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Collaborative Stakeholder Process Addressing Energy Efficiency in Arkansas

On June 30, 2006 the Arkansas Public Service Commission determined it would convene a collaborative process to address many topics regarding energy efficiency, including the design of energy efficiency and conservation programs; development of incentives and standards for customers and utilities; development of evaluation standards; and other topics. The collaborative met five times over the period August 28, 2006 through October 27, 2006. The collaborative issued a report and accompanying draft rule; efforts to further create and refine new energy efficiency programs will move to comments directly to the commission by the parties on the docket.

North Carolina Energy Policy Council

The Energy Policy Council is the stakeholder group responsible for guiding the development of the 2005 State Energy Plan. The Council consists of the governor’s office, legislators, and key energy and environmental stakeholders. The goal of the Plan is to balance the state’s need for a reliable energy supply to power the future economic growth while protecting the quality of our environment. The Council reviewed a list of 93 policies and programs and recommended 15 key legislative, regulatory, and administrative policies for action.

Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPC)

The Council develops and maintains a regional power plan to balance the Northwest's environment and energy needs. One of its tasks is to develop a 20-year electric power plan that guarantees adequate and reliable energy at the lowest economic and environmental cost to the Northwest.

State of Georgia Energy Strategy

On March 1, 2006, Georgia officially launched the development of its comprehensive energy strategy for the State of Georgia. The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) is responsible for assessing recommendations for incorporation into the State Energy Strategy. The final strategy will reflect pubic input while supporting the development of a comprehensive and realistic strategy.

State of Vermont Public Engagement Process for Vermont’s Energy Future

The State of Vermont’s Department of Public Service is conducting a comprehensive, statewide public engagement process on energy planning, focused on energy supply choices facing the state beginning in 2012 and beyond. The process intends to educate the public about the energy supply challenges facing the state; gather meaningful and informed public input about values and preferences of Vermonters regarding energy supply; and, ensure broad-based public understanding and acceptance of the resulting choices.

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) Climate Protection Stakeholder Process

PSCAA convened a stakeholder process to assist in developing a Climate Protection Program for the Puget Sound (Washington State) region. The stakeholder process provided direction to the Clean Air Agency, the Puget Sound region, and Washington State on climate protection strategies. Many of the recommended climate mitigation strategies focused on advancing clean energy resources.

Rhode Island Greenhouse Gas Process (RI GHG)

RI GHG convened stakeholders to develop a Greenhouse Gas Action Plan for the state, which was completed in 2002. The plan includes a set of 49 consensus options for reducing the state's GHG emissions. Since 2002, the stakeholders have been developing high-priority programs for implementation.

Heat Island Actions Database

The EPA’s Heat Island Reduction Initiative (HIRI) hosts this online database of local and state-wide activities to reduce heat islands and achieve related benefits. The database lists and describes efforts currently underway in the United States to cool communities, reduce air pollution, and save energy. The database includes information on the state and locality, the initiative type (e.g., an incentive or a building code), the mitigation type (e.g., cool pavements or green roofs), and the status and description of the action.

Supplemental Environmental Projects Toolkit

EPA’s toolkit helps state and local governments pursue clean energy projects through enforcement settlements. The toolkit starts with the basics, describing the process by which violators voluntarily agree to undertake Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) as a means of offsetting a portion of their monetary penalty. It then focuses on how state and local agencies can use SEPs to promote new renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. In addition, the toolkit provides case studies of how SEPs have been used to support clean energy projects, offers additional ideas for projects, and includes a step-by-step regulatory “road map” for pursuing SEPs.

Mitigation Impact Screening Tool (MIST)

MIST is an easy-to-use software tool that estimates the impacts of urban heat island mitigation strategies on urban air temperatures, ozone, and energy consumption. The cooling strategies assessed include increasing urban albedo (reflectance), increasing urban vegetative cover, or a combination of both. Alternatively, users can evaluate how a particular temperature change will impact ozone concentrations and energy use. The basic steps involved in running MIST are: 1) select the city to model; 2) define the mitigation strategy to test; and 3) estimate impacts on meteorology, air quality, and energy.

Urban Heat Islands Action Web Site

Visitors to this EPA website can learn about how elevated urban temperatures pose environmental and health risks for communities. Users can also explore the energy savings and other benefits of heat island reduction strategies, such as installing “cool roofs,” planting shade trees, and using alternative pavement materials. The site also describes research projects, including findings from the Urban Heat Island Pilot Project in which EPA partnered with five cities to study the impacts of heat islands and promote practical mitigation opportunities.

U.S. DOE Technical Assistance Project (TAP)

TAP helps state and local officials in cross-cutting areas that are not currently covered by existing DOE programs. Individualized, short-term assistance is available in four eligible areas: 1) system benefit charges or other rate-payer funded utility efficiency and renewable programs; 2) renewable or efficiency portfolio standards; 3) use of clean energy technologies to help states and localities address air emissions; and 4) use of renewable energy on public lands (state and local). Project budgets, limited to $5,000 in staff time and travel, typically provide several days of on-site assistance or about a week's worth of analysis and/or assistance via phone and e-mail.

Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator

This calculator enables organizations and individuals to quickly and easily translate greenhouse gas reductions from units typically used to report reductions (e.g., metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) into terms that are easier to conceptualize. These include such metrics as gallons of gasoline, barrels of oil, the number of cars not driven for one year, or the number of acres of forest preserved from deforestation. The online tool also allows users to work backwards and calculate greenhouse gas emissions from a known quantity of kilowatt-hours or gallons of gasoline, or a given number of cars and trucks not driven for one year.

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