News

Leadership of local co-op visits Washington, D.C.

Scott Wagar

05/27/2014

The general manager of North Central Electric Cooperative (NCECI), Wayne Martian, has just returned from Washington, D.C. where he was given the opportunity to sing the praises of the co-op to congressional leaders. However, Martian was also given the opportunity to speak about North Central’s success to a specific group of individuals that co-op managers seldom get the chance to speak with, the personnel of President Barack Obama’s cabinet.

Each year in May, leadership from rural elective co-ops from around the nation travel to our nation’s capital to discuss energy issues that are associated with their elective co-ops. For the most part, co-op directors normally speak to legislative members, but this year, Martian and Jean Brandt, president of North Central Electric Cooperative Board, traveled with state senator and fellow board member, David O’Connell who was able to get some staff members of Obama’s Department of Energy to spend time with Bottineau’s cooperative delegation to discuss a number of items.

During Martian’s talks with congressional and cabinet personal, he spoke on the history of NCECI; its’ supplier, Basin Electric; the type of energy the co-op offers; climate change and energy; cleaner power and present projects Souris Basin and NCECI are working on to enhance oil recovery through coal capture and carbon dioxide, along with ways to turn coal to natural gas.

Some of the individuals Martian and his board members spoke to included Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D.; Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.; Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.; Tony Clark of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Roger Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union and former Ag Commissioner of North Dakota and Ryan Bernstein, chief of staff of Hoeven’s

Washington office and graduate of Bottineau High School.
Martian stated the time NCECI delegation spent in Washington, D.C., was unique and a positive experience.

“It was a great experience and great help for us because it is important to tell our story, especially to new personnel that is not familiar with rural cooperatives,” Martian said. And, it is a way for us as humble North Dakotans to blow our own horn.

“None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for Senator O’Connell,” Martian added.