Washington, D.C., June 9, 2010 – A new energy bill introduced by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind) wisely uses energy efficiency as the core of its provisions, the Alliance to Save Energy said today.

The Lugar Practical Energy and Climate Plan focuses on money-saving efficiency policies designed to create long-term energy savings for cars and trucks, new buildings and appliances, existing homes and commercial buildings and industry.

"The Alliance applauds Senator Lugar for proposing legislation that uses energy efficiency as a key cornerstone of a national energy strategy," said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. "The bill's provisions to enact strong building energy codes and fuel economy standards will greatly reduce our dependence on polluting fossil fuels and foreign sources of energy."

"While there are many different approaches to climate and energy legislation being brought forward in the Congress, like the new Lugar bill, almost all include provisions to advance energy efficiency. It is critical that energy efficiency be a cornerstone of any energy bill enacted by the Congress as such provisions not only 'buy down' the costs of the transition we must make to a clean energy economy but also are proven job generators," added Callahan.

Sen. Lugar released an estimate from the ClimateWorks Foundation that the buildings and industry energy efficiency provisions in the bill can cut energy demand by 5 percent and greenhouse gas emissions about 7 percent by 2030.

Those provisions include savings targets for new residential and commercial building energy codes; retrofits in residential, small business and commercial buildings; low-interest retrofit loans for rural consumers; a ramp-up of energy-saving equipment in the industrial sector; direction to the Department of Energy to set additional appliance and equipment energy efficiency standards; and enhanced efficiency requirements for federal buildings. The bill would also require long-term improvements in vehicle CAFE standards, fuel economy standards for trucks and buses, a feebate incentive for more efficient cars and light trucks, a clean electricity standard that includes customer and generation energy efficiency and a Government Accountability Office review of federal energy security and climate programs.