Business partners of Associated Electric Cooperative Inc: We're asking for your help to preserve coal as viable source of fuel for power plants, both new plants and existing plants like ours. Associated Electric Cooperative, owner of electrical generation facilities, along with most other electric cooperatives, believes and advocates for a strategy on our nation's energy policy that includes all forms of energy. However, the Environmental Protection Agency is pursuing an "all-BUT-one" approach, and that one is COAL. Coal helps keep electric rates affordable in this country. Your livelihood may be affected by coal generation facilities. You can be a tremendous help in preserving the COAL option by taking a simple step to let the EPA know you support COAL for generating electricity. Please join me and use this link to give the EPA your opinion, www.action.coop . Thank you in advance for your assistance, Ken Wilmot Director of Power Production Associated Electric Cooperative

With all the new hiring on the surface, there will be lots of new union members. Make them feel welcome, and help them with the safe job procedures.