Policy
Coalition comments on BPA's Capital Investment Review process
The NW Energy Coalition writes to submit our comments on BPA’s draft asset strategies and potential investments in Federal Columbia River power and transmission assets. We first offer some general comments and then specifically focus attention on the investment levels outlined in the Asset Management Strategy for Energy Efficiency.
Montana conservationists say water quality near coal mines needs protection
Two conservation groups representing citizens and landowners in southeastern Montana filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging that the state Department of Environmental Quality is not doing enough to protect streams from coal mining.
Attorneys for Coalition Members Montana Environmental Information Center and the Sierra Club sued in U.S. District Court in Helena over Colorado-based Westmoreland Coal Co. plans to expand the Rosebud mine near Colstrip…
Read the full article at GreatFallsTribune.com
Two recent videos highlight the economic benefits of energy efficiency investments
Coalition member Climate Solutions has released a series of videos that show how community based efforts to invest in energy efficiency in Spokane and Kitsap County, WA helped create local jobs and helped home owners and local governments save money even during a time of rising energy prices.
NWEC Comments on BPA's oversupply management procedure
The Draft Protocol proposes to address, all in one package, three separate but linked phases: (1) resolving the dispute over the cost shift onto renewable generators that occurred in 2011 as a result of the soon-expiring Interim Environmental Redispatch and Negative Pricing Policies adopted a year ago; (2) the need to address potential oversupply conditions in the oncoming spring and summer 2012 runoff period; and (3) a more permanent method for handling oversupply conditions in future years…
The Impact reports on the Clean Energy Initiative debate
Coalition Policy Director Nancy Hirsh is featured in this video segment looking at the current roster of proposed changes to Washington’s Clean Energy Initiative. %CODE1%
Fulfill Our Clean Energy Initiative
Washington’s Clean Energy Initiative (also know as I-937) was passed by voters in November 2006 and requires the state’s major electric utilities to gradually increase the amount of new renewable resources in their electricity supply to 15% by 2020.
Since 2006, The Clean Energy Initiative has generated about $7.5 billion in renewable energy investments in this state, especially in our struggling rural communities, and all-time-record efficiency savings for energy consumers. More investments, more savings and more jobs will come to us as long as we keep the pathway open…
Alliance Reports on Idaho Utilities’ Use of Coal-Fired Generation
The Snake River Alliance has released the first of two reports on the use of coal-fired generation by Idaho’s three electric utilities.
The report, “Idaho’s Dangerous Dalliance with King Coal,” notes that the utilities own or have a stake in no fewer than 29 out-of-state coal plants, the bulk of which are owned or partly owned by PacifiCorp, which does business in eastern Idaho as Rocky Mountain Power.
NW Energy Coalition and Save Our Wild Salmon Comments on the Draft Climate Change Summary Report
The NW Energy Coalition (“Coalition”) and the Save Our Wild Salmon coalition (“SOS”) appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Draft Climate Change Summary Report released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Bonneville Power Administration.
BPA EE Overspend NWEC Comments
The following are NWEC’s comments in response to the BPA draft proposal “Proposed Approach for EEI Budget Adjustments and Scenario Results Due to Energy Efficiency FY2011 Capital Overspend.”
Executive Board Caucus Report Highlights — Aug. 18, 2011
Each month, we post the updates from the state and provincial caucus reports. Solar street credits in ID, massive new coal mine has begun test drilling in MT, PacifiCorp’s latest integrated resources plan and Puget Sound Energy seeks new resources in WA…