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NASEO News

2005

STAC Selects Eleven Proposals for Federal Funding

• Press Release

Winter Fuels Conference Outlook a Success

With a record attendance and wide media coverage, the 2005 Winter Fuels Outlook Conference, hosted by NASEO and sponsored by DOE, was a resounding success. Over 40 media outlets covered the sessions, with live feeds sent to C-SPAN and Bloomberg News throughout the conference. NASEO registered over 130 people, with nearly a dozen state energy offices represented. A broad panel of energy experts provided insightful analyses and predictions about the upcoming winter weather, energy supplies and prices. Presentations of speakers are available here.

NASEO Calls for Full Funding of Energy Efficiency and Assistance Programs

NASEO, accompanied by three other organizations representing state officials, called on Congress and the Administration to fully fund all major programs supporting energy efficiency, low-income energy assistance, and weatherization contained in the recently-enacted Energy Policy Act of 2005.

• Joint Letter to Congress
• Joint Press Release

NCSL Information on Price Gouging

The National Conference of State Legislators has compiled data regarding current and pending legislation on price gouging. To access the data, see

• www.ncsl.org/programs/energy/lawsgouging.htm
• www.ncsl.org/programs/energy/2005PriceGouging.htm

NASEO 2005 Energy Bill Summary

Prepared by NASEO’s General Counsel, Jeff Genzer, a summary of the 2005 Energy Bill may be accessed by clicking here.

NASEO and NASCSP Urge Appropriators to Suspend DOE Regional Office Closings

In a joint letter on July 15, NASEO and the National Association of State Community Services Programs (NASCSP) urged the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittees to change the bill’s current Conference Report language that eliminates the six DOE regional offices. The letter outlined the critical functions served by the regional offices and raised concerns about DOE’s haste in seeking the closures. NASEO and NASCSP asked that the Report language be changed to direct DOE to prepare a report to Congress by February 2006 on a variety of topics, including how the Department’s deployment programs will be organized in the future, any cost savings to be achieved in any reorganization, the programmatic impacts of changes in the agency’s structure, and how national and regional energy goals and technical assistance to state can be achieved. If the recommended Report language is included in the FY ’06 appropriations bill, the regional office closings may not take place until DOE’s report has been submitted to Congress, reviewed, and all consultation with state and local networks has been completed. The letter is attached.

Energy Assurance Planning Assistance to States

One of NASEO’s key member fee-based services is providing energy assurance planning assistance to states. Don Milsten, formerly on the NASEO staff, has been engaged as a consultant to work with states on these projects. Please feel free to contact the NASEO office if your state would like some assistance in developing or updating a state plan or other energy assurance related training programs.

NASEO Joins 35 Groups in Supporting USDA Funding for Efficiency and Renewables Projects in the States

NASEO has once again advocated against proposed cuts to the USDA's Sec. 9006 program to fund efficiency and renewable projects on farms and rural businesses. Click here for a copy.

EPA Clean Energy-Environment State Partnerships

At the February NASEO Energy Outlook meeting, EPA launched a new Clean Energy and Environment State Partnerships Program with several energy offices as charter members. EPA now has a web site for the partnerships. Visit: www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/stateandlocal/partners.htm 

EPA Offers Free Toolkit on Funding Efficiency/Renewable Efforts thru Enforcement of "Supplemental Environmental Projects:" A new "Toolkit for States

Using Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) to Promote Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy," from EPA's State and Local Capacity Building Branch of the Climate Protection Partnership Division and the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance, is now available at: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/stateandlocal/ SEPs can provide a significant opportunity to fund EERE community-oriented projects in the context of enforcement settlement negotiations for environmental violations where there is a general nexus to the violation and the project would be located in the same regional air-shed.

This Toolkit provides state and local governments with information and resources for pursuing energy efficiency or renewable energy projects through non-federal enforcement settlements. It gives examples of actual projects, summaries of cases, resources, contact information, basic information on SEPs, and "how to" steps. Federal SEPs continue to be governed by EPA’s SEP Policy at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/
civil/seps/. For further information, contact Art Diem of EPA at diem.art@epa.gov.

NASEO Submits Testimony on Key Energy Programs to House Subcommittee

Posted: March 30, 2005

The House Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee recently gained jurisdiction over DOE's energy efficiency programs, such as the State Energy Program (SEP). (It already had jurisdiction over DOE's renewable energy programs.) NASEO recently submitted testimony to that subcommittee supporting SEP, SEP Special Projects, STAC, Gateway Deployment, Weatherization Assistance, and other deployment and energy assurance programs. We also provided testimony to the Interior Approps. Subcommittee supporting EPA's ENERGY STAR programs. [Randy - replace the text we have on the home page with this blurb] (Copies of our testimony are attached).

$11.4 Million Available for Ag Energy Projects through USDA Section 9006 Grant Program -- Applications due June 28, 2005

Posted: March 30, 2005

On March 28, USDA Rural Development released a Notice of Funding Availability for Sec. 9006 of the Farm Bill, the "Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program." Applicants have 90 days to submit applications for the $11.4 million in funding that will be initially available. (USDA is setting aside an additional $11.4 million for guaranteed loans that will be administered under a rule to be published later this fiscal year. Any loan funds not used by August 31 will go towards grants.) The basic grant application process is largely unchanged. The minimum grant is $2,500 and the maximum is $250,000 for energy efficiency improvements and $500,000 for renewable energy systems. Grants can provide up to 25% of total project costs. However, there are some significant changes in how projects will be evaluated and scored. Details, including application forms, frequently asked questions, and notices of upcoming workshops are available from the Environmental Law and Policy Center at http://www.FarmEnergy.org.

USDA & NREL Offer Webcast on Applying for USDA Sec. 9006 Grants on April 7

Posted: March 30, 2005

The USDA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory will hold an open, informational webcast on the 2005 Sec. 9905 Ag Energy Grant Announcement on Thursday, April 7, 2005 at 3:00 p.m. EST for 90 minutes. To listen by phone, dial 1-888-566-5773 and enter passcode 9006 and Leader Name Terri Walters. You can also participate online. Go to: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join/.  Enter Conference Number PG5446315 and Audience Passcode 9006. If you are a repeat user, you can join the event directly at: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?=PG5446315&p=9006&t=c

EPA Offers Free Toolkit on Funding Efficiency/Renewable Efforts thru Enforcement of "Supplemental Environmental Projects:" A new "Toolkit for States

Posted: March 30, 2005

Using Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) to Promote Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy," from EPA's State and Local Capacity Building Branch of the Climate Protection Partnership Division and the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance, is now available at: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/stateandlocal/ SEPs can provide a significant opportunity to fund EERE community-oriented projects in the context of enforcement settlement negotiations for environmental violations where there is a general nexus to the violation and the project would be located in the same regional air-shed.

This Toolkit provides state and local governments with information and resources for pursuing energy efficiency or renewable energy projects through non-federal enforcement settlements. It gives examples of actual projects, summaries of cases, resources, contact information, basic information on SEPs, and "how to" steps. Federal SEPs continue to be governed by EPA’s SEP Policy at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/civil/seps/. For further information, contact Art Diem of EPA at diem.art@epa.gov.

STAC Selects Eight Science Proposals for $4.3 million in Federal Funding

Posted: March 15, 2005

The State Technologies Advancement Collaborative (STAC) announced (February 7, 2005) the results of its Energy Efficiency and Fossil Energy Science Solicitation. The STAC Executive Committee approved funding for eight projects valued at $6,404,119 and covering each of the five technical areas in the solicitation. More than $2,116,814 of the selected projects' value represents costs to be shared by non-federal government entities, and $4,323,305 is funding from the STAC program-or an average cost share of 28%. The STAC Program Director, Bob Kripowicz, said he is, "pleased with the technical quality of the proposals, the large variety of technologies involved, and the potential impact of the selected proposals on the clean and efficient use of energy.

In total, thirty-five proposals collectively valued at approximately $29 million were submitted by State and Territory Energy Offices, State Research Institutions, public and private universities and other qualified organizations in response to the STAC solicitation. More than $7.5 million of the proposals' value represented costs proposed to be shared by non-federal government entities. A list of the selected projects and other information can be accessed by clicking here.

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