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Northwest Power and Conservation Council honored for best-ever regional plan

In recognition of the most far-sighted, clean energy-based power plan in regional history, the NW Energy Coalition last week presented its highest award to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.

This year’s award goes to the Council members, staff and advisory committee members who produced the Sixth Northwest Power and Conservation Plan in early 2010. The plan projects the next 20 years of regionwide electricity needs and prescribes the means of meeting them. The Sixth Plan tells Northwest utilities they can and should meet 85% of new needs with bill-reducing energy efficiency and most of the rest with new, clean renewable energy.

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Update: US House of Representatives wastes time and energy

After the BULB bill suffered a defeat in the House on Tuesday because proponents could not muster the needed 2/3 majority, the sponsors tried a different tact. Today the House approved an amendment to the Department of Energy’s spending bill, a vote that required only a simple majority vote.

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House Refuses to Pull Plug on Energy-Efficient Lighting

In a show of support for energy efficiency, the U.S. House of Representatives voted against a bill that would have turned back time on the way Americans light their homes.

Congress voted down the politically named “Better Use of Light Bulbs” (BULB) Act, which was sponsored by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), on a 233-193 vote, missing by 40 votes the two-thirds majority needed for passage.

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New York Times: Atop TV sets, a power drain that runs nonstop

According to a recent New York Times article, some typical home entertainment configurations are eating more power than a new refrigerator and even some central air-conditioning systems. You can read the full article online at The New York Times.

Coalition member NRDC also released a study entertainment center "energy vampires" last month which you can read here.

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It's still the economy, stupid

Newsweek has an article from former President Bill Clinton on how to put many of the fourteen million unemployed Americans back to work. The 42nd president has more than a dozen ideas on how to attack the jobs crisis and energy efficiency and renewables play a big part. Read it online here.

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CUB’s Jenks is 2010 Headwaters Award winner

Citizens’ Utility Board of Oregon executive director Bob Jenks received the NW Energy Coalition’s coveted Headwaters Award last week in Portland. Coalition executive director Sara Patton presented Jenks the award,…

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New Buildings Institute receives Coalition's highest award

The Coalition’s Bob Olsen Memorial Conservation Eagle award is presented annually to individuals and organizations that demonstrate leadership for a clean and affordable energy future. The Coalition board unanimously selected NBI as its 2010 Eagle winner…

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Coalition's Spring Conference tackles big issues in Boise

Megaloads, nuclear power in the NW, challenges to renewable energy and salmon litigation were all under discussion at May 13th Spring Conference held in Boise, ID. See a more detailed writeup and photos from the event in the full article.

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