Policy
Idaho's Snake River Alliance and partners roll out 'Solarize the Valley' campaign
A new program called “Solarize the Valley,” sponsored by the Snake River Alliance, is going to make rooftop solar energy more affordable and popular than ever before in the Treasure Valley, starting today. Out of the 1 million solar installations in America, less than .01% of them are in Idaho. But that’s about to change.
PRESS RELEASE: Court strikes down feds' salmon plan again
The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon today invalidated the federal government’s 2014 Columbia Basin salmon biological opinion (salmon plan or BiOp). Judge Michael Simon ruled that this latest plan – like each of its four predecessors — violates the federal Endangered Species Act and additionally the National Environmental Policy Act. The Court sided with plaintiff fishing businesses, conservation groups, clean energy advocates, the State of Oregon, and the Nez Perce Tribe.
PRESS RELEASE: Good news for utilities, consumers and the climate as Gov. Inslee signs electric vehicle incentive bill
The region took another step toward its clean energy future today as Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law a bipartisan bill improving state tax incentives for buying electric vehicles. House Bill 2778 raises the maximum purchase price for tax break-eligible vehicles to $42,500 from $35,000. With the increase, buyers of electric cars with 200-mile ranges such as the Chevy Bolt, the next-generation Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Model 3 will save up to $3,100 in state sales taxes. Add in federal incentives and consumers can save up to $10,000 on an EV purchase.
Montana's top political and energy leaders headline NW Energy Coalition conference
Gov. Steve Bullock will deliver the conference’s opening keynote. Bullock will outline his energy vision for Montana and look at how energy efficiency programs, renewable energy development and smart transmission can position Montana to take advantage of the new clean energy economy in the West. After lunch, Coalition executive director Nancy Hirsh will facilitate a lively Q & A between NorthWestern Energy CEO Bob Rowe and all conference attendees.
2016 Washington legislature: The good, bad & ugly
Washington state’s highly dysfunctional and often-maddening 2016 legislative session and special session finally ended March 29. Going was tough in the ideologically revenue- and spending-averse Senate, though public-interest forces managed to fend off serious attacks on environmental protections.
Oregon PUC rulings support renewables development
On Tuesday, the Oregon Public Utility Commission issued a pair of orders preserving a longstanding program to develop small solar and wind projects under the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978 (PURPA). “These PUC decisions will help continue clean energy resource development for Oregonians,” said NW Energy Coalition senior policy analyst Fred Heutte.
Centralia coal transition grant to fund weatherization efforts
The first grant from the Centralia, Wash, coal-plant transition effort was awarded Tuesday. The Community Action Council of Lewis, Mason & Thurston Counties will receive $727,433 over the next two years to support its weatherization efforts in Lewis County and south Thurston county.
Puget Sound Energy makes move to transition off of coal power
Today, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission approved a petition filed by Puget Sound Energy, Sierra Club and the NW Energy Coalition asking to delay the pending April 1, 2016, rate case with the commitment that PSE include a retirement and cleanup plan for the older coal-fired units Colstrip units 1 and 2. The new rate case must be filed no later than January 17, 2017.
Gov. Brown signs Oregon’s historic clean electricity, coal transition bill into law
The Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Act was developed by a unique alliance including the NW Energy Coalition and many of its members and allies: the Citizens’ Utility Board of Oregon, Climate Solutions, Oregon Environmental Council, Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, Pacific Power, Portland General Electric, Renewable Northwest and Sierra Club. Tested and improved through legislative review and input from the state’s Public Utility Commission, the bill won Senate approval on March 2 on the heels of a bipartisan House vote the week before.
Oregon Votes to Plug its Cars into Renewable Energy
Oregon’s legislature has just adopted a bill to get the state off coal and onto renewables, and to use that renewable electricity to power the state’s cars, trucks, and buses. Focusing here on the provisions of the bill designed to increase access to charging stations for electric vehicles, the bill instructs Oregon’s Public Utilities Commission to order electric utilities to propose programs and investments to “accelerate transportation electrification” by the end of this year.