In Case You Missed It: Here’s What They?re Saying about the Portman-Shaheen Targeted Energy Efficiency Bill
Yesterday, Bipartisan Legislation Authored by U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) Passed the House of Representatives and is Now Headed to the President’s Desk for Signature
In case you missed it, here is what press reports, business leaders, energy groups, and other stakeholders have to say about the legislation:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 22, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — “A bill aimed at encouraging energy savings in new homes and older commercial buildings won House approval Tuesday and heads to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature”
— “Sen. Portman bill heads to Obama for signature,” Jack Torry. Columbus Dispatch. April 22, 2015
“Congress on Tuesday passed a bill focused on improving energy efficiency in buildings and water heaters, a move celebrated by both parties for breaking longstanding partisan gridlock”
— “Congress Passes Bipartisan Bill to Improve Energy Efficiency,” Coral Davenport. New York Times. April 21, 2015
“The House sent long-stalled legislation to the president’s desk on Tuesday to improve energy efficiency in buildings”
— “House clears energy efficiency bill,” Cristina Marcos. The Hill. April 21, 2015
“Bill exempts some energy-efficient water heaters from pending Energy Department rules and requires federal agencies to develop best practices to increase energy efficiency in federal buildings, among other provisions”
— “House Backs Bill to Boost Energy Efficiency,” Matthew Daly. Associated Press. April 21, 2015
“This no-cost, no-mandate legislation would help advance energy efficiency through reduced regulatory burden, increased transparency, and a focus on the federal government as a first mover to save taxpayer dollars on energy bills”
“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than three million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations, and dedicated to promoting, protecting, and defending America’s free enterprise system, strongly supports S. 535, the ‘Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015.’ This no-cost, no-mandate legislation would help advance energy efficiency through reduced regulatory burden, increased transparency, and a focus on the federal government as a first mover to save taxpayer dollars on energy bills.”
— R. Bruce Josten, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
“Helps save consumers money, promotes reliability of the grid, and helps integrate renewable energy – truly a win-win-win piece of legislation”
“Electric co-ops across the country appreciate the incredible perseverance of Senators Portman, Shaheen, and many others for their leadership in passing S. 535. The bill helps save consumers money, promotes reliability of the grid, and helps integrate renewable energy – truly a win-win-win piece of legislation.”
— Jo Ann Emerson, CEO of National Rural Electric Cooperative
“Energy efficiency saves consumers money while protecting lands and waters that are valuable for recreation and wildlife habitat”
“The Nature Conservancy thanks Senators Portman and Shaheen for their perseverance as authors of comprehensive energy efficiency legislation. We are pleased to renew our support for this bill because it is important to our mission as a conservation organization. Energy efficiency saves consumers money while protecting lands and waters that are valuable for recreation and wildlife habitat. Better efficiency lessens the need for new power plants, coal mines, transmission lines and pipelines that can degrade the value of open spaces. We are hopeful that the broad support that this bill enjoys will ensure its enactment this year.”
— Lynn Scarlett, Managing Director of Public Policy at The Nature Conservancy
“Great example of how we can achieve greater energy efficiency in buildings without imposing costly mandates”
“This bill is a great example of how we can achieve greater energy efficiency in buildings without imposing costly mandates. The Tenant Star Program will certify and recognize tenants who voluntarily agree to take steps that conserve energy. Builders and owners of multifamily buildings often pay for all utility expenses, but can’t make a lot of energy-use decisions on their own.”
— Alan Scott, Principal of AFS Inc., a multifamily developer from Ohio and a member of the NAHB Multifamily Council Board of Trustees
“Great example of how we can achieve greater energy efficiency in buildings without imposing costly mandates”
“This bill is a great example of how we can achieve greater energy efficiency in buildings without imposing costly mandates. The Tenant Star Program will certify and recognize tenants who voluntarily agree to take steps that conserve energy. Builders and owners of multifamily buildings often pay for all utility expenses, but can’t make a lot of energy-use decisions on their own.”
— Jeffrey D. DeBoer, President and CEO of The Real Estate Roundtable
“Important step in making American businesses more competitive”
“The Portman-Shaheen efficiency bill is an important step in making American businesses more competitive. Among its many provisions, the bill includes steps to strengthen the Department of Energy’s role in supply-side energy efficiencies in the manufacturing sector. Industrial energy efficiency technologies such as combined heat and power and waste heat to power, which capture and recycle waste heat, dramatically reduce the cost of energy and provide greater resilience during extreme weather, natural disasters, and grid blackouts. Large manufacturers, refineries, hospitals, universities, and military bases are putting these highly efficient systems to work to ensure reliability, save money, reduce pollution, and protect customers.”
— Phyllis Cuttino, Director of Pew Charitable Trust’s Clean Energy Program
“Supportive of the bill’s broad focus on energy efficiency in residential buildings, commercial buildings, industry and the federal government.”
“The Business Council for Sustainable Energy applauds Senators Portman and Shaheen for their dedication, determination, and tireless efforts to improve our nation’s energy productivity. The Senators have worked long and hard over the past several years on their legislation – known as the Portman-Shaheen bill – to help consumers, businesses, and industry save money on their energy bills…The Council is supportive of the bill’s broad focus on energy efficiency in residential buildings, commercial buildings, industry and the federal government. BCSE commends Senator Portman and Senator Shaheen for their bipartisan leadership.”
— Lisa Jacobson, President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy
Background:
The Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015 includes three simple but effective provisions that have been scored by the Congressional Budget Office to be budget neutral. Title I establishes a voluntary, market-driven approach to aligning the interests of commercial building owners and their tenants to reduce energy consumption. Title II exempts certain electric resistance water heaters used for demand response from pending Department of Energy regulation. Title III requires that federally-leased buildings without Energy Star labels benchmark and disclose their energy usage data, where practical.
Text of the legislation can be found here.
