Energy Matters - Updates

A series of public hearings on Bonneville Power Administration's Regional Dialogue draft concluded Sept. 15 in Kalispell, Mont. At each of the six events, clean-energy supporters persuasively argued that BPA needs to make more concrete commitments to renewable energy, energy efficiency and consumer protection. Energy Coalition director Sara Patton summed up many of these points during her testimony in Portland.

Now is the time to back up that excellent oral testimony with written comments. BPA will accept comments through Sept. 22.

We've made it easy to submit comments – just go to www.nwenergy.org/energymatters/bpacomments.html. Once there, you can write your own message or adapt the default message to reflect your particular interests and concerns. Talking points also appear on that page.

(For more detailed analysis of the proposal by NW Energy Coalition staff, go to www.nwenergy.org/energymatters/Regional_Dialogue_Summary.html.

If you prefer, you may e-mail comments to BPA at comment@bpa.gov, go through BPA's Web site at www.bpa.gov/comment, fax comments to (503) 230-3285, or mail them to Bonneville Power Administration, P.O. Box 14428, Portland, OR 97293-4428.

Should you go directly to BPA with your comments, please help the Energy Matters campaign by e-mailing a copy of your message to lisa@nwenergy.org, faxing it to (206) 621-0097, or mailing to Lisa Noble-Rennick, NW Energy Coalition, 219 First Ave. S. #100, Seattle, WA 98104.

However you transmit your message, it's crucial that you send it now. To quote Coalition board chair Jay Formick: "We have arrived at a regional crossroads. Now is the moment for action. We have ample opportunity to make a difference. If you have not done so, please submit written comments on BPA's Regional Dialogue."

Again, the deadline is Wednesday, Sept. 22.

As part of the Regional Dialogue process, Bonneville has established a "conservation work group" that will develop a proposal on how the agency should achieve its energy efficiency goals.

Members of the group will include representatives of public and investor-owned utilities, small and large customers, direct service industries, tribes, environmental organizations, state and local governments, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and BPA itself.

NW Energy Coalition senior policy associate Steven Weiss will be one of the public interest advocates on the work group.

The group is charged with developing a proposal by the end of this year, with public review scheduled for January-February 2005.

Clean-energy supporters will want to keep a close eye on this process and be prepared to comment when the proposal is aired. We must make sure that energy consumers throughout the Northwest enjoy the cost-saving benefits of the region's vast energy efficiency potential.

We'll keep you posted.