Sample Letter to Federal Legislators
(copy & paste this letter into Microsoft Word, address it to each of the individual legislators, print it out a version for each legislator, sign and mail it directly to them at the addresses provided below.  You can also write letters in your own handwriting for greater impact.)

Dear Senator (or Representative) ________(last name); As a member-owner of Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative and active participant in the voting process, I am extremely concerned about the future cost of electricity and impact on the economy of rural America .

I ask you to thoroughly evaluate the following points before signing on to any climate change legislation.

1. How real is the science of global warming?

2. Are renewables really the answer? 

Wind power, in particular, does not appear to be cost justified without a government subsidy.  It appears as though it will not displace the need for base load capacity, and thus, will drive up costs more than building base load capacity alone.

3. If the United States imposes a CAP & TRADE program on carbon aimed at coal fired power plants, all studies indicate a price tag that will slow economic growth.  Can we afford this when economic growth is critical to our overall economy?

4. Coal mining and the potential growth to the industry in southern Illinois is critical to our rural economy.  Why did we “pull the plug” on Futuregen when clean-coal technology appears to be an answer to our future needs?

5. Although nuclear power certainly should be looked at for the future, I understand that the cost to build nuclear may be as much as three times the cost of building a coal plant.  What can be done to make nuclear more affordable?

6. While the Sierra Club is fighting every coal-fired power plant permit in the U.S. , China is bringing on a new coal-fired plant every week with no environmental restraints.  What impact will the United States have on carbon reduction other than make us less competitive globally, if we can’t bring China on board?

Although the above questions are “food for thought”, the real question is, “What are you doing to make sure that whatever climate change legislation is passed in the future, it will be done in a way to keep electricity from becoming a luxury only for the wealthy and not lower the standard of living for the middle class and rural America?”

Sincerely,
(your signature)

Copy the Letter above, sign it and send it to each of the following Federal Legislators:  U.S. Senator Dick Durbin 525 South Eighth Street Springfield, IL  62703 U.S. Senator Barack Obama 607 East Adams Street Springfield, IL  62703 U.S. Congressman John Shimkus 3130 Chatham Road-Suite C Springfield, IL  62704 U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello 144 Lincoln Place Court-Suite 4 Belleville, IL  62221