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Politics : Sioux Nation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: elpolvo who wrote (103466)	4/19/2007 4:00:32 PM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 361358

NM Senators Introduce Measure to use Energy More Efficiently WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici today introduced legislation to reduce our nation's use of fossil fuels by improving efficiency in vehicles, buildings, home appliances and industrial equipment - saving consumers more than $12 billion annually. Bingaman and Domenici are chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The legislation, called the Energy Efficiency Promotion Act, would save at least 50 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year, or enough energy to power 4.8 million U.S. households. It also would save 170 million therms of natural gas per year, or enough to heat about 750,000 U.S. homes. "The Energy Efficiency Promotion Act will reduce consumers' future energy bills by getting more from the energy we produce," Bingaman said. "High energy prices and the threat of global warming are very much on Congress's agenda this year. This bill is an effective step toward addressing both problems." "This bill is part of a broader attempt by our committee to provide incentives that will encourage Americans to embrace more energy efficient homes and businesses," Domenici said. "Our bill will allow consumers to save money by reducing energy usage. We think the federal government can set an example by improving the energy efficiency of its own facilities." A summary of the legislation, which will be the subject of a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on Monday, is below: Sets Energy Efficiency Goals for Vehicles Sets aggressive national goals for reducing gasoline usage by 20 percent by 2017; 35 percent by 2025 and 45 percent by 2030. Authorizes nationwide media campaign to increase energy efficiency. Expedites New Energy Efficiency Standards for Appliances Enacts into law efficiency standards developed by the Department of Energy for residential boilers, dishwashers, clothes washers, refrigerators and dehumidifiers, and electric motors. Provides the Department of Energy with expedited rulemaking authority and increased flexibility to issue new energy efficiency standards in the future. Promotes Advanced Lighting Technologies Accelerates the use of efficient lighting in federal buildings by 2010 Authorizes a $10 million Bright Tomorrow Lighting to replace the 60 watt incandescent light bulb, and a $5 million award for replacing flood lights. Once the advancements in lighting technology are made, the federal government will require the use of these light bulbs in federal buildings. Promotes Federal Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Federal and state fleets of civilian vehicles are required to reduce petroleum consumption by 30 percent by 2016. Requires the federal government, including the Capitol Complex, to increase its purchases of renewable electricity to 10 percent by 2010 and 15 percent by 2015. Requires a 30 percent reduction in energy consumption in existing federal buildings by 2015 and requires new and renovated federal buildings to meet standards for reducing fossil fuel consumption, with a goal of eliminating fossil fuel consumption in new buildings by 2030. Permanently authorizes and makes improvements in the federal Energy Savings Performance Contracting program, an initiative that requires all new federal buildings to be built in the most energy efficient way, and energy savings to be applied to improving the efficiency of existing federal buildings. Promotes High Efficiency Vehicles, Advanced Batteries and Energy Storage Authorizes $60 million for the Department of Energy to research and develop light-weight materials such as advanced carbon composites and light-weight steel alloys for the construction of vehicles. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to authorize the Secretary of Energy to issue loan guarantees for facilities for the manufacture of parts for fuel-efficient vehicles. Authorizes federal awards to manufacturers and suppliers for 30 percent of qualified investment for incremental costs incurred to re-equip, expand or establish a manufacturing facility to produce advanced technology vehicles. Authorizes an R&D program for electric drive transportation technology, including "plug-in hybrid electric vehicles". Authorizes $500 million over 10 years for basic research for batteries, and $800 million to transition the basic research to first-of-a-kind batteries the automobile and electric utility industries can use to improve energy storage, and authorizes $1 billion over ten years for four centers to work with the industries to develop advanced manufacturing technologies for batteries to be globally competitive. Currently, China, Japan and Korea dominate the automobile battery market, giving those countries a distinct advantage in hybrid electric technology. Assists State and Local Governments in Energy Efficiency Reauthorizes the Weatherization Assistance Program and State energy program at $750 million, a $50 million increase over the current authorization. Authorizes a grant program for energy efficiency and innovative energy technology projects at colleges and universities. Authorizes a job training program for workers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. bingaman.senate.gov

To: elpolvo who wrote (103466)	4/23/2007 2:03:00 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Respond to of 361358

Going native: In Albuquerque, N.M., drought-tolerant plants are popular. Nancy Renner plants them around her bed-and-breakfast, the Chocolate Turtle. Andy Nelson – Staff Going native with plants: A new-old direction for water conservation Different species of native plants can help communities tackle issues with too much or too little water. By Jodi Torpey \| Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor Page 1 of 3 Denver - Native plants are emerging as the new heroes in a growing struggle to deal with climate change. In communities that consistently have too little water, drought-tolerant mesquite trees, buffalo grass, and colorful Texas red sage provide attractive landscaping that doesn't require watering. Native plants also come to the rescue in areas with the opposite problem – storms that dump heavy rainfall and overwhelm the infrastructure for dealing with storm water. There, plants such as marsh milkweed, cardinal flower, bloodroot, and great blue lobelia can soak up the excess before it can run off. Native plants are trees, shrubs, and wildflowers that grow in a specific region where they have evolved over time, adapting to the prevalent environmental conditions. Because of this, they can conserve water resources more efficiently than nonnative plants, which are naturally adapted to other climates. In Denver, where the water-conserving landscape movement known as xeriscaping was launched in 1981, one of the first efforts in the city's sustainability program saw the Mile High Youth Corps replanting large areas of lawn with flower beds of drought-tolerant native plants at Denver's City and County Building and in front of three area recreation centers. These conservation gardens – and the many others that followed – are one part of Denver's sweeping environmental initiative called Greenprint Denver (www.greenprintdenver.org). Before Greenprint, the city made decisions about infrastructure, purchasing, land use, transportation, and waste management based on their social and economic impacts. Now, says Beth Conover, director of Greenprint Denver, environmental effects are being considered as well. "Greenprint is an effort to make sustainability a core value and operating principle of everything we do." The program's goals include conserving water, reducing greenhouse emissions, using renewable energy, reducing waste, promoting mass transit, and increasing the amount of "green" housing that's affordable. "Greenprint Denver sets an action agenda for sustainable development," Mayor John Hickenlooper says. "Every agency of the city government has to pass through the filter of Greenprint." All agencies – from parks and recreation to waste management – must consider and follow policies and practices that encourage environmental health, economic opportunity, and smart growth strategies. One of Mr. Hickenlooper's goals for Greenprint is to get more people and organizations involved. "If everyone plays a part, it's not as daunting a task," he notes. One example of a growing collaboration will occur later this month. As a kickoff to the mayor's plan to plant 1 million trees over the next 20 years, at least 7,000 new trees will be planted between Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 27). "More than 42 different municipalities and organizations are participating," Hickenlooper says. "Now it looks like we might plant 9,000 or 10,000 trees." Denver's mayor is committed to conservation on the personal front, too. In addition to turning down the thermostat at home and driving an energy-efficient vehicle, he washes and reuses his plastic sandwich bags. "We also xeriscaped as much as possible," he adds. Page 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| Next Page csmonitor.com