Northeast Regional Meeting 2015

May 5 – 6, 2015 - Fort Trumbull State Park Conference Center, New London, CT

DAY 1: May 5th

8:30 am - 9:00 am
Continental Breakfast

9:00 am - 9:15 am
Welcome and Introductions 
Following a brief introductions, the presenters and attendees will review the meeting agenda, planned focus and discussion.

Presenters:

  • Jessie Stratton, Policy Director, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; Regional Representative to the NASEO Board of Directors
  • Marion Gold, Commissioner, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources; Regional Representative to the NASEO Board of Directors
  • David Terry, Executive Director, NASEO
  • Chuck Clinton, Senior Advisor and Northeast Regional Coordinator, NASEO

 

9:15 am - 11:30 am 
State Policy and Program Priorities Roundtable 
During this roundtable, each State and Territory Energy Office will share the major energy actions, priorities, and issues happening in their respective state.  This update should include both energy issues that are within the State Energy Offices’ purview, as well as those that extend beyond the offices.  The roundtable will give participants the chance to hear from their peers, identify ways they can work together, and elevate areas where NASEO can provide assistance. (Approximately 10 minutes for each state).

Moderators:

  • Jessie Stratton, Policy Director, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; Regional Representative to the NASEO Board of Directors
  • Marion Gold, Commissioner, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources; Regional Representative to the NASEO Board of Directors

Focus: Each State and Territory Energy Office will provide an update on the program, policy, and planning priorities and challenges within their state.

Discussion:

  • Are there several States with similar priorities and focus?
  • What can NASEO do to assist in achieving the states’ goals?
  • Is there a role for NASEO, DOE, EPA, NASEO Affiliate Members, or others to provide assistance?

 

11:30 am – 12:00 pm 
National Policy and Funding Outlook and NASEO Programs Update

Presenter:

  • David Terry, Executive Director, NASEO

 

12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Lunch

12:45 pm – 1:30 pm  
USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) 
This session will examine REAP’s guaranteed loan financing and grant funding opportunities for agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase or install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements in the the Midwest states.

Moderator: 

  • Lisa Smith, Senior Planner, Maine Governor’s Office of Energy Independence and Security

Presenters: 

  • Anne Correia, Energy Coordinator, Business and Cooperative Programs, Rural Development, United States Department of Agriculture
  • David Brown, Business Programs Specialist, Rural Development, United States Department of Agriculture

 

1:30 pm - 2:45 pm 
Working Together: Relationship Building between State Energy Offices and Public Utility Commissions 
This session will focus on examples of substantive, collaborative work taking place between state energy offices and public utility commissions.  This session can be tailored to include region-specific examples of work being conducted between state energy offices and public utility commissions within the region (e.g., regional planning, renewable integration, building energy codes, energy assurance, microgrids, natural gas constraints, RTO issues).

Moderator: 

  • Asa Hopkins, Director of Energy Policy and Planning, Vermont Department of Public Services

Presenters:

  • Marion Gold, Commissioner, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources; Regional Representative to the NASEO Board of Directors
  • Sarah Hofmann, Member, Vermont Public Service Board

Focus: Presenters will provide examples of substantive and collaborative work between the State Energy Office and Public Utility Commission within the region.

Discussion:

  • Given SEO’s increasing roles as energy policy drivers, derived from, often, their comprehensive, strategic state energy plan or similar authoritative documents, the objective here is to facilitate communication, coordination, and cooperation between and among SEO’s and PUC/PSC’s.

 

2:45 pm – 3:00 pm 
Report from ISO New England

Moderator: 

  • Asa Hopkins, Director of Energy Policy and Planning, Vermont Department of Public Services

Presenter:

  • Eric Johnson, Director, External Affairs, ISO New England, Inc.

 

3:00 pm - 3:15 pm
Break

 

3:15 pm – 4:15 pm 
Working Together: Relationship Building between State Energy Offices and State Air Directors 
When EPA released the Clean Power Plant proposed rule in 2014 many states leveraged connections and relationships between energy offices and air directors to begin planning efforts as they worked to comment on the proposed rule.  This session will provide attendees the opportunity to hear about and discuss examples of how state energy offices and their state air agencies in their region are collaborating on a variety of issues, including, both existing air and water quality rules, as well as pending actions such as 111(d).

Moderator:

  • Rick Minard, Deputy Director, New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning

Presenters:

  • Allison Gurrette, Climate and Energy Environmental Analyst, NESCAUM
  • Nancy Seidman, Assistant Commisioner, Bureau of Air and Waste, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection  

Focus: Presenters will provide examples of collaborative work between State Energy Offices and State Air Agencies within the region.

Discussion:

  • Given SEO’s increasing roles as energy policy drivers, derived from, often, their comprehensive, strategic state energy plan or similar authoritative documents, the objective here is to facilitate communication, coordination, and cooperation between and among SEO’s and air/environmental agencies.

 

4:15 pm – 5:15 pm 
Collaboration with NEEP 
This session will feature discussion between the leaders of NEEP and the state energy directors of the Northeast. NEEP will provide an overview of their initiatives in the Northeast, their insights into the issues facing the region, and a report of the results of the joint NASEO/NEEP winter preparation project of 2014 – 15, and the prospects, necessity (if any) for the continuation of the effort in preparation for the upcoming winter.

Moderators:

  • Jessie Stratton, Policy Director, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; Regional Representative to the NASEO Board of Directors
  • Marion Gold, Commissioner, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources; Regional Representative to the NASEO Board of Directors

Presenters:

  • Sue Coakley, Executive Director, NEEP
  • Jim O’Reilly, Public Policy Director, NEEP
  • Scott Johnstone, Executive Director, VEIC; NEEP Board President
  • Julie Michals, Director of the Evaluation, Measurement and Evaluation Forum, NEEP
  • Dave Lis, Director of Market Strategies, NEEP
  • Lisa Cascio, Public Relations Manager, NEEP

Focus: Specifically, this session will continue the the useful and productive dialog that occurred at the joint meeting of NASEO and NEEP leaders in Newport, RI in May, 2014.

Discussion:

  • The overall purpose of this continuing discussion is to advance the communication, coordination, and collaboration between and among NASEO and NEEP leaders.

 

6:00 pm
Working Dinner

 

DAY 2: May 6th, 2015

 

7:30 am - 8:00 am
Continental Breakfast

8:00 am - 9:00 am 
U.S. Department of Energy Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program Update 
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program (WIP) oversees the U.S. State Energy Program and Weatherization Assistance Program and provides technical assistance to states in developing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and programs.  Topics addressed during this session will include WIP priorities, and program updates.

Moderator:

  • Judith Judson, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

Presenter:          

  • AnnaMaria Garcia, Director, Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy   

Focus: Status update on SEP, WAP, and WIP funding and program direction and timing of future SEP formula and competitive funding opportunity announcements.

9:00 am - 10:30 am 
Special Session:  Revolving Loan Programs, Water and Wastewater Treatment Energy Efficiency Efforts

Moderator:

  • Lisa Smith, Senior Planner, Maine Governor’s Office of Energy Independence and Security

Revolving Loan Funds

Presenters: 

  • Chris Kearns, Chief, Program Development, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources
  • Bert Hunter, Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Connecticut Green Bank

Water and Wastewater Treatment

Presenters: 

  • Diane Duva, Director, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Bureau of Energy and Technology Policy
  • William Sequino, Jr, Executive Director, Rhode Island Clean Water Finance Agency
  • Rachel Sholly, Chief, Program Development, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources
  • Aimee allis, Municipal Efficiency Coordinator, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

 

10:30 am – 10:45 am
Break

 

10:45 am - 12:00 pm 
State and Local Government Energy Policy and Program Calibration Discussion 
This session can be used for topics identified by the State Energy Offices that are of regional or multi-state significance.

Moderator: 

  • Dan Burgess, Deputy Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

Presenters: 

  • Chris Mason, Energy Manager, City of Northampton, MA
  • Brief reports from each state

Focus:  Each state energy office employs unique strategies to calibrate state and local energy policy, priorities,  and programs. This session will emphasize best practices in the NE in this regard, and lessons learned that can be helpful to other states, so that they can more productively coordinate state and local energy initiatives. Specific emphasis will be on the Massachusetts Green Communities Program, its Local Government Energy Manager grant program, and its emphasis on resiliency measures at the local level.

 

12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Lunch

12:45 pm – 1:30 pm 
Regional Business Meeting, Action Items and Wrap-up 
This session will again focus on particular Northeast states’ priority issues, initiatives, challenges identified during the course of the meeting, items that may call out for multi-state or regional response. This session will also review other issues and actions elevated during various meeting sessions. The outcomes of this session should be actions that can be monitored, and reported on at the NASEO Annual Meeting in San Diego, September, 2015.

Moderators:

  • Jessie Stratton, Policy Director, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; Regional Representative to the NASEO Board of Directors
  • Marion Gold, Commissioner, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources; Regional Representative to the NASEO Board of Directors

Presenters:        

  • David Terry, Executive Director, NASEO
  • Chuck Clinton, Senior Advisor and Northeast Regional Coordinator, NASEO

Discussion:

  • Prioritize the action items and address any additional business in the region.
  • The 2015 NASEO Annual Meeting will be held in San Diego, CA, September 13-16, 2015.   NASEO is planning a slate of informative discussions and session for this Annual Meeting and is looking for input from the regions to structure the Annual Meeting’s theme and content.

 

1:30 pm
Adjourn