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| NEC › Issues › Energy & Environment | ||
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Energy & EnvironmentNew England's economic health, future growth and the well being of its citizens are directly linked to the availability of reliable, reasonably priced energy and environmentally sound energy policies. For the New England Council, these goals are a priority. The New England Council's continued work on a variety of important energy and environmental issues and policies are helping to ensure that New England's citizens and businesses continue to have access to affordable and secure energy resources. The Council's Energy and Environment Committee provides a forum for New England's energy and environment communities to discuss public policy priorities for the region. In order to raise awareness about the region's energy challenges and to discuss solutions, the Council routinely hosts forums on important energy topics. Energy Issues:Environmental Issues:Education:
Low Income Home Energy Assistance ProgramThe New England Council strongly supports increasing funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to at least $3.4 billion. LIHEAP provides critical funding for low income families to pay fuel costs during the year. For New England, LIHEAP provides a critical stopgap for households trying to balance the high costs of heating their homes and providing for their families. New England has no natural energy resources of its own and relies on importing energy sources into the region. As a result, New England is particularly susceptible to sudden price changes if there are any issues surrounding supply and delivery. Additionally, New England is colder than other regions of the country and has more heating degree-days. These factors contribute to an already high price for home heating fuels. Over the past few years, the prices of home heating oil and natural gas, New England's two largest heating fuel sources, have increased dramatically. Meanwhile, funding for the LIHEAP program has remained around $2 billion, including emergency funding, since it was created over two decades ago. As a result, the program's funding in terms of real dollars has diminished at a time when the program is needed most. It is estimated that over 314,000 New Englanders are currently receiving LIHEAP aid with an average region wide benefit of $413 annually. However, states are faced with having to turn families away, reducing the overall program benefits, or closing the program early because there are insufficient funds to serve all those who are in need. The New England Council supports substantial increases in LIHEAP funding as well as the automatic distribution of any unallocated emergency funds through the LIHEAP distribution formula. Given the program's importance to low-income New Englanders, the New England Council will continue to work with the New England Congressional delegation to ensure that families do not have to choose between providing for their families and paying their energy bills. RenewablesThe New England Council supports a strong and balanced renewable fuel portfolio. Economic growth and the well being of New England's citizens is dependant on the availability and reliability of energy sources and stable prices. While traditional fuel sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas are major sources of fuel in New England, renewable energy resources make up 15% of the region's fuel mix. Wind, hydro, biomass, solar, and MSW/Landfill gas are just a few of the methods used to generate a cleaner, renewable fuel source. Renewables are an important component in New England's energy strategy and environmental policies. The New England Council continues to encourage research and development in the area of renewables given its importance to the region as well as its long-term benefits economically and environmentally. Nuclear WasteThe New England Council supports the Federal Government's efforts to establish a central, federal, nuclear repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, for the long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel from the nation's commercial nuclear power facilities. In 1982, the Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, which required the Department of Energy to safely and permanently dispose of spent nuclear fuel no later than January 1998. The Act also created the Nuclear Waste Trust Fund, which required ratepayers, through their electricity bills, to pay for the safe transportation and disposal of spent nuclear fuel. New England has nine nuclear power facilities. Four of these facilities are permanently shut down or are in the process of being completely decommissioned and the site dismantled. Spent nuclear fuels at these sites are currently being stored temporarily in dry-cask storage and waiting removal to a central nuclear federal repository. Additionally, the region has paid over $1.5 billion into the Nuclear Waste Trust Fund for the removal and disposal of spent fuel. The New England Council is actively working with the New England Congressional delegation to ensure that the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Repository is fully funded and will open by its projected 2010 deadline so that the Department of Energy can begin to meet its obligations under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. Air QualityThe New England Council has been involved in issues relating to air quality in the New England region for over fifteen years. Among the most critical issues for the region is the interstate transport of pollution, with which the region has been struggling for decades. The Council has been active in efforts spearheaded by both regional and national organizations, including the New England Coalition for Clean Air, the Ozone Transport Commission and the Ozone Transport Assessment Group. The Council has participated in EPA rulemakings (such as those involving the NOx SIP Call and the various petitions submitted to the Agency pursuant to Section 126 of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. §7426), has testified before the Agency and Congress regarding these issues, and intervened in support of the Agency’s NOx SIP Call in the litigation challenging that rule (State of Michigan et al. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 213 F.3d 663 (D.C. Cir. 2000)). Climate ChangeThe New England Council is proud to be the voice of the larger business community as a stakeholder in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI's goal is to develop a multi-state cap-and-trade program covering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The program will initially be aimed at developing a program to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in participating states, while maintaining energy affordability and reliability and accommodating, to the extent feasible, the diversity in policies and programs in individual states. After the cap-and-trade program for power plants is implemented, the states may consider expanding the program to other kinds of sources. To learn more about RGGI and the progress that is being made in development of the proposed program, please visit www.rggi.org The Council held a “Climate Change Summit for New England” in November 2003. This thought-provoking forum attended by regional and national leaders from the private and public sector provided insight into what New England and the Northeast needs to do and why with regard to reducing greenhouse gas emissions -- and how these goals can be realistically achieved. The working lunch developed key points for the New England Council's “Climate Change Declaration.” The Declaration will be used in the future as the Council’s core position on this issue. More than 200 people attended the event that was covered by local and national media. |
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