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Details on the 2007 Annual Conference
National Energy Affordability and Utility Conference 2008
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John Hickenlooper, Mayor Denver, Colorado |
The impacts of global climate change and U.S. energy policy on low income households were the featured issues during the first annual National Energy Affordability and Utility Conference held in Denver June 16 – 18.
The more than 700 conference attendees heard presentations that explained the various aspects of global warming legislation and how these proposed laws would affect low income families. The conferees were also urged to monitor the situation closely so as to protect the interests of the poor and the elderly in the global warming debate.
The conference, which marked the merger of the annual National Fuel Funds Network and the annual National Low Income Energy Consortium conferences, was the largest gathering of individuals and organizations dealing with the problem of providing affordable energy to low income households.
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Ray Gogel, Chief Administrative Officer, Xcel Energy |
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper opened the conference with a plea for increased cooperation between government and non-profit organizations. The mayor pointed out that much more can be achieved through positive relations between these two sectors.
Xcel Energy Chief Administrative Officer Ray Gogel also addressed the opening session and said the conference would “drive an open and innovative dialog” on energy affordability. Gogel said “energy affordability is everyone’s problem.”
FEATURE SPEAKERS
Former Senator Gary Hart Former Senator Gary Hart, in his keynote address, was very critical of current US energy policy. “We will continue to import up to 70 percent of the oil we consume from abroad, including from the most dangerous region of the world, the Persian Gulf, to fuel energy-inefficient and wasteful vehicles. We will sacrifice the lives of our sons and daughters to get the oil. That is America’s energy policy.” Hart, who is currently Scholar in Residence at the University of Colorado, said the country can change that policy by boosting conservation programs and renewable-energy sources such as wind and solar power.
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Janee Briesemeister In the conference’s first plenary session, a discussion of energy policy and its impact on consumer prices, Janee Briesemeister of AARP warned of the consequences of climate change legislation on the poor. She said that any legislation designed to mitigate global warming must take into consideration the impacts on the poor. Ms. Briesemeister made note of how previous legislative initiatives that were thought to benefit the poor had not had the expected result. She pointed out how utility deregulation had failed to produce lower home energy costs and added that some initiatives currently being discussed could have unintended consequences for the poor. |
Alan Nogee Alan Nogee of the Union of Concerned Scientists offered an explanation of how greenhouse gases effect global climate change and what it would entail to reduce the levels of carbon in our atmosphere. He said that greater use of energy efficiency measures and appliances could reduce the impact of greenhouse gases on the climate. View Mr. Nogee’s complete presentation.
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John Harpole John Harpole of Mercator Energy painted a dire picture of the future when he said the United States could be “facing an energy war in the next 30 years.” Mr. Harpole said that in the future Russia and other nations could control the majority of natural gas supplies leading which could lead to global conflict. Mr. Harpole warned that the imposition of a carbon tax would “cause an explosion of natural gas prices” and increase home heating bills to the level of home mortgages. View Mr. Harpole’s complete presentation.
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Rafe Pomerance A second plenary session featured a discussion of climate change legislation and its impact on low income families. In this session, Rafe Pomerance, president of Clean Air – Cool Planet, provided graphic evidence of the warming of the planet before leading a discussion of the “cap and trade” concept included in most global climate change legislation. View Mr. Pomerance’s complete presentation.
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Robert Greenstein Robert Greenstein, executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said climate control legislation currently being considered in Congress would have a significant impact on the poor. He said a carbon cap would result in a 45 percent increase in home energy costs, but that allocating 14 % of the allowances from greenhouse gas trading would hold low-income consumers harmless for the increased costs of the economic transition. Mr. Greenstein said Electronic Benefit Transfer system (used for food stamps), Earned Income Tax Credit and LIHEAP should be used to distribute the allocation to people with low-income. View Mr. Greenstein’s complete presentation.
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Charlie Harak The National Consumer Law Center’s Charlie Harak spoke about the need for advocates for the poor to make their voices heard so that energy will not become “less affordable” for low income households. Harak said he expected climate change legislation to be passed within the next four years. View Mr. Harak’s complete presentation.
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Kateri Callahan Reducing gasoline consumption was the topic of luncheon speaker Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, who unveiled a new program designed to help drivers lessen the pain at the pump. Both the National Fuel Funds Network and the National Low Income Energy Consortium are partners in this new campaign. The Alliance’s Drive Smart Challenge provides drivers with tips and coupons that can help cut gasoline consumption. A visit to the Challenge website will show drivers how much money they can save by following a few helpful hints. |
WORKSHOPS AND HOT TOPICS
The plenary sessions and featured speakers were only a small portion of the activities during the conference. Attendees had more than 60 workshops from which to choose. The workshops covered eight general areas of interest – Energy Availability and Sustainability; Weatherization/Conservation; Focus on Energy Assistance; Outreach and Advocacy; Vulnerable Populations; Energy Programs in Indian Country; Evolution of Energy Programs; and Consumer Education and Services.
In addition to the workshops, there were also two Hot Topic sessions where conferees had a chance to participate in brief, fast paced 20 minute presentations on a variety of subjects. There were also tours of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO.
To read many of the presentations from the workshops, go to and select conference program and the speakers and presentations.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Both the NFFN and the NLIEC took some time during the conference to honor some of its members and others who have championed the cause of providing energy assistance to those most in need.
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The NFFN’s Victorine Q Adams Award, which recognizes institutional innovation and achievement, was presented to Oregon HEAT for its creative collaboration with an oil recycler in designed a program to help lessen the energy burden of low-income Oregon residents and reduce the level of petroleum waste products in the state.
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PECO – an Exelon Company received the NFFN’s Corporate Excellence Award. PECO was honored for its commitment to providing services and assistance to low income customers in the Philadelphia area. The gas and electric utility was recognized for its role as an advocate for low income rate payers on the local, state, and national level as well as for its use of innovative programs and aggressive outreach to address energy/poverty issues within its service area.
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The NLIEC Achievement Award was presented to Mitch Miller, director of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Services, for his tireless efforts to balance the needs of residential utility customers and utility service providers for more than 25 years. Miller has represented the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners on the NLIEC Board of Directors for more than a decade. |
North Carolina Senator Elizabeth Dole was announced as the winner of the NFFN’s Extra Mile Award for 2008. The award recognizes legislative achievement on behalf of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Sen. Dole, was honored for co-sponsoring an amendment offered by Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT) to include $800 million for the program in appropriations legislation last December and for leading an effort to insure that such an amendment would be allocated equally between formula grants and emergency contingency funds to insure a national deployment of the aid. |
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NFFN MEMBERSHIP MEETING
During the NFFN’s annual membership meeting, it was announced that the Board of Directors had selected Sue Montgomery Corey of Community Power Network of NYS as chair replacing Greg Sawyers. Mr. Sawyers will remain of the NFFN executive committee for one year. Tom Stovall of Operation New View Community Action Agency was also selected to the executive committee.
Members welcomed three new Board members elected in the spring: Jacqueline Hutchinson of the Human Development Corporation of St. Louis, John Rich of the Mid-America Assistance Coalition, and Wilma Sims-Moore of the American Red Cross in Birmingham.
Members also thanked two retiring board members Julie Arnestad of Tacoma Public Utilities and Kansas City Council Member Jan Marcason for their service.
The board also approved a resolution calling on Congress to approve $5.1 billion in funding for LIHEAP for FY 2009 and FY2010.
Photographs courtesy of David Fox.
Important Study Released
Children living in homes that do not receive LIHEAP grants are 23 percent more likely to be “growing poorly” and 32 percent more likely to be hospitalized following an emergency room visit, according to a new report released by the Children’s Sentinel Assessment Program (C-SNAP).
Dr. Deborah Frank, one of the principal investigators of the report, said problems affect children of all ages but “babies and toddlers are at the greatest risk.” According to Dr. Frank, babies and toddlers who live in energy insecure homes are most likely to suffer poor health, require hospitalization, manifest developmental problems and lack adequate food.
The results of the report were released at a Dorchester, MA news conference today attended by Joseph P. Kennedy, chairman of Citizens Gas, and members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation. The funding for the report was provided for Citizens Gas with additional funding for the publishing and promotion of the report provided by the National Fuel Funds Network.
Fuel for Our Future
Impacts of Energy Insecurity on Children's Health, Nutrition and Learning
An opinion article titled,
“The Heat or Eat Dilemma”
co-authored by Dr. Frank and Joseph Kennedy
and published in the Boston Globe
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2009 National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference |