LOCAL

Bustos honored by electric cooperative

Staff Writer
Canton Daily Ledger
Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-East Moline) and Bill Dodds

Leaders from the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives and Jo-Carroll Energy were on hand Tuesday, November 10 to honor U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-East Moline, 17th Congressional District) with the 2015 Illinois Electric Cooperatives’ Public Service Award. The award was made in recognition of Bustos’ dedicated public service to all citizens of the state of Illinois and for outstanding contributions to the rural electrification program.

The 17th District covers areas served by Spoon River Electric Cooperative in Canton as well as seven other electric cooperatives. The award was presented at the office of Jo-Carroll Energy in Elizabeth.

Bustos has been a strong advocate for Illinois electric cooperatives and their rural member-owners on a wide variety of rural issues, including: supporting the RUS electric loan program, supporting legislation which allows the continued use of large water heaters in demand response peak shaving programs, and sponsoring legislation to bring fairness to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance program.

“Representative Bustos’ support of issues important to not-for-profit electric cooperatives, and our rural member-owners, has been greatly appreciated,” said Bill Dodds, president/CEO of Spoon River Electric Cooperative. “We appreciate her championing issues important to rural Illinois and electric cooperatives. Her district serves a wide swath of electric cooperative territory. She is always attentive to the needs of the rural areas she serves. We are pleased that she was able to attend the recent opening celebration of our solar farm and learning center. She understands we need an all of the above energy policy.”

Bustos has a family history of supporting electric cooperatives. Her concern for rural issues and rural electric cooperatives started with lessons from her father Gene Callahan, who was chief of staff for Illinois Sen. Paul Simon, and her grandfather Joe Callahan. Her grandfather was an Illinois state representative and instrumental in passing state legislation that helped rural electric cooperatives survive “cherry picking” attacks by investor owned utilities when the cooperatives were just beginning to grow.

Bustos was elected to the East Moline City Council and later to Congress in November 2012.  She currently serves on the House’s Agriculture Committee and also on the Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure.

Spoon River Electric Cooperative is a member of Touchstone Energy — an alliance of 750 local, consumer-owned electric utilities around the country. Spoon River Electric is committed to providing superior service based on four core principles: integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community. The co-op serves nearly 5,000 meters over 1,266 miles of line in parts of Fulton, Knox, McDonough, Peoria and Schuyler counties. For more information visit www.srecoop.org.