The Alliance to Save Energy lauded the March 3 introduction in the Senate of the National Energy Efficiency Enhancement Act of 2010 (NEEE; S. 3059), a bill that would boost national energy efficiency standards for appliances.
The bill – introduced by Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), both alliance honorary vice-chairs, along with Senator Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey) – implements several agreements previously negotiated among appliance manufacturers and energy efficiency advocates, including the alliance.
“The bipartisan support for this bill is refreshing and important, but not surprising,” said alliance president Kateri Callahan, “because energy efficiency is an issue in which there are no party lines, just cost-effective answers to the national imperatives of improving our economy, enhancing our energy security and protecting our environment.”
“This bill makes great strides in tailoring appliance efficiency standards and building energy codes to save more energy and more money for more consumers,” said alliance director of policy Lowell Ungar. “We applaud Senators Bingaman, Murkowski and Menendez for their leadership, as well as the manufacturers and stakeholders for working together to forge consensus, and we urge quick enactment so these energy savings can be realized soon.”
Several alliance associate members were involved in developing many of the bill’s provisions, including higher standards for residential furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps; new standards for outdoor lighting fixtures; and improvements in the way the Department of Energy sets standards.
The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, economy and national security.