Energy Efficiency in Missouri
February 8, 2010
Watch Renew Missouri's Erin Noble on Labor Vision to discuss Energy Efficiency in Missouri and new state policy that can help Missourians save money on their electric bills and create new in-state jobs.
Watch Renew Missouri's Erin Noble on Labor Vision to discuss Energy Efficiency in Missouri and new state policy that can help Missourians save money on their electric bills and create new in-state jobs.
Missouri Legislators Attempt to Dilute Prop C
February 16, 2010
Please Call Committee Members Today and Tell Them to Vote No on HB1851
Less 18 months after the passage of Prop C: the Missouri Clean Energy Initiative with a 2 to 1 vote of the people, Rep. Jerry Nolte has introduced HB1851 to dramatically undercut the initiative. HB 1851 aims to derail investment in clean, renewable energy by designating nuclear power as a "renewable" source under Prop C.
HB1851 dramatically undermines the intent of the RES and the voters who wished to diversify Missouri's electric grid away from expensive and dirty power to clean, underutilized sources, like wind and solar.
"I've seen a growth in business since the passage of the RES, and in a heartbeat this bill could quickly turn all that around." says Dane Glueck, a Missouri solar installer.
"Despite the success of RES in other states and voters overwhelming support of it, Missouri General Assembly failed to pass the RES for eight consecutive years. So, we led a coalition of citizens across the state to gather 160,000 signatures and put the RES on the statewide ballot. And now state legislators are undercutting the efforts of their constituents." says PJ Wilson of Renew Missouri, a project of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment.
The 15% renewable target set by the RES is lower than many of the other 26 states, but is an huge improvement for Missouri. Prior to its passage, Missouri ranked 48th in the country on renewable energy with 85% of the state's electricity came from coal, 11% from nuclear power, and less than .01% from clean, renewable sources.
The House of Representative Utilities Committee will hear HB 1851 on Tuesday, February 16 at noon. Please call the committee members and ask them to vote "no" on HB 1851 today.
Not sure what to say? Tell them these 3 important things: Prop C aims to spur the development of renewable energy and HB1851 will undercut its intent. No where else in the country is nuclear included in the definition of renewable energy. 1851 Undermines the Will of Missouri Voters Only Months After the Passage of Prop C: (66% of Missourians voted in favor of Prop C in November, 2008. The ballot title clearly lists sources that count as renewable energy and did not include nuclear power).
Committee members include:
Emery, Ed: (573) 751-2165 Skaggs, Trent: (573) 751-2199
Kraus, Will, Vice Chair: (573) 751-1459 Smith, Joe: (573) 751-2250
Hummel, Jacob: (573) 751-0438 Viebrock, Jim: (573) 751-2381
Parson, Michael: (573) 751-1347 Walsh, Regina: (573) 751-6845
Pollock, Darrell: (573) 751-4451 Webb, Steve: (573) 751-2135
Schoeller, Shane: (573) 751-2948 Wright, Billy Pat: (573) 751-1494
Please Call Committee Members Today and Tell Them to Vote No on HB1851
Less 18 months after the passage of Prop C: the Missouri Clean Energy Initiative with a 2 to 1 vote of the people, Rep. Jerry Nolte has introduced HB1851 to dramatically undercut the initiative. HB 1851 aims to derail investment in clean, renewable energy by designating nuclear power as a "renewable" source under Prop C.
HB1851 dramatically undermines the intent of the RES and the voters who wished to diversify Missouri's electric grid away from expensive and dirty power to clean, underutilized sources, like wind and solar.
"I've seen a growth in business since the passage of the RES, and in a heartbeat this bill could quickly turn all that around." says Dane Glueck, a Missouri solar installer.
"Despite the success of RES in other states and voters overwhelming support of it, Missouri General Assembly failed to pass the RES for eight consecutive years. So, we led a coalition of citizens across the state to gather 160,000 signatures and put the RES on the statewide ballot. And now state legislators are undercutting the efforts of their constituents." says PJ Wilson of Renew Missouri, a project of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment.
The 15% renewable target set by the RES is lower than many of the other 26 states, but is an huge improvement for Missouri. Prior to its passage, Missouri ranked 48th in the country on renewable energy with 85% of the state's electricity came from coal, 11% from nuclear power, and less than .01% from clean, renewable sources.
The House of Representative Utilities Committee will hear HB 1851 on Tuesday, February 16 at noon. Please call the committee members and ask them to vote "no" on HB 1851 today.
Not sure what to say? Tell them these 3 important things: Prop C aims to spur the development of renewable energy and HB1851 will undercut its intent. No where else in the country is nuclear included in the definition of renewable energy. 1851 Undermines the Will of Missouri Voters Only Months After the Passage of Prop C: (66% of Missourians voted in favor of Prop C in November, 2008. The ballot title clearly lists sources that count as renewable energy and did not include nuclear power).
Committee members include:
Emery, Ed: (573) 751-2165 Skaggs, Trent: (573) 751-2199
Kraus, Will, Vice Chair: (573) 751-1459 Smith, Joe: (573) 751-2250
Hummel, Jacob: (573) 751-0438 Viebrock, Jim: (573) 751-2381
Parson, Michael: (573) 751-1347 Walsh, Regina: (573) 751-6845
Pollock, Darrell: (573) 751-4451 Webb, Steve: (573) 751-2135
Schoeller, Shane: (573) 751-2948 Wright, Billy Pat: (573) 751-1494
Missourians Tell Legislators: Energy Efficiency Now!
February 3, 2010
At Conservation Lobby Day on February 3, citizens from across Missouri convened at the State Capitol to urge legislators to update the state's outdated energy efficiency policies. Participants carried signs calling for “Energy Efficiency Now!” and listened to state energy efficiency policy experts and Missouri home energy auditors speak of the benefits of efficiency and of legislative solutions for improved efficiency.
PJ Wilson, of Renew Missouri, explained that Missouri currently ranks 41st in the country for energy efficiency - costing Missourians millions of extra dollars a year in electricity costs. Missouri also has one of the nation's fastest rising energy rates, something made worse by the struggling economy. "Embracing energy efficiency now will both create in-state jobs and ease concerns about our electric rates today and in the future. Right now we’re on a path of wasting energy, and the policies we’re recommending will get us on a path of efficiency," says Wilson.
PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) is one of the four policies Renew Missouri recommends for the 2010 legislative session. PACE is proving to be successful in 15 states and is often consider a "game-changer" for energy efficiency and renewable energy. PACE is state-enabling legislation that allows cities and counties to opt-in to a program that would pay all the upfront costs of renewable energy and energy efficiency renovations for homes and businesses. Project costs are repaid by the building owner through a special property tax assessment over 20 years, and annual energy savings always outweigh the yearly tax assessment payments.
PACE's revenue neutral characteristics make it an easy win for legislators and municipalities; it already is receiving bipartisan support in Jefferson City. "PACE provides a longer-term financing scheme for energy efficiency upgrades, so home-owners will make improvements with very low up-front costs. By spreading out the payments over the course of 20 years, the energy savings gained each month on electric bills often make the upgrades net positive from day one," says Marc Bluestone, of Missouri Association of Accredited Energy Professionals (MAAEP).
Beyond lower electric bills, pursuing energy efficiency also increases a home's overall value. "Homes with efficiency sell faster, spend fewer days on the market, and sell for a higher percentage of the listing price -- people are starting to figure out that efficiency pays while you live in a home and when it's time to sell," said Bluestone.
Damien Flaherty, of EnergyAudits.com and MAAEP, described the overlap of economic and security benefits of efficiency. "Currently, Missouri imports 95% of its energy resources -- coal, natural gas, oil. We can reduce our future reliance on fossil fuels by improving the 2 million existing homes in Missouri. We can make these buildings more efficient and therefore use less imported fuels. Also, making our homes more energy efficient will undoubtedly create tens of thousands of in-state jobs that can't be outsourced or sent overseas."
At Conservation Lobby Day, citizens also met with legislators throughout the day encouraging action on efficiency. Conservation Lobby Day is an annual event sponsored by the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Missouri Votes Conservation, and the Missouri Sierra Club.
At Conservation Lobby Day on February 3, citizens from across Missouri convened at the State Capitol to urge legislators to update the state's outdated energy efficiency policies. Participants carried signs calling for “Energy Efficiency Now!” and listened to state energy efficiency policy experts and Missouri home energy auditors speak of the benefits of efficiency and of legislative solutions for improved efficiency.
PJ Wilson, of Renew Missouri, explained that Missouri currently ranks 41st in the country for energy efficiency - costing Missourians millions of extra dollars a year in electricity costs. Missouri also has one of the nation's fastest rising energy rates, something made worse by the struggling economy. "Embracing energy efficiency now will both create in-state jobs and ease concerns about our electric rates today and in the future. Right now we’re on a path of wasting energy, and the policies we’re recommending will get us on a path of efficiency," says Wilson.
PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) is one of the four policies Renew Missouri recommends for the 2010 legislative session. PACE is proving to be successful in 15 states and is often consider a "game-changer" for energy efficiency and renewable energy. PACE is state-enabling legislation that allows cities and counties to opt-in to a program that would pay all the upfront costs of renewable energy and energy efficiency renovations for homes and businesses. Project costs are repaid by the building owner through a special property tax assessment over 20 years, and annual energy savings always outweigh the yearly tax assessment payments.
PACE's revenue neutral characteristics make it an easy win for legislators and municipalities; it already is receiving bipartisan support in Jefferson City. "PACE provides a longer-term financing scheme for energy efficiency upgrades, so home-owners will make improvements with very low up-front costs. By spreading out the payments over the course of 20 years, the energy savings gained each month on electric bills often make the upgrades net positive from day one," says Marc Bluestone, of Missouri Association of Accredited Energy Professionals (MAAEP).
Beyond lower electric bills, pursuing energy efficiency also increases a home's overall value. "Homes with efficiency sell faster, spend fewer days on the market, and sell for a higher percentage of the listing price -- people are starting to figure out that efficiency pays while you live in a home and when it's time to sell," said Bluestone.
Damien Flaherty, of EnergyAudits.com and MAAEP, described the overlap of economic and security benefits of efficiency. "Currently, Missouri imports 95% of its energy resources -- coal, natural gas, oil. We can reduce our future reliance on fossil fuels by improving the 2 million existing homes in Missouri. We can make these buildings more efficient and therefore use less imported fuels. Also, making our homes more energy efficient will undoubtedly create tens of thousands of in-state jobs that can't be outsourced or sent overseas."
At Conservation Lobby Day, citizens also met with legislators throughout the day encouraging action on efficiency. Conservation Lobby Day is an annual event sponsored by the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Missouri Votes Conservation, and the Missouri Sierra Club.
