As the new home of RIPIRG's environmental work, Environment Rhode Island can be contacted regarding this news release.
PROVIDENCE—Governor
Carcieri has signed energy efficiency bills sponsored by Senator Elizabeth Roberts
(Cranston) and Representative Art Handy (Cranston) to cut energy waste, reduce
air pollution and improve the reliability of the electric grid, by setting minimum
energy standards for 14 common household and commercial appliances.
The Energy and Consumer
Savings Act (S-540 and H-5307) are expected to save Rhode Island $225 million
over 25 years by reducing energy consumption and offsetting the need to generate
additional energy from polluting power plants. The offsets are expected to create
annual reductions of 100 tons of nitrogen and sulfur-oxides, two pollutants
that directly contribute to the formation of particulate pollution and ground
level ozone. The offsets are also expected to lead to annual reductions of over
20,000 tons of global warming pollution.
"This is a great day
for the environment, for public health and for consumers," said Matt Auten,
Advocate with the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group (RIPIRG). "The
Energy and Consumer Savings Act will reduce as much global warming pollution
as taking 18,000 cars off of the road and save Rhode Island over $225 million
over the next 25 years. RIPIRG applauds the General Assembly and Governor Carcieri
for making Rhode Island more energy efficiency this year.
The bill achieves the energy
savings by setting minimum standards for commercial clothes washers, commercial
freezers, commercial ice-makers, commercial refrigerators, exit signs, external
power supplies that are used to charge cell phones and other electronic equipment,
large packaged air conditioners used in large commercial buildings, transformers,
metal halide lamp fixtures, pre-rinse spray valves, space heaters used to heat
large industrial spaces, mercury vapor lamps, torchiere lamps and traffic signals.
Other states that have passed
similar efficiency standards bills include Arizona, California, Connecticut,
Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington.
