Testimony at Commerce Committee Public Hearing: March 19, 2013
Submitted by Lynn Taborsak, Climate Change Specialist
in support of HB 6650: An Act Concerning Energy Efficiency Programs
The League of Women Voters of Connecticut is a non-partisan statewide organization comprised of over 1600 members in 27 local chapters and committed to effective public policy and the active participation of citizens in their government. On behalf of the League, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to comment in support of this measure.
The League has consistently supported policies to reduce energy consumption, encourage energy conservation and promote the use of renewable resources. We are grateful that the legislature has a long history of adopting measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
While Connecticut has many excellent programs to help people conserve energy, we have not provided residents who heat with oil or propane reliable funding to upgrade heating equipment or equal access to low-cost energy efficiency programs like the popular Home Energy Solutions program. HB 6650 corrects this inequity with the establishment of a separate non-lapsing Oil Heat and Propane Energy Efficiency Fund financed by an excise tax on heating oil and propane. Any revenue raised from this tax should be used exclusively for energy efficiency purposes. This will provide a stable funding stream for residents to upgrade heating equipment and make energy efficient improvements to homes and buildings that use oil or propane for heating.
It is particularly important for Connecticut since 48 percent of the homes in our state heat with oil and the average price of oil is now well over four dollars a gallon. With deep cuts to federal energy assistance projected by mandatory sequestration targets, Connecticut families will lose millions in energy assistance funds. State residents on low or fixed incomes cannot afford to be comfortable in their own homes.
While we have made solid progress on reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions in our state, we cannot ignore the fact that one-fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions come from household energy use. Let’s not leave 48 percent of our residents out in the cold.
Please support HB 6650.
Energy and Technology Committee Public Hearing
March 7, 2013
Submitted by Lynn Taborsak, Climate Change Specialist, concerning HB 6360: An Act Concerning Implementation of Connecticut’s Comprehensive Energy Strategy
The League of Women Voters of Connecticut is a non-partisan statewide organization comprised of
1600 members in 27 local chapters and committed to effective public policy and the active participation of citizens in their government. On behalf of the League, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to comment on this measure.
The League has consistently supported policies at the state level that reduce energy consumption, emphasize energy conservation and encourage the use of renewable resources. We are grateful that the legislature is considering a comprehensive strategy that will help mitigate the impact of climate change in
our region. However, a continued emphasis must be placed on efficiency programs and renewable energy to combat global warming.
HB 6360 includes many worthwhile provisions that have made recurring appearances in the committee’s bill book. We strongly support benchmarking and disclosure of energy usage in residential, commercial and public buildings. It will help create real competition among property owners and developers to achieve greater energy efficiency in their buildings. We all benefit from that competition with cleaner air, lower greenhouse gas emissions and green job creation in our state since most improvements will be done by in-state firms who hire local workers and purchase materials and supplies within our borders. We support time-of-use pricing for both UI and CL&P customers and sub metering to encourage the installation of renewable energy at multi-tenant commercial and residential buildings.
We also support robust efficiency efforts including equipment replacement and rate decoupling to achieve the maximum reduction in energy usage. However, the plans do not identify a funding mechanism for efficiency programs in homes and businesses that heat with oil or propane. The promotion of natural gas use over other fossil fuels should be tempered by an assessment of the environmental and public health impacts that the gas extraction process is known to cause. It should also be consistent with our long-term climate change goals. Tax incentives to switch fuels should be limited to homes and businesses currently on gas mains and should require efficiency as part of the conversion.
Finally, please support the growth of clean, regionally-produced renewable energy by maintaining the integrity of the Renewable Portfolio Standard.
Thank you for your consideration.
Energy and Technology Committee Public Hearing:
March 18, 2012
In support of SB 450: An Act Concerning Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy
Submitted by Lynn Taborsak, Climate Change Specialist
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The League of Women Voters of Connecticut is a non-partisan statewide organization comprised of over 1800 members and committed to effective public policy and the active involvement of citizens in their government. On behalf of the League, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to comment on this measure.
The League has consistently supported policies that reduce energy consumption, emphasize energy conservation and encourage the use of renewable resources. We support measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including cap and trade programs, carbon offsets, low-carbon fuels and green building standards.
While Connecticut has many excellent programs to help people reduce their energy use, we have not provided residents who heat with oil reliable funding to upgrade heating equipment and we have not given them equal access to low-cost energy efficiency programs like the popular Home Energy Solutions program. SB 450 corrects this inequity with the establishment of a separate non-lapsing account within the General Fund specifically for oil efficiency. It will provide a reliable funding mechanism for residents to upgrade heating equipment and make energy efficient improvements to homes and buildings that use oil for heating.
It is particularly important for Connecticut since 48 percent of the homes in our state heat with oil and the average price of oil is now over four dollars a gallon. With deep cuts to federal energy assistance in December, Connecticut lost $57 million in energy assistance funds. Even with the mild winter we have enjoyed, state residents on fixed incomes cannot afford to be comfortable in their own homes.
We need to provide efficiency programs to help residents reduce the amount of oil they use for home heating. Efficiency audits can help determine where heat is escaping, where insulation is needed, and how an investment in energy-efficient equipment can pay back with significant savings. The average oil heat customer can save up to $768 each winter and we will all benefit from the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
While we have made solid progress on reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions in our state, we cannot ignore the fact that one-fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions come from household energy use. Let’s not leave 48 percent of our residents out in the cold.
Please support SB 450.
To: Energy and Technology Committee for Public Hearing March 8, 2012
Submitted by Lynn Taborsak, Climate Change Specialist, in support of HB 5385: An Act Concerning Energy Retrofits for Certain Buildings and the Disclosure of the Energy Efficiency of Certain Buildings
The League of Women Voters of Connecticut is a non-partisan statewide organization comprised of over 1800 members and committed to effective public policy and the active involvement of citizens in their government. On behalf of the League, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to comment on this measure.
The League has consistently supported policies that reduce energy consumption, emphasize energy conservation and encourage the use of renewable resources. Additionally, we support measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including cap and trade programs, carbon offsets, low-carbon fuels and green building standards.
HB 5385 is a time-of-sale disclosure bill about a buildings’ energy use. It would allow buyers to know the actual energy costs of a residential building for the previous five years and renters to know the energy costs for the previous two years. For commercial buildings, a system of benchmarks and ratings will be developed based on the buildings energy use and made accessible to prospective buyers, lessees, or lenders in a DEEP on-line database. It will provide information about energy costs that consumers need to make informed comparisons between available properties.
Disclosure is not just good for consumers. Mandatory disclosure creates real competition among property owners and developers to achieve greater energy efficiency in their buildings. We all benefit from that competition with cleaner air and lower greenhouse gas emissions in our state. Energy efficiency itself is our most abundant source of energy. It can give us 30 to 40 percent more energy to grow our economy without an increase in energy consumption. It is also important to require disclosure and benchmarking for our public buildings and to evaluate the energy costs of future purchases or leases.
This bill will also help stimulate the “green jobs” economy that Connecticut wants to create with an increase in energy audits, energy management companies, insulation contractors, specialized “energy efficiency” home improvement contractors and “green” engineering and design firms. We anticipate that most retrofits will be done by in-state firms who hire Connecticut workers and purchase material and supplies within our borders.
Please vote yes on HB 5385.
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To: Sen. Joseph Lieberman
Sen. Richard Blumenthal
From: Karen Burnaska, Director
Natural Resources
League of Women Voters of Connecticut
Re: Support the EPA's Authority to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Date: February 10, 2011
Recently bills have been introduced in the Senate that would delay and/or permanently block the Environmental Protection Agency from using the Clean Air Act or other environmental laws to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in America. On behalf of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut, I urge you to support the work of the EPA in this critical policy area. The Senate should not and cannot make any efforts to stop the work of the EPA where greenhouse gases are concerned. The Supreme Court handed down a decision that EPA must regulate emissions.
The EPA’s enforcement authority should not be reduced. This authority is needed to help our country reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help protect the environment for all citizens.
Thank you for your consideration.
League of Women Voters of Connecticut — 1890 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, CT 06514 203/288-7996
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