Southwest Energy Efficiency Project

Policies and Legislation

2008 LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES
SWEEP is pursuing legislation to advance energy efficiency in a number of states across the Southwest. Click here to learn more about these efforts!

Legislative Activities

Legislative efforts are a primary tool used by SWEEP to advocate for energy efficiency across the Southwest. We work closely with a wide-ranging group of stakeholders – consumer and environmental organizations, state agencies, businesses, utilities, elected officials – to draft and support legislation that eliminates barriers to and stimulates the development of energy efficiency programs and policies. Through such collaborative efforts, significant progress has been made in expanding the access that business and residential electricity and natural gas customers have to energy efficiency programs.

In 2007, SWEEP was busy tracking 26 bills related to energy efficiency, 12 of which were signed into law, 10 which were killed in committee or never included in the state budget, and 4 that remain pending further legislative action. To learn more about the details, read the 2007 SWEEP Legislative Activities Report.
In 2006, SWEEP worked closely on 11 bills relating to energy efficiency, 6 of which were signed into law, 1 of which was vetoed, and 4 which were killed in committee. To learn more about the specifics of these efforts, read the 2006 SWEEP Legislative Activities Report.
In 2005, SWEEP worked closely on 8 bills relating to energy efficiency, 5 of which were signed into law, 2 of which were vetoed, and 1 which was killed in committee. To learn more about the specifics of these efforts, read the 2005 SWEEP Legislative Activities Report.
In 2004, SWEEP worked closely on 8 bills relating to energy efficiency, 4 of which were signed into law, 3 of which were killed in committee, and 1 which died on the floor of the New Mexico State Senate. To learn more about the specifics of these efforts, read the 2004 SWEEP Legislative Activities Report.
In 2003, SWEEP worked closely on 7 bills and 1 joint resolution relating to energy efficiency, seeing 3 of the bills signed into law, 4 killed in committee, and the joint resolution adopted. To learn more about the specifics of these efforts, read the 2003 SWEEP Legislative Activities Report.

Policy Recommendations

SWEEP supports a wide range of state and local policies that will increase the efficiency of energy use including:

Expanded funding for energy efficiency education, training, demonstration, and technical assistance programs conducted by state energy agencies, local agencies, or the private sector.
State-of-the-art building energy codes based on the latest versions of the International Energy Conservation Code for new homes and ASHRAE 90.1 model standard for new commercial buildings.
Energy savings goals, Energy Star product purchasing requirements, financing mechanisms, and other policies to cut energy waste in state and local facilities.
Expanded utility energy efficiency programs including incentives for the adoption of cost-effective efficiency measures.
Tax credits for consumers and businesses that purchase innovative energy efficiency measures such as super efficient appliances, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, and fuel cell cogeneration systems, or construct highly energy-efficient new homes and commercial buildings.
Minimum efficiency standards for appliances and other products not yet covered by federal efficiency standards.
Interconnection standards, utility regulatory rules, and environmental permitting rules to facilitate the adoption of clean and efficient distributed generation and combined heat and power (cogeneration) systems.
Emissions standards and emissions trading and credit schemes that encourage and recognize the benefits of energy efficiency improvements as part of pollution reduction efforts.
Integrated resource planning and other techniques for identifying and pursuing cost-effective energy efficiency options in the context of overall energy and environmental planning.
Taxes on fossil fuels and nuclear energy based on their full environmental and social costs, along with recycling of new tax revenue to clean energy efforts and other socially desirable purposes.

SWEEP also supports combining individual policies into an integrated market transformation strategy.

© 2002-2008 Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
2260 Baseline Rd. Suite 212, Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 447-0078 fax: (303) 786-8054 info@swenergy.org

Last Updated: 01/28/2008