NASEO News

FEDERAL UPDATE

DOE's Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Financial SWAT Team

The Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs (OWIP) has assembled a Financial SWAT Team to provide technical assistance for the creation of long-term funding mechanisms such as revolving loan funds, which fall into one of program areas under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The OWIP Financial SWAT Team will provide technical assistance for financing programs in two ways.  First, Rapid Response finance resources will provide, upon your request, financial consultants to address your program needs and challenges. Bret Kadison is leading the OWIP Financial SWAT Team and can provide additional information on how to best utilize the Rapid Response resources.  You can email him directly at financingrapidresponse@ee.doe.gov.  Second, a Financing Toolkit, including the newly launched Solution Center website, will provide a highly structured series of financing-related guidelines and webinars.  Please click here to link directly to the Solution Center

Explanatory Statement on Section 410, Recovery Act (HR1) by National Building Community Stakeholders

Over the past few months, NASEO has been working with a diverse group to identify the best ways to assist states and local governments in complying with the requirements in the stimulus act (ARRA) to upgrade building energy efficiency codes and improve compliance and enforcement of these codes. As you recall, each of the Governors had to submit a letter to DOE indicating that code improvements would be made and that the state would develop a plan for compliance. The groups that worked together to develop an explanatory statement on Section 410 are now offering assistance to the state and local governments to help in that process.  Please click here for a link to the explanatory statement.  NASEO is also working to develop a training session for code adoption, compliance and enforcement in conjunction with the NASEO Winter Meeting (to be held at the end of the meeting on February 4-5, 2010). This follows a webinar on this subject that was held on October 27, 2009.  NASEO is also planning another session in late October 2010, in conjunction with the International Codes Council (ICC) meeting in Charlotte.  If you have any questions, please contact Brian Henderson at bhenderson@naseo.org.

DOE Announces Nearly $40 Million for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Projects

The U.S. Department of Energy announced that they are awarding nearly $40 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Florida and Maine to support clean energy projects. Under DOE's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, these states will implement programs that lower energy use, reduce carbon pollution, and create green jobs locally.  For the full press release and additional detail on the individual awards, please click here.

EVENTS AND WEBINARS

Mark Your Calendars: 2010 Energy Outlook Conference, February 1-4, 2010

NASEO and ASERTTI will host the 2010 Energy Outlook Conference in Washington, D.C., February 1-4, at the Fairmont Hotel.  Please click here to visit the event website for more information and to register online.  A preliminary agenda will be available soon.  Please continue to check the website for updates. 

National Council on Electricity Policy/NARUC Climate Conference, December 2-4, 2009

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and the National Council on Electricity Policy will co-sponsor the Utility of the Future in a Carbon-Constrained World Conference from December 2-4, 2009. The conference will begin by examining the potential energy landscape in 2030 and then delve into the possible paths that policymakers and utilities may choose to follow over the next few decades. You will hear from the regulators, lawmakers, industry officials, consumer advocates, and other utility executives responsible for getting the nation from the status quo to the new paradigm. Sessions include "Price Effects of a Carbon Policy," "Game-Changing Policies," and "A Look at Baseload, the Resources and the Concept Itself."  For more information on this conference and to register, please click here. Please note that registration is capped at 200 participants, so be sure to reserve your spot soon!

Governors' Wind Energy Coalition Annual Meeting – December 10-11, 2009

The Governors' Wind Energy Coalition will host their annual meeting in Washington, DC on December 10-11, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill.  The meeting will offer a unique opportunity to hear from Obama Administration officials, leading policy makers, and experts from the utility, economic development and technology sectors regarding the imminent opportunities for unprecedented development of our abundant wind energy resources—and reaping the economic power that this clean energy source can bring to all regions of the nation.  For more information about the meeting, including an agenda and online registration, please click here.    

ECW Webinar:  The Silver Lining in Climate Survey Results – December 16, 2009

The Energy Center of Wisconsin will host a free webinar, "The Silver Lining in Climate Survey Results: Refining the Design of Energy Efficiency Programs and Climate Policy," presented by Ingo Bensch, Senior Project Manager, Energy Center of Wisconsin on December 16, 2009 from 1:00 pm-2:30 pm CT.  In this live webinar, Bensch presents the 2009 results from the Midwest Energy Survey—a tracking instrument that began measuring public attitudes, awareness and practices on energy efficiency and climate in 2007. This webinar is designed for executives, regulators, legislators, energy efficiency program managers, advocates and professionals in the energy field, and offers an independent perspective on the public's attitudes, practices, and awareness of climate change and energy efficiency.  For more information and to register for the webinar, please click here.

STATE AND LOCAL NEWS

"Efficiency Kansas" Program Launches

Kansas Governor, Mark Parkinson, officially launched Efficiency Kansas this week, a new revolving loan program to help Kansans make cost-effective, energy-efficiency improvements to their homes and small businesses.  Operated by the State Energy Office, a division of the Kansas Corporation Commission, Efficiency Kansas is a unique public/private partnership that will channel $34 million in federal funds authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through private businesses directly into local communities.  Kansans will be able to access Efficiency Kansas financing through partner lenders and participating utilities. The maximum amount of funding for approved projects is $20,000 for homes and $30,000 for small businesses, although average loans are expected to range from $5,000 to $6,000. Recommended projects may include adding insulation, sealing around doors and windows, and replacement of heating and cooling equipment.  For more information about the program, please click here to visit the Efficiency Kansas website.

South Carolina Energy Office Award to Make Improvements to Manufactured Homes, Study Energy Use

South Carolina is launching a statewide initiative next year to determine the best way to cut utility bills for people who live in manufactured housing by testing different approaches to energy efficiency in 1,200 Palmetto State homes. The South Carolina Budget and Control Board's State Energy Office has awarded Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. $2.9 million for demonstrations to evaluate the effectiveness of energy efficiency improvements by making upgrades to more than 1,200 manufactured homes state-wide.  Central Electric Power Cooperative will provide additional funding to bring the total project amount up to $3.3 million.  This grant is part of $68 million in federal economic stimulus funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to the South Carolina Energy Office for the purpose of reducing energy costs, increasing the use of renewable energy, and creating jobs.  Please click here to read more about the award.

Milwaukee Receives $5.8 Million Energy Grant

The city of Milwaukee will receive $5,839,100 in stimulus funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to pay for energy efficiency improvements in Milwaukee municipal buildings. The city also will use the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funding for retrofit projects that will update older lighting systems.  In addition, the city will seek more opportunities to make energy efficiency improvements in municipal buildings.  Please click here to read the full story.

Washington State Communities Receive $6.4 million for Energy Efficiency

The Washington State Department of Commerce awarded $6.4 million in competitive Recovery Act grants to 43 applicants in small cities and counties for energy efficiency and conservation projects. Projects include energy audits and building retrofits, as well as energy efficient traffic signals and street lighting. The funding is targeted to reduce fossil fuel emissions and help communities be more environmentally sustainable through reduced energy usage and improved energy efficiency in the building and transportation sectors. The work is also expected to save or create more than 100 jobs.  Please click here to read the full story.