Illinois
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Rolling blackouts still possible

Last year Illinois Country Living warned readers that power shortages were likely and rolling blackouts might be necessary. Fortunately, the summer or 1997 was relatively mild and demand for electricity lower than expected. We were concerned that we might be accused of alarming consumers unnecessarily.

But this summer Illinois faced the same conditions. Limited generating capacity plus inadequate transmission capacity needed to import electricity once again had power suppliers very concerned. Another warning was issued in the July issue of Illinois Country Living. Individual electric cooperatives once again prepared for the worst with practice drills for rolling blackouts. If voluntary power reductions and load management systems failed to reduce demand, these controlled blackouts would be necessary to prevent a regional outage and grid shutdown that could leave millions in the dark.

This year, on June 25 and 26, we came close to a real disaster. Utilities across the state issued peak warnings and media alerts. The state's cooperatives asked large power users with interruptible rates to shed their load between 1 and 7 p.m. Other load management systems also helped shed peak demand and rolling blackouts were prevented.

During this peak-demand situation we learned just how much electricity really is worth on the open market when demand is high. Would you believe that what ordinarily costs most consumers no more than a dime, suddenly was worth $2 per kwh? Because the same weather conditions existed across the entire eastern half of the U.S., the spot market for electricity went crazy.

So what can you do to help divert another power shortage? Listen to weather reports. When heat advisories are issued utilities likely will have to issue peak alerts, too. Close your drapes during the hottest times of the day to block heat and save energy. Use ceiling fans and portable fans, which allow you to raise your thermostat and save energy without affecting your comfort. Turn off unnecessary incandescent lights during hot weather. They only add to the heat in your home. Postpone washing dishes or clothes to early morning or late evening. Keep the cook and the kitchen cool and prepare dinner outside on the grill.

For more information on load management programs and ways you can save energy, contact your local electric cooperative.

Co-ops growing strong

Anyone doubting the viability of electric cooperatives as we hurtle into a deregulated market should consider the fact that new cooperatives continue to form.

In New York, 21 housing cooperatives formed New York City's first electric cooperative. First Rochdale Cooperative Group Inc. will buy power for nearly 50,000 apartment co-op members. Eventually, it could provide power for 600,000 New Yorkers living in co-op apartments, ranging from low-income flats to Park Avenue penthouses.

Also in the Northeast, seven new energy co-ops have incorporated and joined forces with existing utilities under a one-of-a-kind regional service co-op called Cooperative Pioneers. The alliance represents nearly one million consumers in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. Through Cooperative Pioneers, the new energy co-ops are planning to offer a full menu of telecommunications and energy services by fall.

Meanwhile, California's first electric users' cooperative was formed by a dozen agricultural cooperatives. California Electric Users Cooperative will provide power to members at the lowest possible cost in the direct-access market enabled by California's electric deregulation. Founders of the new cooperative all are cooperatives themselves.

"People organizing these co-ops are Republicans and Democrats, from the city and the country," Andy Ferguson of the Massachusetts-based Cooperative Development Institute, told Electric Coop Today . "When you really get down to it, we have people who built nuclear power plants and those who chained themselves to the fence to stop those plants working together.

"It's like when electric co-ops ran those poles and wires out to rural America 60 years ago. It's very clear at this point that nobody else has a solution for how residential and small business users are going to be a part of this global marketplace."

Getting Juveniles to cease fire

To reduce the number of fires set by youngsters, the State Fire Marshal is co-sponsoring a national conference in Springfield Sept. 29.

"Cease Fire! Fighting the Battle on Juvenile Firesetting," also is sponsored by the Illinois Youthful Firesetters Intervention Association and the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance.

Juvenile fire setters start about 33,000 fires each year causing about 800 deaths and 4,500 injuries, reports the National Fire Protection Association. The conference is intended for professionals in fire service, mental health, law enforcement and juvenile justice. For details, call (217) 785-5406.

6 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING AUGUST 1998

Farm floods pose special problems

If your farming operation has been flooded, there are specific hazards you need to watch out for during cleanup, says the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

• Confined Spaces — Molding or fermenting agricultural materials in confined spaces may generate large amounts of toxic gases that could cause lung damage or death if inhaled. Turn on fans or blowers in silos and other storage areas at least 30 minutes before entering, and leave them on while working. Never open an oxygen-limiting silo if heating is suspected. Also, never enter these areas alone, and always use a full-body safety harness.

• Respiratory Hazards — Wet hay, grain, silage, compost and other organic/agricultural materials often grow large amounts of bacteria and mold during warm summer weather. Breathing these organisms and the organic dust produced may cause lung disease. Use proper engineering controls, including adequate fresh air ventilation. When exposure to organic dust cannot be avoided, use NIOSH-certified, air-purifying respirators with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to reduce the risk.

• Stored Hay — Wet hay will mold very quickly. The biological processes involved in the formation of bacteria and mold can cause the hay to undergo spontaneous combustion. Monitor wet hay for odors, hot and damp areas, and rising vapors. If you detect these hazards, remove the wet hay from the building.

For more information, call (800) 35-NIOSH, or visit the National Agricultural Safety Database at the NIOSH Internet website at www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd.

New quarterly reviews co-op solutions

The Journal of Cooperative Development, a quarterly review of food, housing and community co-op solutions, has premiered.

The first issue includes articles about the cooperative approach to a living wage, providing a living wage to child-care workers, how worker ownership strengthens communities, and micro-enterprise peer lending. In future issues, it promises articles on cooperative housing and services for an aging population and on value-added agriculture in low-income communities. The publication is made possible by a grant from the George & Gladys Dunlap Cooperative Leadership Award Program from the Nationwide Insurance Enterprise Foundation.

Send $20 for a yearly subscription to the Cooperative Development Foundation; 1401 New York Ave., N.W; Suite 1100; Washington, D.C., 20077-1781, or send e-mail to: dvaughan@ncba.org.

AUGUST 1998 • ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 7

Barn remodeling made easy

A new book contains what you need to remodel your old barn. Barns and Backbuildings, edited by Donald J. Berg, contains designs for barns, carriage houses, stables, garages, and sheds and sources for building plans, books, timber frames, kits, hardware, cupolas, and weather vanes.

Berg, a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Society of Architectural Historians, has written several other books. They include How to build in the Country, The Door Yard, and Country Patterns, all from Ten Speed Press, and American Country Building Design, from Sterling Ideas.

He self-published Barns and Backbuildings, a 96-page paperback. He offers it with a guarantee "to help you build better, or your money ($9.95, plus $2 postage and handling) back." It's available from Berg at Box 698, Rockville Centre, NY 11571-0698.

Rural Development helps pave way to home ownership

More than 1,400 Illinois families this year became first-time homeowners with $71 million in assistance provided through Rural Development, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most of this assistance was through a private lender and guaranteed by Rural Development.

"It's possible that more than 2,000 rural Illinois families will become homeowners this year with the help of Rural Development," said Wally Furrow, Rural Development director for Illinois.

Last year, Rural Developments rural housing program funding in Illinois amounted to $84,551,940 through 2,296 loans, grants and guarantees.

"Home ownership has long been recognized as a key component of the American Dream," said Furrow. "It strengthens our economy, builds communities and, to the individual family, represents a powerful tool for building economic stability and self-esteem. In short, owning a home gives people a reason to care about what goes on around them. It gives them a stake in where they live and that makes all the difference."

For more information about Rural Development programs, contact its office in Champaign at (217) 398-5412.

Nuclear waste legislation spent

It appears certain that Congress will not free up legislation this year that would force the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to begin managing used nuclear fuel, despite the fact that utility rate payers have contributed $14 billion for a program.

The legislation would create a temporary storage facility for nuclear waste. The Clinton administration opposes the bill and has threatened to veto it out of concern that the interim facility might become permanent.

A little history: The DOE missed a Jan. 31,1998, deadline to begin moving used fuel from the nation's nuclear power plants. That deadline was contained in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982.

The DOE has studied Yucca Mountain in Nevada as a site. Meanwhile, the nuclear power industry estimates 36,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel piles up at more than 100 nuclear plants in 34 states.

Also, the Nuclear Waste Fund that was established to help pay for the program continues to swell. Electricity consumers in 41 states have contributed more than $14.1 billion for nothing. Illinois' portion? $1.81 billion — the most contributed by any state.

State network lists providers of childcare

Looking for quality child care? The Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies maintains a database of 13,600 child-care providers throughout Illinois. The agencies respond to some 38,000 families seeking assistance.

The state network also is involved in two major professional development initiatives. One, called the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Illinois Project, offers scholarships and enhanced compensation to child care professionals who are seeking an associate's degree in early care and education. The project is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and the American Business Collaborative for Quality Dependent Care.

The network also is leading a statewide collaborative effort to design and develop an Illinois director credential. To become available in 2000, the credential is for directors of early childhood programs who have mastered specific defined skills, knowledge, and competencies. The project is funded by the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation.

8 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING AUGUST 1998