Washington Launch
The Energy Matters campaign in Washington state got off to a
rousing start May 11 at The Woman's Club in Olympia. More
than 50 people -- state legislators, UTC commissioners,
utility leaders and staff, environmental activists -- heard
clean-energy success stories and learned about current
opportunities to move toward a clean and affordable energy
future.
Find out more....
Quick Links...
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Dear Clean-Energy Advocate,
Because of your recent participation in an Energy Matters
campaign event, we thought you would be interested in the
latest news regarding BPA and the Northwest Power and
Conservation Council decisions.
Thank you for your interest in making the clean energy vision
a reality for all the people in the Northwest. Check in
regularly at the campaign Web page: http://
www.nwenergy.org/energymatters/
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Launches and Forums
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The Energy Matters campaign is building momentum
throughout the Northwest. Since the regional launch in
Portland on March 30, NW Energy Coalition staff and allies
have:
* Presented the campaign's clean-energy action plan to
hundreds of people in a score of venues.
* Held state launches in Idaho and Washington (see http://
www.nwenergy.org/energymatters/events/launch_wa.html).
* Held smaller workshops around the region with a variety of
constituents, such as consumers/low-income, environmental
and utility. Many more are scheduled or are in the works.
Meanwhile, Coalition staff and allies continue to pressure
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the Northwest
Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) to adopt the clean-
energy goal - meeting all increased electricity needs with
energy efficiency and new renewables - in their critical
regional plans.
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Bonneville Power Administration Update
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The draft of BPA's future role document, which among other
things will redefine Bonneville's role in developing renewable
resources and energy efficiency in the region, now is due out
June 30. Conventional wisdom says BPA wants to maintain a
strong role in the development of energy efficiency resources
and will commit to capturing all the energy savings potential
identified in NPCC's forthcoming Fifth 5th Power and
Conservation Plan.
Renewables aren't faring nearly as well, with BPA thus far
acceding to pressure to back out of the resource acquisition
business.
Shoring up support for energy efficiency investments and
low-income services and fighting for full recognition of
renewables potential and benefits will be prime objectives
during the public comment period that follows the draft's
release. Very tentative public hearing dates have been set
for:
* Aug. 17 in Seattle
* Aug. 19 in Eugene
* Aug. 26 in Spokane
* Aug. 31 in Boise
* Sept. 9 in Portland
* Sept. 15 in Kalispell
We'll let you know as soon as those dates are firmed up. It's
crucial that we muster our full forces for these hearings.
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Northwest Power and Conservation Council
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On the NPCC front, the draft Fifth Power and Conservation
Plan remains a work-in-progress, with the hang-ups
appearing to be relative risk evaluations for renewables and
non-clean alternatives (gas and coal), fish and power
recommendations and transmission issues.
The draft Fifth Plan is now expected to be released in August,
pushing hearings on that document into the early fall. Again,
we'll let you know as things develop.
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