NASEO News

FEDERAL UPDATE

DOE Announces $29 Million in Recovery Act Awards for Weatherization Training Centers

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced that 34 projects in 27 states have been selected to receive $29 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to develop and expand weatherization training centers across the country. These projects will provide green job training for local workers in energy efficiency retrofitting and weatherization services. With this training, skilled workers can help expand the use of energy efficient practices in America's homes and businesses.  Please click here for more information, including a list of awardees. 

EPA Announces $10 Million for Communities to Combat Climate Change

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making available up to $10 million in grants to local governments to establish and carry out initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Under the Climate Showcase Communities program, EPA expects to award approximately 25 cooperative agreements ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, with approximately five percent of the funds ($500,000) being made available specifically for tribal governments.  Local governments, federally recognized Indian tribal governments, and inter-tribal consortia are eligible for grants to create sustainable community actions that can be used elsewhere, generate cost-effective greenhouse gas reductions and improve the environmental, economic, public health, and social conditions in a community. A 50 percent cost share is required for recipients, with the exception of tribal governments and intertribal consortia, which are exempt from matching requirements under this grant.  Please click here for more information.

DOE Makes Public Detailed Information on the BP Oil Spill

As part of the Obama Administration's ongoing commitment to transparency surrounding the response to the BP oil spill, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that Department is providing online access to schematics, pressure tests, diagnostic results and other data about the malfunctioning blowout preventer. The information is posted at www.energy.gov/oilspilldata.  It includes detailed raw data on the pressure readings within the blowout preventer, as well as rates and amounts of hydrocarbons captured by the top hat and by the riser insertion tube. There is also a timeline of key events and detailed summaries of the Deepwater well configuration, the blowout preventer stack tubes, and the containment system.

MEETINGS AND WEBINARS

Webinar June 16 or 17: Guidelines for States Conducting Evaluations of ARRA-Funded SEP Activities

On June 16 and 17, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is offering a webinar for state officials interested in contracting or conducting evaluations of their states' ARRA-funded SEP activities. The Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs (OWIP) has developed recommended standards to guide such evaluations, based on the priorities and standards included in the SEP National Evaluation. The SEP Evaluation Guidelines were issued in March of this year. This webinar will describe the SEP Evaluation Guidelines and how to apply them. The session is geared toward state officials who are planning to conduct or sponsor their own state-level evaluation and would like a better understanding of OWIP's standards for such studies.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, June 16, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and again on Thursday, June 17, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. EDT. The speaker will be Nick Hall, a highly experienced program evaluator and principal of TecMarket Works consulting firm. Mr. Hall worked for several years in the Illinois Energy Office early in his career, and has been involved for many years in evaluating state energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. 

This Webinar is free of charge, but you will need to register in advance to obtain a URL for the presentation and call-in phone number. You can register online at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/422894835 for the June 16 session and at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/868474235 for the June 17 session. If you have questions that you would like addressed during the Webinar, please send them to Nick Hall at TecMarket Works (NPHall@TecMarket.net) by June 11. 

2010 National Town Meeting on Demand Response and Smart Grid

The National Town Meeting on Demand Response and Smart Grid will be held June 23-24, 2010 at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC.  It is the premier demand response and smart grid event in the US. It brings together stakeholders from utilities, technology companies, ISOs, Congress, federal and state agencies, environmental groups, and research and consulting firms for two days of in-depth discussions on a broad slate of topics. The 2010 National Town Meeting will feature speakers who take the measure of the state of the industry, indicate what's to come in the year ahead, and report on best practices and projects in the field.

The National Town Meeting on Demand Response and Smart Grid is a nonprofit event put on by the Demand Response Coordinating Committee (DRCC), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to facilitate the exchange of expertise and information on demand response and smart grid.  For more information, contact Paul Pietsch, Demand Response Coordinating Committee (DRCC), info@demandresponsecommittee.org or visit http://www.demandresponsetownmeeting.com/home/.

Energy Codes 2010: The Future is Now!

Energy Codes 2010 will be held July 19-22, 2010 at the Westin Charlotte Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Energy Codes 2010 will provide hands-on training and face-to-face networking through various training activities with other members in the energy codes community. It represents a unique opportunity to bring together state energy office representatives and members of the building industry and to discuss current building energy code issues and receive consistent technical training on building energy codes and standards.  Please click here for more information including the preliminary agenda and online registration. 

STATE AND LOCAL NEWS

Alabama Public School Unit Named National Leader in Energy Savings

In 2006, the leaders of a public school system in Alabama committed themselves to lowering the system's utility costs by reducing energy use in school buildings. Four years later, the Talladega County School System has cut energy costs by $2.3 million becoming the first system in Alabama to be named a national Energy Star Leader. The school system received the designation in May, and 13 schools along with the system's central office were awarded Energy Star Building Labels as part of a program to promote energy efficiency. To read more about how the school system has lowered its energy costs over the last four years, please click here to visit the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

Colorado Governor Cultivates Solar Gardens with New Legislation

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter recently signed legislation that will let renters and others who are unable to install solar panels on their own roofs to join forces and create community "solar gardens."  With lawmakers, New Energy Economy advocates and utility officials at his side, Governor Ritter signed House Bill 1342 atop Boulder's downtown parking garage, saying that all rooftops have the potential to power America toward a clean-energy future. Colorado expects to have 100,000 solar rooftops by 2020.  "To read more about the legislation and other action Colorado has taken to prepare for the new energy economy, please click here to visit the Governor's Energy Office.

Georgia Passes Legislation Supporting Performance Contracting

The state of Georgia is now one step closer to realizing significant energy savings with the recent signing of Senate Bill 194 by Governor Sonny Perdue. SB194 is companion legislation to Senate Resolution 1231, which is a constitutional amendment allowing state agencies to finance multi-year energy and conservation improvement projects. SB194 defines energy performance contracting and designates the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) as the lead agency for state government participation. Georgians will vote on the constitutional amendment on November 2, 2010. If approved, Georgia's energy performance contracting program will be effective January 1, 2011. To read more about the recent bill, please click here to read the press release at GEFA.

Massachusetts Releases Study on Biomass

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) recently released the Biomass Sustainability and Carbon Policy Study. The study was commissioned by DOER, in coordination with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, in November 2009 to provide an analysis of the available forest-derived biomass resource, the role of the forest in carbon sequestration with and without biomass harvesting, and the net carbon balance of biomass energy used to displace fossil fuels. The report has been prepared by a team of scientists led by the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.  Please click here for additional information including a link to the study. 

Pennsylvania Sunshine Program Pays Out 1,000th Rebate after Only First Year

The Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Rebate Program has proved immensely successful and popular, having enabled thousands of Pennsylvania homeowners and small businesses to lower their energy bills with the help of the sun's power. Pennsylvania has added approximately 10 megawatts of installed solar capacity since the program's inception. More than 790 residential solar electric and 137 solar thermal projects have been completed with another 895 solar projects approved for construction. In total, the $100 million PA Sunshine Program has provided more than $72 million in rebates to fund more than 2,300 solar electric and hot water projects that are either completed or already under construction. To read more about the success of the rebate program, please click here to visit the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.