Efficiency for All
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Bill S.B. 9 passed with NO Support for Direct Service Energy Efficiency!

What is Bill S.B. 9 v.3127?

  1. This bill is a Connecticut E&T bill which has many areas related to our state’s clean energy plan. It has NO support for Energy Efficiency funding which was stolen to fill the state’s growing budget deficit.

  2. With your support this bill or another bill could be amended in the house or the senate to include returning the ratepayer funds which were diverted to fill state budget gaps.

  3. The state should not steal ratepayer money from programs which have a 1 to 7 positive return on investment. These programs are critical to the battle to defend our vulnerable populations form the impacts of climate change and air & water pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuel.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SUPPORT Energy Efficiency in CT?

  • It is important for ALL of us to keep calling legislators and reminding them that we care about Energy Efficiency in our state. Efficiency is important for the future establishment of deeper renewable energy projects.

  • Our state must ensure that enough C&LM and RGGI funds are available in years 2018 and 2019 to meet our state’s Comprehensive Energy Strategy (CES) goals or we will incur statewide economic penalties.

WHY KEEP CALLING AND WRITING?

Regular calls and emails from ratepayers and those in the workforce who wish to have their money returned to serve ratepayers directly and equally will remind legislators that we are not going away. Let’s make it clear that we want more DIRECT SERVICE EE in CT!

Next Steps For EFA and our supporters:

  • EFA will continue to work with stakeholders and leaders in an effort to repeal of the diversion of C&LM funds. This could be supported by an amendment to S.B. 9 or S.B. 10 or any other live bill. We need your help. Write, call, and be active.

  • Please continue to encourage everyone you know to sign on to the EFA letter . This letter is requesting a repeal of the diversion and supports fuel blind language.

EFA letter link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1NCKCuRgH4-EfPvgCfFWQCTuUNUpoiHPs4rBW9PdOgXs

Let’s get our ratepayers money back!

EE is an economic driver. EE Saves Lives. EE provides financial freedom from overbearing energy bills. EE mitigates climate change and the negative harms of climate change. EE lowers peak demand and that lowers our statewide energy costs. EE is the number one way to meet our states energy goals. We must demand, Efficiency For All!

We are looking for active support on Finance Bill H.B. 5165 and amendments to Bills S.B. 9 & 10 in Session 2018

These simple legislative actions will allow energy efficiency programs, and the 34K jobs which support the programs, to continue to “serve all electric ratepayers”. These actions will avoid industry collapse, and lessen economic harm to Connecticut and support our energy and climate goals.

1. Enact nondiscrimination based legislation to equally serve all ratepayers and provide cost-effective DIRECT SERVICE energy efficiency regardless of heating fuel type.

If this action by the legislature does not occur, the result is that program budgets will be expended, and our award winning programs will NOT be able to serve any Oil or propane customers as early as April of 2018. The customers will continue to pay into the fund and have no access to EE services.

2. Bills S.B. 9 & 10 – AMEND to Repeal the Diversions RGGI and C&LM diversions in 2018 and 2019.

Restore the C&LM 2018 and C&LM 2019 ratepayer funds. This funding should be specifically utilized only for DIRECT SERVICE EE to ratepayers, such as home energy retrofits, multifamily retrofits, or other DIRECT SERVICE EE programs.

Direct energy efficiency (EE) is NOT a subsidy. The ratepayer has paid for the EE incentives and services. C&LM and RGGI are an insurance policy which ALL ratepayers pay for and can NOT opt of the payments. The funds are meant to be utilized by the ratepayer when it is needed and cost effective to upgrade the property. EE is a set incentive which is meant to reduce the upfront cost of the EE service for the electric ratepayers who pay into the funds on every electric bill.

Ratepayers should be allowed to equally utilize the programs to lower the direct cost of energy for upgrades, reducing energy bills on the spot, and increasing safety. This will result in lowered Carbon emissions, lowered pollution, and lowered energy waste. EE includes building science based weatherization measures, insulation, windows, or upgraded comprehensive cost effective efficiency retrofits.

STEP # 1 Find your Legislator: https://www.cga.ct.gov/webapps/cgafyl.asp

  • Democratic Main Tel 860-240-8600 or 1-800-842-1420

  • Republican Main Tel 860-240-8700 or 1-800-842-1423

TEMPLATE TO CALL YOUR LEGISLATOR

DEAR HONORED LEADERS OF CONNECTICUT, PLEASE:

  1. AMEND: BILL SB 9 – Include “The repeal of C&LM diversions and RGGI diversions in 2018 & 2019.”

  2. SUPPORT: The language in B ill HB 5165 – An Act Eliminating Diversions of  Electric Ratepayer funds.

  3. Amend: SB 10 to include C&LM direct EE service – Include “The repeal of  C&LM diversions and RGGI diversions in 2018 & 2019.”

  4. SUPPORT: Environment Bill 5087 Rep. Hampton – co- sponsors – Rep Gresko,  Rep Wood, Rep. Winkler, Rep Reyes, Rep Gentile, Rep Young, Rep Gibson

About EFA – Efficiency For All is a Connecticut based stakeholder association. EFA works to gather and present contractor, ratepayer, consumer, legislative, and key stakeholder input on state policy and programs related to energy efficiency in: residential, commercial, small business, multifamily, energy efficiency state administered, quasi-state administered, or ratepayer subsidized programs.