Recent action
Energy efficiency appliance standard
Despite some initial opposition from appliance manufacturers, Environment New Hampshire has been able to successfully advocate a bill that sets efficiency standards for a category of common industrial, commercial and household appliances sold in New Hampshire. The bill passed the Senate and is being considered by the House.
This legislation would help consumers use energy more efficiently in homes, businesses, schools and state government buildings, saving an estimated $38 million and cutting more than 5,000 tons of global warming emissions by 2020. This bill would also contribute to the state’s overall efficiency by reducing the demand on old, dirty power plants, curbing air pollution, and diminishing the need to build more power plants. Environment New Hampshire hopes the House will follow the Senate’s lead, and pass the efficiency bill this summer.
Give clean cars a green light
Environment New Hampshire is working to bring a Clean Cars program to the state this summer. Sixteen states so far have initiated similar programs in an effort to get greater numbers of cleaner, greener cars in showrooms, including all of New Hampshire’s neighboring New England states. This program would be especially beneficial in New Hampshire, where transportation is the second-largest source of global warming pollution.
On Dec. 19, 2007, over the objections of its own scientific staff, the EPA denied California and 15 other states a Clean Air Act waiver, which would have allowed their Clean Cars programs to implement global warming pollution standards for new cars and trucks. Our national federation, Environment America, along with other environmental groups, is fighting this decision in court, and the outrage over the EPA’s decision has even prompted Congress to investigate the matter.
“We’re confident that our advocacy, the pending lawsuit, and our work to convince the next president to overturn the decision will pave the way for a New Hampshire program,” said Environment New Hampshire’s Erika Staaf.
Legislation being considered by the House could make the appliances we buy more energy-efficient.
