|
| Back to Contents Page |
Home Energy Index |
About Home Energy |
| Home Energy Home Page | Back Issues of Home Energy |
Home Energy Magazine Online July/August 1994
EDITORIAL
Carrots and Sticks From Washington
Curious changes are occurring in branches of the federal government that deal
with home energy use. Funding to save energy in homes is increasing while
budgets for more glamorous items like space stations are being cut. This is
happening, despite a struggle in Congress over funding for the Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program.
The Energy Policy Act (EPAct) and the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) provide
the strongest evidence of the government's intent. The EPAct, passed by
Congress in 1992, outlines Congress' goals. This messy piece of legislation is
too long, covers too many diverse topics, and is poorly crafted. More recently,
the White House hastily created the CCAP, a collection of programs that are
meant to demonstrate how the United States intends to meet its international
commitment to reduce CO2 emissions to 1990 levels by 2000. While trying to
decide where emissions would be reduced most quickly, White House policymakers
realized that industry tends to make improvements too slowly and learned that
transportation was a political minefield. This left the buildings sector. So
far, the CCAP consists of a list of actions that are already either underway
(some started by EPAct) or soon to be launched. It is a recitation of plans
rather than a single piece of legislation. Both documents direct the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to spend
more money--a lot more money--on energy conservation. The agencies will also
try to leverage utility and industry funding through collaborations.
Since EPAct and CCAP were drafted at opposite ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, it's
no surprise that the program selections differ. There's also some confusion
over the division of responsibilities between DOE and EPA.
Even so, everyone involved agrees on the intent: make these energy savings
happen. The buzzword in the halls of both DOE and EPA is "implementation" and
this will trickle down to utilities, Home Depots, and consumers in the form of
new energy-efficiency standards, incentives, training programs, industrial
partnerships, consortia, and other activities. There is also a new willingness
to try non-regulatory approaches to fostering efficiency, from "golden carrots"
to energy rating systems. Not all of these ideas will succeed (nor should we
expect them to) but there is a good chance that encouragement to improve energy
efficiency really will trickle down.
The amazing thing about all this activity is that it is occurring at a time
when energy prices are lower than they have been in decades. This is also
occurring during a period of intense pressure to cut non-essential items in the
federal budget. The driving force behind these initiatives are environmental
fears, both immediate and long term. Can conservation deliver? Stay tuned.
| Back to Contents Page |
Home Energy Index |
About Home Energy |
| Home Energy Home Page | Back Issues of Home Energy |
Home Energy can be reached at: contact@homeenergy.org
Home Energy magazine -- Please read our Copyright Notice
| 
