Herseth Sandlin receives East River Electric honor

• Herseth Sandlin

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin

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East River Electric Power Cooperative presented former U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin with its Eminent Service Award, the cooperative’s highest commendation, during its 61st annual meeting Wednesday in Sioux Falls.

“It’s with our state’s history and my family’s history in mind that I’m honored and proud to accept this award that you’ve bestowed to me today,” Herseth Sandlin said. “I accept this award today, but want to assure you that my service to cooperative values is in no way at an end.”

The award recognizes individuals or organizations who have made significant and lasting contributions to East River.

“Stephanie has been a strong supporter of East River Electric, its members and the rural electric cooperative model as a whole and we appreciate her vision to advance programs important to rural America,” said East River General Manager Jeff Nelson.

Herseth Sandlin, a Democrat, lost her November re-election bid to Republican Kristi Noem.

During Herseth Sandlin’s time in Congress, she fought for adequate funding of rural electric programs such as the Rural Utilities Service and was a strong voice for preserving hydropower as a vital energy source for rural electric cooperatives, East River Electric said in a news release.

She also was instrumental, East River said, in the formation of innovative farm energy initiatives, including the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, which has provided farmers and small business owners assistance with feasibility studies, energy audits and technical advice for energy projects.

Herseth Sandlin also provided support to secure a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for Mitchell Technical Institute to purchase one of the wind towers at the Crow Lake Wind Project site for use in its wind technician degree program.

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