Chairman Speaking Tour - Summer 2009

In recent weeks, Progress Arkansas Chairman Bob Lamb has been visiting cities throughout the state to share updates on Progress Arkansas.  So far he has spoken to in Jonesboro, El Dorado, Harrison, Searcy and Russellville. He will continue to speak throughout the state in the coming months.

As he travels around Arkansas, he speaks about how Progress Arkansas worked with its members and allies for 11 economic development bills, two proposed constitutional amendments and four energy bills in the recent Arkansas General Assembly session. Of these 17 initiatives, sixteen were approved. In just a few short months of existence, Progress Arkansas has quickly become recognized for its effectiveness in the Arkansas State Capitol.

Chairman Lamb also discusses looking ahead to Arkansas’ future needs. All of the investor-owned and cooperative generating facilities currently in use in Arkansas were constructed from the late 1950s through 1990 and included hydro (North Fork, Beaver, Ozark, Blakely Mountain, DeGray, Barling, Morrilton, and Dumas), nuclear (Arkansas Nuclear 1 and 2) and coal (White Bluff, Independence County and Flint Creek).

During these years, Arkansas located more than 2,000 new plants and over 5,000 existing plants expanded. It cost $12 billion to build or expand these new plants, and $10 billion to provide energy to them.

Since 1990, Arkansas’ demand for electricity has grown faster than the national rate. In order to keep pace with this rapid growth, Arkansas needs to utilize all types of electricity generation.

As economic, energy, and environmental issues continue to be at the forefront of discussion in Washington, DC and in Little Rock, Progress Arkansas monitors these issues and how they affect the organization’s membership.

Chairman Bob Lamb in El Dorado

Chairman Bob Lamb in Harrison

Chairman Bob Lamb in Searcy

Chairman Bob Lamb in Russellville