Officials from AMP/OMEA member communities met with Congressional offices to raise awareness of how federal policy affects municipal electric system customers

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Representatives from 14 American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) and Ohio Municipal Electric Association (OMEA) members participated in the 2022 American Public Power Association (APPA) Legislative Rally in Washington, D.C., Feb. 28-March 2. The annual Rally is an opportunity for municipal electric system representatives to share firsthand insights with federal lawmakers and staff.

“The APPA Legislative Rally provides our members with the opportunity to meet with lawmakers for a face-to-face discussion covering issues impacting municipal electric systems,” said Jolene Thompson, AMP president/CEO. “There is no better advocate or resource than our public power leaders to explain how legislation and regulation impact communities in the real world.”

Participating members sent 26 officials to attend the Rally this year. The AMP/OMEA group represented municipal electric systems in Delaware, Michigan, Ohio and Virginia.

“Public power is a locally owned and focused component of the electric industry,” said Michael A. Beirne, AMP vice president and OMEA executive director. “These meetings are beneficial for lawmakers and key staff as they hear first-hand from the officials running the power systems about the challenges facing municipal electric utilities and how federal policies impact their operations and, ultimately, their customers.”

The annual APPA Legislative Rally provides a valuable opportunity for public power to directly engage in the legislative process and raise awareness about the issues that affect public power and their customers. Officials from municipal electric utilities focused on the key issues of transmission costs, capacity markets, energy policy, infrastructure implementation, climate change and the continued effects of sequestration.

During the Rally’s Legislative & Resolution Committee meeting on March 1, APPA members adopted 12 resolutions. AMP was the primary sponsor of Resolution 22-08: In Support of Municipal Bond Modernization, a resolution that was co-sponsored by the Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation. AMP co-sponsored Resolution 22-02: In Support of Transmission Policies that Deliver Reliable and Affordable Electricity for Public Power Communities. The full listing of resolutions can be viewed at www.publicpower.org.

Throughout the week, AMP/OMEA members met with eight congressional members. This included meetings with Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH), Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH), Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), Rep. David Joyce (R-OH),  and staff to the offices of Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH).