Separating fact from fiction

Your electric cooperative’s mission to provide members’ homes and businesses with reliable, affordable, environmentally responsible electricity has faced its share of obstacles through the decades. In the past several months, I have warned of threats to our electric system’s reliability from overly ambitious environmental regulations.

Last month, the Biden administration issued a new set of power plant rules that may be the greatest threat yet to our mission. If implemented, those rules all but ban the use of fossil fuels to produce electricity by the 2030s. The U.S. EPA administrator, Michael Regan, has even claimed this can be done at very little cost and without affecting electric reliability.

That, of course, would be wonderful if it were true. The reality is that our electric power system has been built up over decades — and it continues to evolve with new technologies that are cleaner and more efficient. Our system works on the principles of science and engineering, not wishes and dreams. Any plan to move completely away from fossil fuels today is unrealistic based on the limits of technology, time, and money.

Your electric cooperative is a member-owned and -controlled organization that exists solely for the benefit of those members — like you — and the communities we serve. Like many other businesses, we advocate on behalf of the cooperative and our members with the government officials who make the laws and regulations that affect our operations.

Unlike most other businesses, however, your electric cooperative is not pushing for policies that allow us to earn greater profits or gain a competitive advantage. Electric cooperatives are not-for-profit organizations, and our advocacy seeks only commonsense policies that allow us to meet our members’ expectations as a trusted and reliable supplier of an essential service.

People of all political persuasions depend on a reliable supply of electricity for their health, safety, and security. Unfortunately, the administration’s plan is simply not realistic. We will need to fight our federal government for many months, likely years, to avoid the harmful effects it will bring about.

Please stay tuned. We will need your help and support to keep the lights on.

Pat O’Loughlin PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives

6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229

614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com

Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO

Caryn Whitney Director of Communications

Jeff McCallister Managing Editor

Amy Howat Associate Editor

Crystal Pomeroy Graphic Designer

Contributors: Margo Bartlett, Jodi Borger, Colleen Romick Clark, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Jill Moorhead, Catherine Murray, and Craig Springer.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. It is the official communication link between the electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their members. Subscription cost for members ranges from $5.52 to $6.96 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Pontiac, IL 61764, and at additional mailing offices. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved. The fact that a product is advertised in Ohio Cooperative Living should not be taken as an endorsement. If you find an advertisement misleading or a product unsatisfactory, please notify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.

Departments

4 POWER LINES

Why am I a member? Co-ops’ service areas were once loosely defined spots where big companies wouldn’t go. Now they’re written into Ohio law.

8 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Frontier justice: A grisly story of the life and death of Col. William Crawford, whose name lives on across Ohio.

12 CO-OP PEOPLE

Empowering kids to be kids: Co-op-served youth home provides a safe place for kids to realize their worth after they’ve suffered trauma.

15 GOOD EATS

Like butter: There’s just nothing like the taste and feel of rich, smooth, churned-cream deliciousness.

19 LOCAL PAGES

News and other important information from your electric cooperative.

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12

National/regional advertising inquiries, contact Cheryl Solomon

American MainStreet Publications 847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop

Cooperative members: Please report changes of address to your electric cooperative. Ohio Cooperative Living staff cannot process address changes.

Alliance for Audited Media Member

37 CALENDAR

What’s happening: June/July events and other things to do around Ohio.

40 MEMBER INTERACTIVE photos and find content submitted

Hook, line, and sinker: All these members’ fish stories are backed up with photographic evidence!

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