Policy News

Summer is one of my favorite times to visit Maine. With miles of white sandy beaches, quintessential New England towns, piers, lighthouses, national parks, and more, it is a great place to be. I was recently in Portland, Maine, and there was a lot of buzz about the legislative session that just closed. The amount of energy efficiency and climate legislation that was signed into public law is a breath of fresh air.

If we see change as a naturally occurring event - much like the change of seasons - then we can embrace change and enhance our lives. Spring is considered the time of year where things are bursting into bloom and plans become action. States throughout the NEEP region are fully embracing the spirit of spring and showing that there’s no shortage of action.

We have figured out the puzzle pieces that need to come together to decarbonize our economy and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Renewable energy + deep energy efficiency + strategic electrification = the pathways to zero carbon.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal is often credited with bringing an end to the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression by putting various governmental reforms in place to restore prosperity by stabilizing the economy and providing jobs and relief to Americans. For the most part, it seems to have worked. We haven’t had another economic crisis quite like the Great Depression since the 1930s.

Happy new year and welcome to 2019! The general attitude going into 2019 was thank gosh 2018 is over. I am not sure what it was about 2018, but everyone sure seemed happy to leave it behind and look forward to the future. I was among them. One thing that we definitely need to leave behind is the rise in greenhouse gas emissions. Shocker, I know! But, after three years of decline, the U.S.

On the menu for this Thanksgiving? A silver platter of midterm election results. Politics always comes up at the dinner table in my family, and I am sure the midterm election results will not be left behind this Thanksgiving. One of the subjects I am curious about is how the midterm election will impact energy and climate. Let’s take a look at what we know so far.

As school starts back up, students are returning to their academic routines and teachers are setting plans for the year. Similarly, a few states in New England have the utilities going through their three-year planning process for energy efficiency. Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts planning sessions are in full swing, and thus far, they get an A+ effort. There’s always room for growth, though.

Some may be more challenged to find their patriotism this Fourth of July as the federal administration continues to attempt bringing down the progress we have made in clean energy, carbon reduction, and energy efficiency, but let us not forget the efforts of our states. Let’s go out and celebrate all of their great work this year. Here’s a closer look at some of the most recent efforts by state legislatures around the region.

This post is a collaboration between two of our High Performance Buildings & Communities program staff, Darren Port and Christina Rohrbacher.

From the invention of the electrostatic generator (1747) to the discovery of oil (1856), Pennsylvania has a long list of firsts in the realm of energy. Now for the first time in nearly a decade, PA is ringing in the advent of a new statewide energy code.

April showers bring May flowers, particularly in New York where things are certainly sprouting this spring. As winter finally starts turning to spring in the Northeast, everyone begins to notice the trees greening and nature coming to life all around. Nestled in spring is also Earth Day, where we stop to acknowledge the importance of our environment and take action to protect it for generations to come.