November 2005
Newsletter Contents:
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Guest Highlight |
Alliance to Save Energy Column |
State Updates |
RECA Report |
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The United States had some concerns about the treaty and dropped out of the negotiations after President Bush took office. The federal government also decided that it wouldn't recognize the threat of global warming or offer meaningful alternatives to the Kyoto Treaty. It sent the wrong message to the rest of the world – one of denial, failure to lead, failure even to acknowledge the accepted science and recognized risk of global climate change.
As a result, the nation that creates more greenhouse gas emissions than any other, by far, is taking the least responsibility for global warming.
The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) offers a way for U.S. businesses and governments to help reduce the Nation’s emissions. The CCX is a voluntary program under which a business or government agrees to reduce emissions, and subject itself to financial penalties if it fails to meet its targets. By this mechanism businesses and governments can act in the absence of needed national and regional policy to create a market-based cap-and-trade system for emissions management.
In September, I decided to sign up the state of New Mexico – the first state government to do so, although some major municipalities (such as Chicago and Portland, Oregon) joined before us. The decision requires our state agencies to reduce their emissions in coming years – or pay.
In fact, two years after I took office, I urged our Legislature to adopt more than a dozen new clean energy and efficiency laws. I signed executive orders regarding renewable fuels, climate change policy, and green building. According to my over-enthusiastic staff, New Mexico experienced the single greatest burst of state-level clean energy policy in world history – most of it pre-dating the natural gas and gasoline price crisis of the past several months.
Even if New Mexico can’t make a huge dent in global emissions by joining the CCX, we can show our concern about global warming impacts, which are expected to increase drought by 40% in the American southwest. Also, by reducing our dependence on foreign oil and expensive natural gas, we’ll help create jobs and income for New Mexicans.
New Mexico also will take a lead position in the development of clean fossil energy. I have worked closely with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on a Western Governors’ Association policy to develop a clean energy blueprint for the West. California’s pending decision to buy power that creates no more emissions than the most efficient natural gas combustion will encourage western states to push forward with carbon-clean coal development. I am determined to establish state-level incentives that will further encourage industry to remove and sequester most of the carbon produced by coal generation.
The United States sorely needs strong energy policy. The President’s energy bill, signed in August, was a baby step where a quantum leap was needed. Washington’s continuing avoidance of the climate change issue is equally short-sighted. But governors, mayors, and county commissioners around the U.S. don’t have to sit on their hands. Like major corporate partners who recognize the threat of climate change, they can make the binding commitment to the Chicago Climate Exchange, and move our nation forward to a new energy and emissions future.
Governor Bill Richardson has served as U.S. Energy Secretary, Ambassador to the United Nations, and an eight-term Member of Congress. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize four times.
By Anna Carmichael, Senior Policy Associate, Alliance to Save Energy The Alliance to Save Energy is working with our Associate companies and other organizations to urge states in the Northeast and Midwest to enact immediate sales tax exemptions for ENERGY STAR® qualified products (e.g., natural gas furnaces, electric heat pumps, windows, programmable thermostats, and household appliances) and weatherization materials like insulation, caulk and weather stripping as specified in the ENERGY STAR Home Sealing program.
Currently we are only focusing this legislative campaign on Northeastern/Midwestern/Mid-Atlantic states with legislative sessions currently in progress and which have not already introduced a sales tax holiday bill. According to our research, Georgia is the only state this year to have enacted a statewide temporary sales tax holiday for certain energy efficient products. Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island are currently considering passage of similar legislation or executive orders.
In mid-December we will expand this campaign to target states with legislative sessions commencing in January. Interested companies/organizations that would like to support this effort should contact me at acarmichael@ase.org or (202) 530-2252.
Connecticut Senate Bill 2100 Signed by the Governor 10/31/05
Enacted during an emergency session, SB 2100 increases benefits under the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), which helps low income households pay their heating bills. It also establishes a new program to provide furnace tune-ups and other energy efficiency services and exempts certain energy-efficient products and energy-efficient heating equipment from the sales tax from November 25, 2005 to April 1, 2006. The provisions become effective on December 1, 2005. Click here for more information.
House Bill 277 was filed in the House 10/20/2005 HB 277 would exempt vehicles eligible for tax credits under the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 from the first $500 in sales tax and would allow single occupant hybrid vehicle drivers in high occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV). Click here for more information
Senate Bill 278 was filed in the Senate 10/10/2005, referred to Governmental Oversight and Productivity; Regulated industries; general Government Appropriations 10/26/05. SB 278 would expand guaranteed performance savings contracts entered into by state agencies and municipalities to include water and wastewater efficiency and conservation measures. Click here for more information
Illinois House Bill 4163 was filed in the House 10/27/05, referred to rules Committee 10/27/05 HB 4163 would amend the Illinois Income Tax Act to create a $500 income tax credit for taxpayers who purchase a hybrid vehicle or a flexible fuel vehicle between December 31, 2007 and December 30, 2008.
Massachusetts House Bill 4438 was referred to House Committee on rules 10/13/05, referred to Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy 10/13/2005, New Draft Substituted, see HB4473 HB 4438 would provide for a one-time tax credit for all energy efficient items purchased between November 1, 2005 and February 28, 2006, for installation in the homeowner’s property. The maximum credit for residential buildings would be $600 and $1,000 for multi-unit dwellings. “Energy efficient items” include home insulation, new window installation, advanced programmable thermostats, fuel efficient furnaces, boilers, oil, gas, propane, or electric heating systems, solar domestic hot water systems, materials for insulation or sealing of a duct, attic basement, rim joint or wall and pipe insulation for heating systems or other retail items for use in a residential dwelling that increase its energy efficiency. Click here for more information on HB 4438 Click here for more information on HB 4473
Senate Bill 2224, offered as substitute text for HB4299, was filed in the Senate 10/06/05 SB 2224 would establish minimum energy-efficiency standards for medium voltage dry-type distribution transformers, metal halide lamp fixtures, residential furnaces or boilers, single-voltage external AC to DC power supplies, and incandescent reflector lamps. Click here for more information
New York Senate Bill 5972 was introduced and referred to the committee on Senate Rules 09/16/05 SB 5972 would provide a tax credit for alternative fuels and clean fuel vehicles. Also, the bill would amend the tax law to exempt new Energy Star appliances and home weatherization products from state sales and compensating use taxes during two seven-day periods each year. Click here for more information
House Bill 2068 was referred to the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee 10/17/05 HB2068 would establish the Plug-in Hybrid Task Force whose duties would be to review existing laws, regulations, tariffs and policies that relate to plug-in hybrids; meet with representatives from the automotive industry, energy industry, environmentalists and other relevant parties; seek public comment on its effort; and, report on how the use of plug-in hybrids would impact the Commonwealth. Click here for more information House Bill 2124 was filed in the House and referred to the Finance Committee 10/25/05 HB 2124 would amend Pennsylvania tax law to exclude hybrid motor vehicles from sales tax. Click here for more information
HB 2128 would require the commonwealth to ensure that at least 10% of vehicles purchased by the state are hybrids. The Bill would require a minimum of 50% of the motor vehicles procured by the commonwealth be hybrid vehicles following the fifth fiscal year of enactment. Click here for more information
House Bill 2152 was referred to the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee 10/31/05 HB 2152 would establish an energy-efficient appliance rebate program to provide rebates to residents for the purchase of residential Energy Star products to replace used appliances of the same type. The amount of a rebate is based on the difference between the cost of a residential Energy Star product and the cost of a comparable appliance. Click here for more information
Wisconsin House Bill 745 was introduced in the House 10/11/05, Referred to the Committee on Energy and Utilities 10/13/05 HB 745 would create an income and franchise tax credit for the purchase of fuel-efficient hybrid motor vehicles. The amount of the credit may not exceed $1,000 for each hybrid motor vehicle purchased in the taxable year. Click here for more information
House Bill 753 was introduced in the House 10/13/05, Referred to the Committee on Transportation 10/13/05 HB 753 would allow single occupant drivers of hybrid electric vehicles to use the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. The measure would expire by January 1, 2016. Click here for more information
The Responsible Energy Codes Alliance (RECA) RECA continues its work to promote adoption of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). In October, RECA and its members were active in Arizona, Iowa and Nevada. States to watch for code developments in the months ahead are Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, and New York. Click here to visit the RECA website for more information. The Alliance Wants to Hear from You!
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An Energy State Joins the Chicago Climate Exchange
New Mexico is an energy state, second in onshore natural gas production and fifth in oil production. We export about half the electrical power generated in the state. I declared New Mexico “the Clean Energy State” in a 2004 executive order, based not only on our tremendous wind and solar potential but also on our aggressive new policies to encourage energy efficiency and clean energy development.
In New Mexico, many of our ranchers and rural residents will benefit from clean energy development. They will use manure to make energy; rent windmill sites to developers who are interested in sending our bountiful wind power to hungry West Coast markets; and continue to grow our statewide refining capacity. The New Mexico sun will become a reliable, sustainable energy source for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses.
Statewide Sales Tax Holiday Campaign for Energy-Efficient Products
While we continue to press for long-term, national energy efficiency measures, we also must promote policies that provide consumers with short-term tools to combat high energy prices. One of the quickest ways to provide consumers relief, and to ease upward price pressure on heating fuels, is to encourage home weatherization before the cold weather months. This week the Alliance sent a coalition letter, signed by 31 companies, to State legislatures and Governors in Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Wisconsin urging them to enact a temporary statewide sales and compensating use tax holiday for Energy Star qualified products and weatherization materials specified in the ENERGY STAR Home Sealing program. 
- Contact your Governor and State elected officials in support of a temporary sales tax holiday by visiting our 
