Earth Day 2000

States’ Clean Energy Agenda

Take advantage of Earth Day

Earth Day 2000 provides a great opportunity for state governments to place their states on a clean energy path for the new millennium. State governments make many decisions that influence the way our society uses energy, from taxing energy consumption to setting environmental standards for vehicles and buildings. Given the range of issues they address and their strategic position, states can, through both legislation and administrative policies, provide essential leadership in moving America onto a sustainable energy path. Creative state action in this arena will benefit our society economically as well as environmentally. This guide outlines some of the ways that states can assert clean energy leadership using Earth Day 2000 as a catalyst.

Put energy into your state’s Earth Day plans

• Promote green buildings

  Implement a green building policy that sets high energy efficiency standards for (new and retrofitted) state-owned buildings. Apply for the ENERGY STAR label for all highly energy-efficient state office buildings. Publicize the top energy performers that have earned the label. For information contact the ENERGY STAR Hotline, 1-888-782-7937 or their website: www.epa.gov/buildings.

  Also, establish statewide energy standards for residential and commercial buildings. Such standards provide a benchmark for local communities to build upon, while improving the environment by decreasing the discharge of pollutants from buildings, improving the health and productivity of building occupants, and increasing the demand for environmentally preferable building materials and technologies. For information contact the U.S. DOE’s Building Standards and Guidelines Program at www.energycodes.org.

• Target transportation

  Purchase very low emission vehicles (e.g. electric, hybrid and fuel cell-powered vehicles) for the state’s fleet. A number of states including Nebraska already have alternative fuel vehicles in their fleets. Also, establish a fund to support the conversion of public vehicle fleets (e.g. in cities, school districts and public agencies) to alternative fuels. Oklahoma has a long-standing (1990) $1.45 million revolving fund for alternative fuel conversions of public fleets. For information see the Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Vehicle Fleet Buyers Guide.

• Control greenhouse gas emissions

  Oregon is the first state to regulate carbon emissions and does so as part of its permitting process for power plants and other energy facilities. The carbon dioxide emissions of all new energy facilities in that state are required to be 17% less than the most efficient gas turbine operating in the U.S. A plant developer may choose to meet part or all of its emissions reduction target by paying into a mitigation trust fund. For information see the Renewable Northwest Project’s website.

• Purchase green energy

  Purchasing power from renewable sources for state use may be easiest to accomplish in the twenty-two states that have deregulated their electric industries allowing consumers to choose their electric provider. But even those states that have not deregulated can still purchase clean energy to power state buildings and other facilities if their utility provides it. Several cities already have taken this step including Santa Monica, California.

• Fund green energy

  Establish a public benefits trust fund financed by a small charge on all electricity sales to support investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, environmental research and development and low income energy services. At least 14 states have such funds. For example, Connecticut’s provides $63 million per year to support energy efficiency and $30 million per year for renewables. Wisconsin recently became the first state to establish an energy efficiency fund ($20 million per year) and a renewable energy requirement without deregulating its electric utility industry. For information see: www.customersfirst.org.

  Also, provide tax credits, rebates and low-interest loans to encourage the purchase of energy efficient and renewable energy equipment and technologies and the construction and rehabilitation of energy efficient buildings. North Carolina recently adopted one of the best state-based energy credit plans. For information contact the North Carolina Solar Center, 919-515-9781.

• Push clean energy development

  Establish a state net metering policy allowing customers to receive credit on utility bills for feeding clean power generated on their premises into the utility distribution system. For it to work effectively, the grid interconnection process should be simple for both the system owner and the utility. At least 30 states now have net metering programs. For example, Ohio recently passed a net metering law allowing alternative power producers (solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, hydro, microturbines, and fuel cells) to sell the electricity they generate to utilities. For a summary of state net metering programs see: www.ucsusa.org/energy/update.statepolicy.html.

  Also, initiate policies to ensure continual environmental improvement by encouraging the development of a diverse base of energy generating technologies including a steadily increasing percentage of renewable energy. Electricity deregulation is one path to this goal but only if it includes a renewables portfolio standard (in effect in at least 11 states) that mandates a minimum renewable energy requirement. As in Wisconsin, this can be accomplished without electricity deregulation. For information on RPS see: www.newrules.org/cgi-bin/access/rulea/elec/state/rps.html.

  A public benefits trust fund also will enhance the movement toward renewables, as will policies that require utilities to clearly disclose to their customers of the sources of their electricity. Also very helpful is community choice — the option for cities, individually or collectively, to create municipal energy purchasing cooperatives (as done in Massachusetts and Ohio) run by local governments. For information contact the American Local Power Project.

• Make an Earth Day commitment

  Use Earth Day to honor the Earth, commit to clean energy, celebrate environmental gains and commit the state to further progress. Fly an Earth Flag over the capitol, issue Earth Day proclamations and pass Earth Day resolutions, sponsor Earth Day events, and inaugurate clean energy demonstration projects such as solar panels on school buildings, electric or hybrid fuel state vehicles, fuel cell-powered buildings, strategically placed wind turbines, and roof-top tree plantings.

  Resources on States and Energy

  Alliance to Save Energy, 1200 18th St. NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036, tel: 202-857-0666. ASE promotes energy policy reform with a special emphasis on energy efficiency, carbon reduction strategies and energy tax reform.

  American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, 1001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 801, Washington, DC 20036, tel: 202-429-8873. ACEEE produces materials on state system benefit charges, renewable portfolio standards, and electricity generation disclosure.

  American Solar Energy Society, 2400 Central Ave., Suite G-1, Boulder, CO 80301, tel: 303-443-3130. ASES advances the use of solar energy through position papers, issues roundtables and the publication Solar Today. It has issued a set of principles on electric industry restructuring.

  Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, 1100 Eleventh St., Suite 311, Sacramento, CA 95814, tel: 916-442-7785. CEERT promotes policies at the local, state and federal levels that provide cleaner, cheaper, sustainable power.

  Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy is an online searchable database. DSIRE provides state-by-state listing of information on financial, regulatory and utility incentives that promote the application of renewable energy technologies.

  Interstate Renewable Energy Council, 15 Haydn St., Boston, MA 02131, tel: 617-323-7377. IREC works to accelerate the use of renewable energy sources and technologies in state and local governments and publishes a monthly Interconnection Newsletter and reports on state activities.

  Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Economy, 46 East Fourth St., Suite 600, St. Paul, MN 55101, tel: 651-225-0878. ME3 promotes policies that further energy efficiency and renewable energy development in Minnesota.

  National Conference of State Legislatures, 1560 Broadway, Suite 700, Denver, CO 80202, tel: 303-830-2200. NCSL’s Energy Project provides information and policy assistance on electric utility restructuring, energy efficiency, renewable energy and alternative fuels.

  National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401, tel: 303-275-3000. NREL researches and reports on renewable energy. It publishes tri-annually the "State Renewable Energy News," a compilation of renewable electric activities in the states.

  Renewable Energy Policy Project, 1612 K Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20006, 202-293-2898. REPP publishes issues briefs and research reports on topics such as net metering, certification, and green power. It also provides research support to policy makers and energy professionals.

  Union of Concerned Scientists, 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02238, tel: 617-547-5552. UCS promotes state policies that increase reliance on renewable energy and energy efficiency and monitors activity in that arena with a focus on electric industry restructuring.

  U.S. EPA Energy Star Buildings, 401 M St. SW, Washington, DC 20460, tel: 888-782-7937. EPA’s ENERGY STAR Buildings Partnership assesses public and private buildings’ energy use, provides a free, on-line energy performance rating tool, and awards the ENERGY STAR Label to top performing buildings.

  Contact: Earth Day Network, 91 Marion Street, Seattle, WA 98104, Tel:206-876-2000, Email: [email protected]