As the new home of RIPIRG's environmental work, Environment Rhode Island can be contacted regarding this news release.
PROVIDENCE—The Rhode
Island House approved an energy efficiency bill 47-14 (H 5307A-Handy) on May 4, 2005
that will cut energy waste, reduce air pollution and improve the reliability
of the electric grid by setting minimum energy standards for 17 common household
and commercial appliances.
“By setting minimum
energy efficiency standards this bill would reduce as much global warming pollution
as taking 28,000 cars off of the road, save Rhode Island over $265 million over
the next 25 years and make our electric grid more reliable,” said Rep.
Art Handy (Cranston). “This bill is really an excellent example of good
environmental and good economic policy going hand-in-hand.”
“This bill is clearly
a win for the environment, for public health and for consumers,” said Matt
Auten, Advocate with the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group (RIPIRG).
Other states that have passed
state energy efficiency standards include Arizona, California, Connecticut,
Maryland and New Jersey. A bill similar to the one that passed today is on the
desk of the Governor in Washington.
“Reducing energy waste
should be the cornerstone of any sane energy policy, so it’s not surprising
to see so many states moving forward with efficiency legislation,” Auten
said. “Cutting energy waste just makes sense, no matter if you look at
our energy system as a commercial user, a consumer, an environmentalist or as
an electric utility. Everyone benefits from wasting less energy.”
The bill sets 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, low and medium type transformers that are
used in industrial applications, metal halide lamp fixtures, pre-rinse spray
valves, reflector lamps, residential furnaces and boilers that use oil or natural
gas, space heaters used to heat large industrial spaces, television adapter
boxes, torchiere lamps and traffic signals.
A similar bill (S-540) has
been introduced in the Rhode Island Senate by Sen. Elizabeth Roberts (Cranston).
“RIPIRG applauds the
House Leadership team, Rep. Peter Ginaitt (Warwick) Chairmen of the Environment
and Natural Resources Committee, the bill’s sponsor Rep. Handy, and all
of the legislators who supported this bi-partisan bill to cut energy waste.”
RIPIRG also thanks the Northeast
Energy Efficiency Project (NEEP) and the Appliance Standards Awareness Project
(ASAP) for their assistance, as well as Narragansett Electric, The Energy Council
of R.I, The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, Viessmann Manufacturing
Company, Clean Water Action and the Environment Council of R.I. for their active
support of the bill.
