Current News

Ground Zero I-Beam delivered to Lebanon on May 8th

Thanks to the efforts of Chief Ted Caldwell and Lt. Mark Brown of the Lebanon Fire Department, the Lebanon Fire Department will be receiving an I-beam from Ground Zero on May 8th, 2011. This piece of United States History will be escorted to downtown Lebanon and arrive on the East side of the Boone Co. Courthouse at approximately 2:20pm. Lebanon Fire, Lebanon Police, Boone Co. Sheriff and Indiana State Police units will have the honor of escorting the Beam home to Lebanon/Boone County and eventually to the new Lebanon Public Safety Building located at 975 Lasley Dr. in Lebanon.

In the coming months, there will be a planning, design and construction committee put together to determine how to respectfully display the Beam. It is to be treated as a gravesite and this will be strictly adhered to. We will ask the community for their ideas and financial support to properly complete this significant memorial.

We would Like to thank Soddrel trucking, Indianapolis Firefighter Greg Hess, the Port Authority of New York and all others involved in the acquisition and delivery of this important physical piece of twisted bent steel that will serve as a daily reminder of the events that took place on September 11th, 2001.

Escorting vehicles and Motorcycle clubs will start staging at 1:00pm

1:00 pm Stage at Trader's Point Church I-65 & 334

2:00pm Start from Trader's Point Church to Lebanon.

Travel up I-65 to the 139 Exit-SR 39

North on St. Rd 39 (exit 139) to the Boone County Courthouse. Right on Washington St. to Meridian St. Right on Meridian St. Estimated arrival time 2:20pm

We will Park on Meridian St. (East side of Court House). Participants, our city and county residents and visitors will be able to view and photograph the Beam. Motorcycles will be able to park on Washington, Meridian and Main St. if needed.

 

The Midwest Consumer Utilities Release Study Demonstrating Economic Impacts of Climate Change Legislation on Midwestern Consumers

Study Shows Cap and Trade Program Design Could Devastate Midwestern Electric Consumers

The Midwest Consumer Utilities have released a study that demonstrates Midwestern consumers can expect significantly higher energy costs under a federal greenhouse gas (GHG) cap and trade regime, and could face alarming economic impacts under some program designs, particularly those relying on full auctions. The utilities include Indiana Municipal Power Agency, Madison Gas and Electric Company, Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission, Missouri River Energy Services, Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency and WPPI Energy.

The study projects the potential rate impact of various legislative approaches on the Midwest Consumer Utilities’ customers, including businesses and industry, and on the economies in their respective states. It shows that depending on the auction price of allowances the average rate increases for consumers in the seven Midwestern states studied could be up to 79 percent from 2012 to 2030 under a cap and trade program that employs a 100 percent auction method that does not refund auction revenues back to those customers. It is important to note that some states will experience even larger annual average increases. Even if the cap and trade program were designed using a method that allocates 100 percent of allowances at no cost for rate mitigation purposes, rates could still rise an average of up to 37 percent for this same period.

“Under any new carbon legislation, a no-cost allocation process with a cap on total emissions is the best way to keep electricity cost increases to a minimum and to limit greenhouse gas emissions,” said Raj Rao, CEO of Indiana Municipal Power Agency. “An auction or carbon tax will cause electricity prices to go up significantly and hurt all customers in the Midwest region.”

The study shows that the implementation details of a cap and trade program are critical. The method chosen to distribute allowances and recycle auction revenues will dramatically affect the cost of compliance borne by consumers and the general economy, particularly in coal intensive states in the Midwest. The results may be much more extreme if cost effective new technologies do not materialize or are delayed.

“Unless new electric technologies can be deployed first, the Midwest is where cap and trade can really have a sobering effect on our local economy and job market,” said Mike Martin, General Manager for Lebanon Utilities.

Cap and trade programs limit the amount of pollutant emissions produced by some sectors of the national economy, while offering flexibility in how those targets are met. In theory, they are intended to achieve emissions targets in the least cost manner and mitigate substantial wealth transfers, between and among customers and regions, that can accompany the introduction of GHG reduction strategies.

It is important to note that whether allowances are allocated or auctioned will not affect a given policy’s ability to achieve emission reduction goals. But auctions could result in significantly higher electricity prices for consumers and substantially harm Midwest states with energy intensive industries in global competition. The no cost allocation of allowances is essential to help those states that face the greatest challenges in moving to a low carbon economy.

 

Online Tool Helps Consumers Manage Energy Costs

Consumers looking to lower their home energy costs now have access to a free and easy way to beat the rising cost of electricity. The Indiana Municipal Power Agency, the City of Lebanon's wholesale power provider, has launched a free online energy audit designed to help consumers make their homes more energy efficient.

"We want to provide our customers with more control over their home energy use," commented Mike Martin, General Manager for Lebanon Utilities. "This interactive tool shows consumers exactly how much money they can save if they implement certain conservation measures."

By simply clicking on the "energy calculators" button, consumers have access to valuable, money-saving tips and personal insight into their individual energy consumption. The Home Energy Calculator enables you to enter details about your home, such as square footage, number of occupants and average temperature settings, as well as information on appliances and electronics. The calculator estimates your annual and monthly electric bills and rates the overall energy efficiency of your home on a scale of 1 to 10.

By making changes on the calculator, such as sealing air leaks in your home or installing energy efficient appliances, you can affect your monthly bill and improve your efficiency rating. The more you do, the more you can virtually watch your bills shrink. Applying those changes in your home means actual savings in your pocket.

The website also contains the operating costs for many of your home's appliances and electronics, as well as a home energy library filled with the latest in home design and construction techniques and a unique "kids korner" intended to capture the imaginations of young and old alike.

The Home Energy Calculator

Audit your home and check out more energy efficiency tips at www.lebanon-utilities.com and www.impa.com.

 

 

 

• Current Job Postings
• Customer Login