Say no to HB 564! What are regulatory sandboxes and why are they potentially bad for consumers?5/2/2022
Conceptually, the upstart firms will graduate from the sandbox and become full-fledged competitors in the business world, but so far in states that have already accepted the sandbox idea, the trend has been for established companies to acquire firms that have benefitted from the regulatory sandbox, essentially acquiring research and development conducted at public expense.
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The Aimee Freeman Solar+ Storage Bill (HB 806) will introduce a program to fund solar with battery storage at the Louisiana Legislature so that people can stay safe in their homes during outages and so that resilience hubs can build these systems to help with rapid response.
Environmental Groups have long called that area “Cancer Alley,” due to federal studies that show higher concentrations of airborne pollutants and more instances of cancer in that region than elsewhere in the state. Originally published by Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
Calling all New Orleanians! Save the Date: Entergy’s 3rd public IRP meeting is on Tuesday, May 3rd4/25/2022
 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) continues to report overwhelming evidence that fossil-fueled global warming is increasing at faster rates than earlier predicted. Without quickly phasing out fossil fuels, the United States will fall far from its 2030 emission goals and drag the world deeper into a state of climate emergency.
But the Biden Administration has yet to use his full authority under existing law to stop approving new fossil fuel leases, exports and infrastructure and declare a climate emergency to rapidly build out renewables and protect vulnerable communities Troublingly, Biden and the United Nations also continue to sell communities false “solutions” like Carbon Capture and Storage, or CCS – a dangerous delay tactic championed by the fossil fuel industry and other polluters to continue business-as-usual while taking resources away from the needed transition to clean, cheaper renewable energy. Entergy proposes its customers cover cost of backup generators for businesses by Wesley Muller4/14/2022 Project would give backup power to select corporate customers  Entergy has proposed a new project to give backup generators to grocery stores and other commercial customers across the state to form micro-grids that can be used during outages and peak demand times, but the utility company wants the rest of its customers to pay for them.
“As currently proposed, I do not find the costs and benefits of the program are being allocated in a manner that is just and reasonable to non-host customers,” PSC regulatory expert Lane Sisung said in his recommendation to commissioners not to certify the program. “To think that some of the largest most powerful companies in the state would be benefiting from something when the residents and everyone else are already paying exorbitant rates is just absurd to me,” AAE Executive Director Logan Burke said. By Jesse George & Logan Burke
 Even as the costs of methane gas continue to rise, in turn increasing the cost of electricity in the region, Entergy Louisiana is requesting the go-ahead from the Louisiana Public Service Commission for the right to contract with large commercial and industrial customers to install new gas fired generators in a neighborhood near you. Maybe.
Among the many reasons the Alliance is concerned about this new application, including continued investment in fossil fuel infrastructure, new costs borne by residents, new localized emissions within neighborhoods, and an increased dependence on methane gas for electricity generation (the state currently generates 70% of electricity from the fossil fuel), the ability for the utility to side-step the Commission’s market based mechanisms designed to ensure Entergy purchases or provides the lowest-cost power, we worry that the utility and “host” customers who would participate in this program would resist public visibility into the placement of these facilities. And since some of these projects would be small enough to evade air emissions permitting, you simply wouldn’t know if your community is now home to a gas peaker plant.  Allies and Supporters,
I have made the decision to resign from my position as State Policy Director with the Alliance for Affordable Energy. My deepest gratitude goes out to all of you that I’ve had the pleasure of working with and learning from. I can assure you this was not an easy decision. As some may know, I was offered a position in the New Orleans’ Council Utility Regulatory Office as an Energy Policy Analyst, and I’m very much looking forward to advancing the City’s clean energy goals and advocating for the City’s utility customers, especially the most vulnerable. I imagine I’ll be seeing many familiar faces in my new role, and I look forward to continuing the conversation with all of you. If you would like to reach me, my personal email is JMaloneHendricks@gmail.com, and I look forward to staying in touch. Thank you for all of the work you do, and please keep it up! In a State with some of the highest rates of energy insecurity, this work is invaluable to so many, especially in a State so vulnerable to the worst impacts of Climate Change. Until next time, Jessica By Ishita Yadav, AAE Intern
The savings you achieve from a single energy-efficient appliance may seem small on its own, but in most cases, the premium price you pay will be more than offset by your energy savings in the long-run.
One of the leading advocates of energy conservation explains why this could be a turning point for climate economics.
 UPDATE March 28, 2022 - Great news! The New Orleans Utility Committee voted in favor of the proposed ethics law. What's next? The ordinance will be heard at the April 7th full Council meeting. Your voice is still needed! Comment on Item 10 (Cal. no 33,637) to help!
The Greater New Orleans Interfaith Climate Coalition, a group whose members are working diligently to establish climate justice and promote care of the Earth, calls your attention and your actions to a very important vote of the New Orleans City Council Utility Committee on Wednesday, March 28, 2022. The Council has the job of regulating Entergy and other companies, as well as contracting professional services. The GNOICC and its partners proposed an ordinance, a local law, to strengthen the City of New Orleans Code of Ethics to prohibit a campaign contribution or other financial benefit from a utility provider or other entity that is regulated or contracted by the New Orleans City Council. The passage of this ordinance is a necessary safeguard against the potential for undue influence on energy costs, climate policies, and numerous other matters handled by the Council that impact the daily lives of all New Orleanians.
The Alliance is pleased to call E Source a new supporter and ally, and honored to have been included amongst these organizations with energy assistance missions.
On September 17, 2021, the LDNR submitted its application to EPA for permitting authority. Only two states, Wyoming and North Dakota, have been granted permitting authority by the EPA after a considerably longer review time than Senator Cassidy wants for the LDNR. Neither of those states have LDNR’s poor track record in managing underground wells.
The Energy Future New Orleans Coalition sent a letter the New Orleans City Council today urging the new Council to fulfill its commitment to take up in earnest a management audit of Entergy New Orleans, LLC. In the wake of Hurricane Ida, which rendered much of the city powerless for a week-and-a-half, the Council voted on September 23, 2021 to adopt motion M-21-342. That motion directed the Council Utility Regulatory Office (“CURO”) to develop a request for qualifications (“RFQ”) for a firm to conduct the audit. CURO issued the RFQ on December 8, 2021, and it has now been two months with no further action. We understand now that the RFQ has failed to garner a single response, a worrisome confirmation that the audit services market does not believe the Council has shown serious commitment to this effort. The record before the Council documents the multiple Entergy failures and misplaced priorities that warrant prompt action on the audit. Get up to date on the full story in our letter to the Council. |
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