Alaskans Must Not Ignore GVEA Elections

May 11, 2021

The eco-Left will take any opportunity to implement their agenda at the expense of hardworking Americans, and their latest attempt is going mostly unnoticed.

If you’re like most Alaskans, you ignore the Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) ballot that shows up in your mailbox every so often because you expect the people more informed about the issue to make the right choice. But that low participation has created an opening for the eco-Left to mobilize their activists and get their people in the door.

And what happens if the eco-Left takes over GVEA? They spend your tax dollars on new “green” infrastructure that’s less reliable than traditional energy and your utility bills just keep rising.

What can you do? Get informed and vote!

Ballots will be mailed to districts 4 and 7 on May 14^th. Check your mailbox, and then either return the paper ballot or follow the instructions to vote online.

The Candidates

You can find full bios and Q&As on GVEA’s website, but here are your options with a quote or two from each candidate that reveals where they stand:

District 4 – Fairbanks area

Derek Miller

“While I support GVEA’s goal to reduce its carbon output by 26 percent by the year 2030, maintaining safe, reliable, low-cost power will be my #1 priority as a GVEA board member. It’s important GVEA incorporate renewable energy where it makes sense, but we must not do so at the expense of reliability or significant increased costs to our member ratepayers.”

Gary Newman

“There remain significant challenges and opportunities in a changing electric industry to insure reasonable rates and reliability…aging fossil-fuel generation in Healy and Fairbanks, increased renewables and energy storage where it makes economic sense in stabilizing fuel costs.”

“One strategic directive is to address our aging generation units from the 1960’s and 1970’s, both coal and diesel.   Decisions must balance fuel, operational, and capital costs as well regulatory and environmental considerations and, of course, reliability. We can now consider non-traditional opportunities that include energy storage, renewables, members’ distributed generation, along with new demands for electricity like heat pumps and electric powered vehicles.”

District 7 – Includes the areas of Nenana, Clear, Anderson, Healy, McKinley Village and Cantwell

Brad Benson

“While we can all agree that green energy is compelling, we can’t underscore our massive local coal reserve. The ability to responsibly convert coal into clean energy within the Denali Borough with minimal transportation expense or environmental impact is absolutely critical to GVEA’s (and our community’s) goals.”

“Fiscally conservative decision making should be at the forefront of all GVEA goals.”

Julie Morris

“There has been a great deal of conversation concerning renewable resource such as solar or wind generated power, however, these are limited because sun and wind are not always reliable. These systems require back up when they stop producing power. All options need to be considered.”

“GVEA’s energy goals and objectives should always be to provide affordable and reliable energy. Diesel generated electricity costs significantly more than natural gas. GVEA can and does purchase electricity through the interties, however, the answer is to develop the natural gas resources within the state. This must be done in a reasonable manner so that our mining industries can be developed and thrive.”

Katherine Hennigan

“I am especially interested in the ongoing health of our natural environment, and would welcome the opportunity to be involved in work that balances responsible stewardship of our most fundamental resources of earth, air, and water with conscientious and eco-conscious business management.”

“Environmental stewardship is of the utmost importance in the future.  That insatiable appetite for electric power mentioned above will need to be fed responsibly, minimizing the cost to the earth as well as the cost in dollars.  Moving forward will always depend on maintaining safety and sustainability, and also on innovative strategies, such as the promotion of beneficial electrification.”

Todd Adams

“I believe GVEA should continue with its Carbon Reduction Goal of a 26% reduction by 2030. This is an achievable goal that requires planning, constant monitoring in data-based research, and implementation in stages. We have both a geographic advantage and disadvantage in the Interior regarding this plan with wind, solar, and hydro. Advantages are primarily in the summer with wind and solar. Disadvantages due to the seasonal limitations in the winter force the need for supplemental sources.”