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April 18, 2005

Support Energy Efficiency HB 3363

Don't Let Oregon Fall Behind on Energy Efficiency Standards!

Have you ever been shocked by the amount on your water or
electricity bill? Have you ever wondered how long those utility
bills could continue going up before something gives? Do you
want Oregon to become a dumping ground for inefficient appliances
that keep your bills going up? Well, CUB is here to tell you about
a way to reverse the upward trend. Just call or email your
legislator and tell them to support HB 3363, a bill that would
require a statewide shift to purchasing energy efficient
models of 12 common products.

What are the tangible benefits of the bill?

This proposal would establish Oregon state energy efficiency
standards for twelve products not covered by federal standards.
If adopted, businesses and households will realize a net economic
savings of $253 million after fourteen years. The savings will
reduce monthly electricity, natural gas, water and wastewater
treatment bills throughout Oregon.

The proposed standards will ensure that all energy consumers,
in urban and rural communities alike, have affordable products
that return their added investment within a few years or less
of purchase. Such standards will also benefit every citizen
by reducing the pressures on our energy supplies, energy
transmission and distribution infrastructure, water supplies,
and wastewater treatment capacity. (By 2014, assuming standards
have been in place for only seven years, annual water savings
will reach a billion gallons.) Finally, the standards will
effectively decrease the health and environmental impacts of
energy production by reducing emissions of mercury, nitrogen
oxides, sulfur dioxides and global warming gases.

Don't let Oregon become the dumping ground for inefficient appliances!
The appliance standards proposed in HB 3363 are already adopted
in California. Similar standards are heading toward approval
in Washington State. If Oregon doesn't adopt similar standards,
we stand to be THE West Coast marketplace of last resort for
inefficient appliances.

What products are covered by the bill?

The energy efficient products recommended here for state standards
range from items that are nearly invisible, such as external power
supplies (those humming, non-descript little boxes or chargers
attached to a host of electronic products) to a household item
such as torchiere light fixtures. In the first year, the sale of
these more efficient products in Oregon will save annually more
than 200 million gallons of water, 1.7 million therms of natural
gas, and 75 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.

The entire list of products includes:

Commercial Clothes Washers
Commercial Ice-Makers
Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers
External Power Supplies
Torchiere Lighting Fixtures
Commercial Unit Heaters
Exit Signs
Metal Halide Lamp
Reflector Lamps
Traffic Signals
Pre-Rinse Spray Valves
Digital Television Adapters

This bill would minimize manufacturer production and distribution
costs by adopting consistent standards and, because the standards
are adopted in statute, there is no cost to the state of Oregon
because rulemaking processes are not needed. Most of the standards
are proposed to be effective in January 2007, one year after the
effective date for standards in California.

Manufacturers already produce equipment that meets the proposed
requirements. However, because of market imperfections -- usually
caused by the fact that the purchaser of the subject equipment
doesn't pay the monthly energy bill for using it -- economically
attractive, energy efficient equipment is frequently not specified
or purchased. Ample time has been given for the change to new
purchases of only these more efficient models, and we all stand to benefit!

ACTION ALERT

Please contact your representative in the Oregon Legislature today. Tell them to support HB 3363.

Protect Oregon consumers!

Tell your Representative to Vote Yes on HB 3363!

Visit this official website of the Oregon State Legislature to find your Legislator and get a link to their email and phone numbers. www.leg.state.or.us.findlegsltr

Posted by Oregon CUB at April 18, 2005 10:58 AM

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