Legislation
Aims To Make Energy More Affordable Through Policy Solutions That
Prioritize Energy Consumers And The Environment Over Big Energy
Utilities
As the new home of RIPIRG's environmental work, Environment Rhode Island can be contacted regarding this news release.
PROVIDENCE—Skyrocketing
energy costs and concerns over jobs and dollars leaving the economy
have put energy at the top of the General Assembly’s legislative
agenda. Today the newly formed POWER Coalition applauded the Rhode
Island Senate for introducing a series of bills designed to make energy
more affordable for consumers.
“Rising
energy costs are having an impact on Rhode Island’s economy and each
year we bleed over a billion dollars out of the state through energy
bills,” said John Farley, Executive Director of the Energy Council of
Rhode Island (TEC-RI) and a POWER member. “This legislation is a step
in the right direction. The Senate’s package of reforms, combined with
the rest of legislation on POWER’s agenda, can help stop the bleeding.”
The
POWER coalition consists of businesses, consumer groups and
environmental groups that have united behind a platform of measures
designed to cut energy costs.
“Rhode
Island’s energy future should be defined by what is good for consumers,
not by what’s good for big energy utilities,” said Matt Auten, Advocate
with the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group (RIPIRG). “The
Senate’s legislation takes us in that direction and we commend them for
that,” Auten said.
The POWER coalition praised the provisions of the Senate legislation that:
•
Extends the “standard offer” and instructs the PUC to issue standards
and guidelines for “Least-Cost Procurement” to ensure that
cost-effective energy efficiency and distributed generation resources
are “procured” before more expensive energy from central power plants.
•
Creates a natural gas conservation program to reduce natural gas
consumption and save all R.I. consumers money on their energy bills.
•
Clears the way for more sources of renewable energy, like wind
turbines, to be built in the state and provides for better coordination
of the state’s programs to utilize renewable energy sources.
•
Establishes “System Reliability Procurement” measures to ensure the
electric grid is more reliable, by increasing the use of renewable
energy, combined heat and power, and demand response.
•
Establishes the Office of Energy Resources with a legislative mandate
to diversify Rhode Island’s energy supply with renewable energy, and to
coordinate all efficiency programs.
•
Provides for greater public input in shaping Rhode Island’s energy
future by creating a new Energy Resources Council, with members
representing a broad range of interests to advise the Office of Energy
Resources on the development of efficiency programs, least-cost
procurement, renewable energy, distributed generation, and assisting
low-income households meet their energy needs.
“This
winter’s energy crisis has raised a lot of questions about what states
can do to reduce energy costs,” said Sam Krasnow, Policy Advocate and
Attorney for Environment Northeast. “The Senate’s energy package has
the potential to save tens of millions of dollars a year in energy
costs- reinvesting that money in the state’s economy, instead of losing
those dollars to other countries and states,” Krasnow continued.
The POWER coalition’s mission is to make energy more affordable by passing legislation in 2006 that:
1. Creates a natural gas energy efficiency program.
2. Removes barriers to combined heat and power projects and allows net metering. S-2734 (Bates)
3. Extends standard offer and requires meeting energy needs through least cost procurement.
4. Creates new appliance efficiency standards, including standards for
residential furnaces and boilers. S-2844 (Roberts) H-7610 (Handy)
5. Establishes a heating fuel efficiency program.
6. Creates a new board to oversee and approve all energy efficiency programs and energy procurement.
“If
the Senate leadership sticks to its guns and adopts these reforms,
Rhode Island will better poised for economic development and the jobs
that go with it” said Erich Stephens, Executive Director of People’s
Power & Light. “The more we can meet our energy needs through
least-cost procurement, renewable energy and distributed generation,
the more our energy dollars will go to jobs here in Rhode Island,
instead of jobs overseas,” Stephens concluded.
“The
Senate has introduced a strong package of bills today, and we look
forward to seeing the energy initiatives from the House as well,” said
Sheila Dormody, Rhode Island Director of Clean Water Action in Rhode
Island. “The POWER coalition applauds Senate President Montalbano,
Majority Leader Paiva-Weed and Chairmen Walaska for introducing this
legislation,” Dormody concluded.
The
founding members of the POWER coalition are the Rhode Island Public
Interest Research Group (RIPIRG), the Energy Council of Rhode Island
(TEC-RI), Environment Northeast, People’s Power & Light, and Clean
Water Action.
RIPIRG
is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy organization
that represents 3,000 active citizen members and is dedicated to
protecting our environment and encouraging a fair, sustainable economy.
TEC-RI
is a membership organization consisting of the largest users of energy
in Rhode Island. These universities, manufacturers, hospitals, and
other major employers provide well-paying jobs for over 60,000 Rhode
Islanders.
Environment
Northeast is a non-profit research and advocacy organization that
addresses large-scale environmental problems that threaten ecosystems,
human health or the management of regionally significant natural
resources.
People’s
Power & Light is a non-profit energy company that serves 3,000
consumers and is dedicated to energy that is affordable, safe, and
clean for our families and the environment.
Clean
Water Action is citizens' organization, with over 10,000 members in
Rhode Island, working for clean, safe and affordable water, prevention
of health-threatening pollution, creation of environmentally-safe jobs
and businesses, and empowerment of people to make democracy work.
Additional Contacts
John Farley, TEC-RI, (401) 621-2240
Sam Krasnow, Environment Northeast, (617) 469-6375
Erich Stephens, People’s Power & Light, (401) 487-3320
Sheila Dormody, Clean Water Action, (401) 331-6972
