Newsletter
Dam Replacement Study Reveals New Opportunities
(The following opinion piece by NW Energy Coalition executive director, Nancy Hirsh, was published in the April 21, 2018 edition of the Tri-City Herald.) The NW Energy Coalition has released a new study demonstrating that the ongoing decline in the cost of new wind and solar energy can not only contribute to a cleaner environment,…
Read MoreGiveBIG and help the clean energy transition happen
Please help. The GiveBIG campaign is now accepting donations for the NW Energy Coalition. It’s the best way you can help the Coalition because your contribution will be compounded by additional gifts from Coalition board members and possibly from the Seattle Foundation, which sponsors GiveBIG. Since last year’s GiveBIG campaign, we’ve been able to add two policy staff members and pursue new initiatives in the areas of:…
Read MoreProposed Avista Acquisition Settlement Protects Consumers and Environment
The NW Energy Coalition, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Renewable Northwest joined a proposed settlement today that, if approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, would provide Ontario-based Hydro One with the green light from Washington State to acquire Avista Utilities. The settlement contains important commitments in the areas of low-income weatherization, energy…
Read MoreLIHEAP, Weatherization, other programs fully funded.
In addition to the good news that energy efficiency, renewable energy, and environmental programs avoided cuts and, in many cases, received budget increases in the spending bill signed by President Trump today, there is more good news. Congress increased by $250 million funding for LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and increased the…
Read MoreBudget bill a pleasant surprise for clean energy and the environment
To the relief of energy and environmental advocates, the U.S. House and Senate have come to an agreement on an omnibus spending bill that will preserve and, in some cases, increase funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs many of which were targeted for cuts in the Trump administration’s proposed budget. Examples include: ·…
Read MoreWashington Legislature Wrap-up
Passion and Paralysis on Climate Action In Washington, standards for energy efficiency and the share of power utilities must acquire from renewable resources have been in place for eleven years – a period during which great progress has been made in reducing carbon emissions and the state’s clean energy economy has blossomed. But, the renewable…
Read More“Protect Washington Act” headed for this fall’s ballot
Washington’s Alliance for Jobs & Clean Energy, of which the NW Energy Coalition is a member, has filed a ballot initiative to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while generating jobs and growing the state’s clean energy economy. The Protect Washington Act will reduce incentives for industries to pollute and will generate funds that will…
Read MoreEnergy Efficiency bills advance in Oregon and Washington
With so much focus on the plunging cost of solar power, wind power, and now storage as well, it’s sometimes hard to remember that energy efficiency is still our most const-effective and production alternative energy resource, accounting for nearly 40% of all the carbon emission reductions we’ve achieved in the last decade. That’s why it’s…
Read MoreClean utilities and carbon pricing bills advance in Washington legislature
Yesterday HB 2402 the Washington Clean Utilities Act and SB 6203, Governor Jay Inslee’s carbon pricing bill, were passed out of their respective House and Senate committees. The passage of these bills out of committee is a necessary step toward achieving two important policy goals: Continuing to clean up our electric system by advancing renewable…
Read MoreNW Energy Coalition welcomes BPA 2018-23 Strategic Plan
Yesterday, the Bonneville Power Administration released its 2018-2023 Strategic Plan that lays out the agency’s goals as it works to adapt to an increasingly complex and competitive electricity market. The NW Energy Coalition congratulates BPA for establishing four important overarching goals in the new 5-year plan. They are: Strengthening financial health Modernizing system assets and…
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