Report: New Mexico Energy Policy Provides Model for President; States Leading Way to End Country's 'Addiction To Oil'
SANTA FE, N.M., Feb. 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- New Mexico and other states are already leading the way on clean energy as President Bush travels the country to sell his plan to end the country's "addiction to oil," according to a report released today by the Apollo Alliance.
The report, called "New Energy for States," outlines the best state-based clean energy solutions the president can adopt nationally.
President Bush plans to visit alternative energy companies in Auburn Hills, Mich., and Milwaukee, Wis., on Monday and tour the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., on Tuesday to discuss energy policies.
Apollo Alliance president Jerome Ringo said that the president should adopt New Mexico's leading-edge strategies to develop clean energy and good jobs.
"The president did a great service by admitting we must end our addiction to oil," said Ringo. "Taken together, states offer a clean energy blueprint that could create thousands of jobs and make the president's dream a reality."
New Mexico's smart funding for a cleaner tomorrow provides a model the nation should follow, according to the Apollo Alliance report. A 2005 law allows the state to sell $20 million in bonds to fund solar and energy efficiency retrofits for public buildings, projects that can pay for themselves through energy savings.
The report documents dozens of state-level policies that could provide a blueprint to end our nation's dependence on foreign oil, promote clean fuels and create millions of good jobs. New Mexico and twenty-two other states have standards to increase the share of electric power from renewable sources like wind and the sun.
Like New Mexico, Arizona, North Carolina and twenty-one other states have adopted creative public-private funding mechanisms that make clean energy investments without straining budgets or raising taxes. New York, Missouri and Hawaii have adopted aggressive programs to replace oil imports with homegrown fuels.
The Apollo Alliance has a 10-step national agenda to create energy independence by the year 2015. The alliance represents a coalition of national security, labor, environmental, civil rights and business leaders who are fighting for energy independence from foreign energy sources.
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NOTE: Media representatives interested in a copy of the Apollo Alliance's "New Energy for State" report, should visit http:// www.apolloalliance.org/state_and_local/statepolicy_report.cfm
APOLLO ALLIANCE
STATE BLUEPRINT FOR CLEAN ENERGY AND GOOD JOBS
States have blazed the trail with policies to promote renewable power, reduce oil consumption, require energy-efficient appliances, and provide steady funding, immune from the budget cycle, for clean energy development. Together, these concepts provide a blueprint for the federal government, which lags behind in each category.
RENEWABLE ELECTRIC POWER
Renewable Portfolio Standards or Goals set a statewide target for generating electricity from renewable sources such as the wind and the sun.
-- States with policy: Ariz., Calif., Colo., Conn., D.C., Del., Hawaii, Iowa, Ill., Mass., Md., Maine, Minn., Mont., Nev., N.J., N.M., N.Y., Penn., R.I., Texas, Vt., and Wis.
-- Federal response: No renewable electricity standards or goals.
OIL SAVINGS
Several states are pursuing more aggressive policies than the federal government to reduce oil consumption. Renewable Fuel Standards (RFSs) require a minimum share of homegrown vehicle fuels such as ethanol.
-- States with policy: Minn. will require 20 percent renewable fuel for vehicles by 2012, Hawaii is considering a 20 percent RFS by 2020, the Wash. legislature recently passed a 10 percent RFS standard and Ill. has an RFS pending of 15 percent by 2012.
-- Federal response: In 2005, the federal government set a mandate to use 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2012, equal to only about 5 percent of light duty vehicle fuel consumption.
APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY STANDARDS
Several states have adopted additional standards or have implemented faster implementation schedules or both.
-- States with policy: Ariz., Calif., Conn., Mass., Md., N.J., N.Y., Ore., R.I., and Wash. have more appliance efficiency standards or quicker phase-ins than the federal government.
-- Federal response: New federal appliance standards were passed in 2005, but states are already beating the federal standards in scope and phase-in time.
DEDICATED PUBLIC FUNDING FOR CLEAN ENERGY
Some states have clean energy authorities with their own funding mechanisms, including Public Benefits Fund or System Benefits Charges that are dedicated to efficiency or renewable energy programs.
-- States with policy: Ariz., Calif., Conn., D.C., Del., Ill., Mass., Md., Maine, Minn., Mont., N.C., N.H., N.J., N.M., N.Y., Nev., Ohio, Ore., Penn., R.I., Texas, Vt., and Wis., all have dedicated funding streams for clean energy or efficiency programs.
-- Federal response: Federal funding is tied to the stop and go process of congressional appropriations, causing feast and famine cycles for clean energy and efficiency programs.
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NOTE: For more information about the Apollo Alliance, visit http:/ /www.apolloalliance.org.
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usnewswire.com
Source: U.S. Newswire
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