Legislature to consider more efficient appliances

After a short hiatus last summer, the New Hampshire Legislature is once again considering a bill that would help consumers use energy more efficiently in our homes and businesses. The bill would set efficiency standards for a set of common industrial, commercial and household appliances sold in New Hampshire.

Environment New Hampshire staff have testified before the Senate and will continue to push this bill forward as it makes its way through the House.

Passing this legislation would reduce the demand on old, dirty power plants, curbing air pollution from their smokestacks and avoiding the need to build more power plants. By cutting their energy use at the levels that would be achieved with the legislation, New Hampshire consumers, businesses, schools and the state government itself would save an estimated $273 million by 2020.

Congress approves new energy plan

Progress made, but critical provisions omitted

UPDATE:

Since posting this newsletter, Congress went on to approve an increase in the gas mileage standard. We applauded the move, and will continue to fight to increase the use of renewable energy through a federal renewable energy standard.

ORIGINAL:

In the face of a veto threat from the president and strong opposition from oil and gas interests, the House passed a visionary energy bill on Dec. 6. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to keep important provisions in the bill it passed on Dec. 14. In the weeks and months leading up to the energy bill’s final votes, we pushed especially hard for two provisions: one that requires utilities to get 15 percent of their electricity from wind, solar, energy efficiency or other clean, renewable energy sources; and a second that requires automakers to meet increased gas mileage standards for the first time in 20 years. The bill that heads to the president’s desk as we go to print includes the increase in miles per gallon, but not the renewable electricity standard.

“These are strong and critical steps toward a new energy future,” said Erika Staaf, Environment New Hampshire's advocate. “We still have a long way to go before we’re on the path to sustainability, but this is positive news for clean energy and will help stop global warming. We’re also hoping that we’ll make real progress on renewables and efficiency too.”