I. The state must ensure the Conservation Load Management Plan (C&LM) programs have stable and sufficient funding to meet the energy and carbon mitigation goals and targets.
- #1: Stop the pending June 2019 diversion of the C&LM funds & settle the litigation.
- How to HELP! Meet with your legislators and let them know we want our ratepayer C&LM dollars back! Letters to Legislators calling for protection of the “C&LM Ratepayer funds”.
- Data Point: Reducing energy waste through energy efficiency and thermal upgrades lowers our peak demand making it easier to reach our renewable energy and carbon reduction goals, while simultaneously lowering the energy burdens on Connecticut ratepayers. “Reduce waste before you invest in producing more energy.” Diverting EE funds just doesn’t make Cents, learn more: Long Term EE Impacts Facts and Diversion impact facts
II. Protect what works: Legislatively strengthen our policies and laws to protect the ratepayer funded C&LM programs. Our leaders must act to protect the ratepayer funds and ensure that they are contractually restricted for their intended purposes. These funds were collected to support Energy Efficiency and renewable energy incentives or products and services that reduce the use of fossil fuel and have a minimum 1 to 1 Return on Investment for Connecticut ratepayers. The C&LM programs offered today have a 1 to 7 ROI . Act 11- 80 & 12-45m are laws to lower our dependency on fossil fuels, and lower carbon emissions through demand reduction. The C&LM & CES & GC3 are the state energy plans.
III: Ensure equal access to energy efficiency programs and incentives for ALL electric ratepayers
- Ratepayers should not be denied equal access to state programs or incentives , which effectively lower energy waste and lower Connecticut’s energy demand and carbon emissions. Regardless of heating fuel type, electric ratepayers pay into the C&LM fund which was created specifically to lower energy waste and our energy demand in CT. 45% of CT households use delivery fuels, oil and propane.
- Ensure Equity: Low to median income (LMI) households Do NOT have equal access to all cost effective efficiency services. (*Oil or Propane LMI). We are not properly counting the benefits vs costs of serving households which heat with deliverable fuels as they align with current policy goals.
- We must Expand the innovative C&LM programs and offer ALL cost effective efficiency measures which lower demand, carbon emissions, and lower LMI energy burdens, while protecting health.
IV. Energy and Climate Education for all people in Connecticut. Many underrepresented communities and underrepresented populations do not have access to important energy and climate education materials.
- Programs must include strategies for outreach to empower and educate Connecticut’s residents, towns, and businesses with information they need to make educated energy choices, to mitigate energy waste, air pollution, carbon emissions, and to improve their health and living conditions.
- Ensure all Connecticut households and youth have access to conservation based actions and steps they can take at home and work. (*strategies beyond websites or emails “to meet people where they are at.”)
- The state should ensure all communities, towns, residents are aware of the programs they can access to help them lower energy burdens, and protect human health and our environment.
- Ratepayers should be provided annual quantitative and qualitative information about program achievements which benefit ratepayers. This will aid in educating on the value of efficiency and encourage further participation in state mandated energy policy goals and programs.
V. Oppose: Attempts to stifle C&LM ratepayer incentive programs: C&LM programs serve the ratepayers and directly lower ratepayer energy waste while lowering their energy expenses in homes and business. These programs lower our state energy demand overall. Ensure that we do NOT replace the successful C&LM Home Energy Solutions and LMI programs with “financing only programs”.
- Ratepayers should have equal access to programs and incentives that are supported by a charge on their bills, and will help them lower energy waste, lower energy burdens, lower our dependence on carbon heavy fossil fuels, and access a clean energy future.
- THE CT GREEN BANK offers Finance programs, which are also supported by charge on ratepayer bills. They offer loans which are called “products, programs, or services”. The Green Bank loans are leveraged using ratepayer funds, collected from the charges on electric bills, RGGI funds, and grants. When coupled with the innovative and successful CL&M programs, financing is an important piece of the plan to help the ratepayers install upgrades.
- Efficiency For All is a non-profit 501(c)(3) energy efficiency advocacy group. Our goals are to educate the public and our legislature on the importance and benefits of sound, sustainable energy efficiency policy. EFA is a stakeholder association which works to keep stakeholders informed, collect and reflect energy-related data, advocate for the stabilization and the continued development of local and national energy efficiency programs which protect human health, provide local jobs, increase positive economic outcomes, and reduce long-term energy costs. Our work supports clean energy policy, green economies, and a cleaner environment.
Thank you for everything you do to engage in protecting our environment, energy stability, accessibility, affordability, ratepayer rights, equity, and human health in our state and beyond.