(NEW ORLEANS, La.) — The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) today named Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC) the winner of the William F. Matson Democracy award.
The Democracy award recognizes outstanding accomplishments and service to rural electric cooperatives through political action, political education and participation. AMEC is a strong participant in the Action Committee for Rural Electrification (ACRE®), NRECA’s political action committee.
“AMEC has long set the standard for excellence in grassroots advocacy and member engagement,” said NRECA Interim CEO Jeffrey Connor. “Its efforts last year in support of ACRE® demonstrate the important link between a strong political action committee and the grassroots network behind it. They have been dynamic leaders of the electric cooperative program, and they truly understand the importance of engaging with our elected officials.”
AMEC spearheaded an aggressive campaign to give consumers a voice on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan proposal, which helped generate the submission to EPA of more than 1.1 million comments. The association’s leadership aided in the success of the campaign and positioned Missouri’s electric cooperatives as experts on the issue with state agencies and elected officials.
More than 6,000 representatives from electric co-ops across the nation are attending NRECA’s Annual Meeting, Feb. 14-17, during which they will set NRECA’s legislative and organizational agenda for 2016. In addition to considering and acting upon policy resolutions, delegates receive reports from NRECA officials, hear addresses by key public figures and business experts, and attend educational forums on major issues affecting electric cooperatives and their consumer members.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national service organization that represents the nation’s more than 900 private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives, which provide service to 42 million people in 47 states.
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