 general capital credit retirement to the
board for discussion.
• Rick Coe, Terry Diffley and Murl Nord
reported on the Region 6 meeting they
attended.
• Manager Nieuwsma reported on the REMA
CEO conference.
• Terry Diffley reported on the Minnkota
board meeting.
• Murl Nord reported on the Rate Strategies
for 21st Century Challenges class he
attended.
• Manager Nieuwsma presented a consultant
strategic proposal for the board and
managers.
• Rick Coe presented a fundraising event of
the American Legion Post 14.
The following actions were taken:
• Adopted a Resolution approving the 2013
general capital credit retirement proposal.
• Approved new BEC Policy #307 Standard
Distribution Construction Guidelines.
• Accepted the consultant strategic proposal
as presented.
• Approved moving the date of the December
2013 board meeting to Monday, Jan. 6,
2014.
• Approved a monetary donation to the
American Legion Post 14.
The next board meeting will be
Oct. 30, 2013, beginning at 9 a.m.
Northern Lights • November 2013 7
4111 Technology DR NW
PO Box 488
Bemidji, MN 56619-0488
218-444-2540 • 800-955-6083
www.beltramielectric.com
Co-ops: Coal needs to remain in the mix
M
EPA releases proposed rule regarding carbon-dioxide emissions for new power plants
innkota Power Cooperative and
Beltrami Electric Cooperative
are deeply concerned about the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
proposed limits on power-plant emissions.
The draft regulations, issued in
September, would impose the first cap on
carbon-dioxide emissions from new power
plants.
The immediate impact of the rule will
be limited for Minnkota, but it sets the
stage for the more far-reaching set of rules
governing emissions from existing power
plants, which account for about 40 percent
of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions. About
55 percent of Minnkota’s power supply
resources come from coal.
The existing plants proposed rule,
which the EPA said will not be as stringent,
is due by June 2014.
Many believe the recently announced
proposed rule for new plants would
effectively eliminate the construction
of new coal-based units, raise prices for
electricity and cost jobs, and it therefore
drew a strong response from supporters
and opponents because the rule locks
in place standards that will persist if the
market changes.
The EPA proposes a limit of 1,100
pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-
NRECA officials say they plan
to enlist the support of electric
cooperatives and their members
nationwide in dealing with
proposed regulations aimed at
yet-to-be-built power plants. To
learn more about the proposal
or to submit comments to the
EPA, visit www.action.coop.
hour for new coal-fired plants, which
would require them to capture and store
a portion of the carbon dioxide they
produce. Traditional coal plants issue
1,800 pounds, according to the EPA. Large
natural-gas plants would have a lower
standard, 1,000 pounds, which they can
meet without capture technology.
The National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association (NRECA) says
the EPA has abandoned its “all-of-theabove” energy strategy and embraced an
“all-but-one” approach that effectively
prevents construction of new coal-based
generation.
“We had hoped the standard would
be 1,800 to 2,000 pounds of carbon
dioxide per megawatt-hour, which could
be met with existing, proven technology,”
said Jason Bohrer, president & CEO
of the Lignite Energy Council. “The
EPA’s new coal standard would require
the deployment of carbon capture
and sequestration (CCS), which is not
commercially available or cost-effective.”
EPA says it has a year to review
comments and finalize the new plants
rule. Any new plants built during that
period would still need to comply with the
standard.
Mac McLennan, Minnkota president
& CEO, says he’s even more concerned
about the rules for existing plants.
Minnkota has no plans to build a new
coal-based power plant at this time.
But the Minnkota/Northern
Municipal Power Agency Joint System
receives a large portion of its generation
from coal-based plants
at the Milton R. Young
Station near Center and
the Coyote Station
near Beulah.
“We are
concerned about
maintaining affordable, reliable
electricity,” McLennan said. “We need to
use common sense and not put regulation
ahead of technology and, as a result,
threaten the economy. Prices for coal have
remained affordable and stable over the
years. We support using a mix of energy
sources, which for us include baseload,
24/7 coal, and intermittent resources, wind
and hydro.”
John Graves, Minnkota’s environmental
manager, said the EPA is trying to run
“various approaches up the flagpole” to get
stakeholders’ reactions on ways to regulate
the existing plants.
“None of the potential approaches
bode well for coal-based plants in the long
term,” he said.
Co-ops nationwide believe the EPA
should withdraw the proposed rule. They
will continue to deploy new technologies
and are researching even more cutting edge
efforts to meet the future’s energy needs.
NRECA CEO Jo Ann Emerson said,
“The administration is gambling with the
economic well-being of future generations
and our nation’s economy.”