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Celebration, film showings honor Headwaters Award winners

A pair of leaders who played pivotal roles in restoring two great Northwest rivers have received prestigious Headwaters Awards from the NW Energy Coalition.

Former American Rivers northwest regional director Katherine Ransel and Seattle Audubon Society executive director Shawn Cantrell were honored at an April 24 celebration at Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum. Some 50 clean energy supporters attended the festive event, which was co-sponsored by the Save Our wild Salmon coalition.

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Businesses urge Wash. Governor Inslee to extend renewable sales and use tax exemption

Thirteen renewable energy companies and advocacy groups issued a letter to Washington Governor Jay Inslee today urging support of Senate Bill 5896. If passed, the bill would extend the renewable sales and use tax exemption, which has provided a tangible incentive for clean energy businesses to locate their projects in the state. The policy will otherwise expire in June.

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Idaho energy updates from Coalition member Snake River Alliance

Idaho Power received a surprise earlier this month when its majority partner in its Nevada coal plants announced plans to get out of the coal generation business, customers just received the bad news from Idaho Power that their rates will rise this summer due in part to poor river flows and power generation and more news inside…

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Future Energy Conference: PacifiCorp, NW Energy Coalition experts address efficiency | Sustainable Business Oregon

Utility experts told attendees of the Future Energy Conference that their industry faces several questions as customers, in looking to reduce their various energy footprints, demand more efficient options.

Wendy Gerlitz, a senior policy analyst with the Coalition, offered five key questions for utilities, and their business customers, to use when analyzing energy efficiency offerings…

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High-benefit, low-cost efficiency bill dies in Washington state Senate

A commonsense, non-controversial bill that would have cut $60 million a year from Washingtonians’ utility bills died today in the Senate Energy, Environment and Telecommunications committee.

Committee chair Senator Doug Ericksen (R-Ferndale) opted against calling for a vote on Substitute House Bill 1017, Equipment Efficiency Standards, prior to the 10 a.m. cutoff. Failure to advance the bill is a great disservice to families and businesses throughout the state…

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Washington state media lends support to energy efficiency

Two major Washington media outlets have come out in support of energy efficiency and Senate/House Bill 1017. The measure sets efficiency standards for those ubiquitous battery chargers used by the growing number of electronic devices in our homes, as well as industrial and recreational chargers for forklifts and golf carts. The worst of these chargers waste up to 60 percent of the electricity they consume.

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Ron Simms on I-937: People power means clean power for the people of Washington state

Washington voters in 2006 approved the state’s clean-energy law, Initiative 937, setting new standards for energy efficiency and use of renewable energy. It was a vote for clean energy, new economic investment and a brighter future.

If you’re following the state legislative session, you might think voters were mistaken. Our legislators introduced more than 20 bills to amend or gut the law this year alone. But while some legislators seem to think I-937 is bad for Washington, I’m with the governor in recognizing that it’s good for the economy, good for consumers and good for the environment…

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Power plan assessment shows energy efficiency on track to meet regional goal

An assessment by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council shows that the efficiency of electricity use continues to improve and that the region is on track to meet the Council’s goal to improve efficiency. Meanwhile, development of renewable resources, mainly wind power, has continued but the pace may slow in the future.

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Executive Director Sara Patton on BPA's next 75 years

For 75 years, the Bonneville Power Administration has been intrinsic to the growth and prosperity of the Northwest. BPA has been a boon to the Northwest’s economy and a clean energy leader. To meet the challenges – many unforeseeable — of the next 75 years, BPA must deepen its commitment to the long-term health of the region while becoming more open to all of its stakeholders. And it must be agile enough to respond to big changes…

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Take action to stop the Senate from Weakening I-937

Over the past month many of you have contacted your legislators in Olympia expressing concerns about bills that would weaken Initiative 937, our Clean Energy Initiative. You helped stop more than a dozen bad I-937 bills. However, there are still several bills that would seriously reduce our state’s development of new clean and renewable energy. …

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