Energy Efficiency: FY2006 Budget and Policy Review
Thursday, April 14, 2005
3:00-4:30 p.m. , Room 366, Dirksen Senate Office Building

     The House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invite you to a Congressional briefing on the implications of the Administration's FY 2006 budget request for energy efficiency R&D investments and deployment programs, as well as key energy efficiency policy issues before the Congress as the House and Senate seek to move comprehensive energy bills in the next few weeks.

     Energy efficiency technologies have made great strides in reducing energy use while improving energy services in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.  Opportunities abound for improvements to be made in every sector of the economy, including transportation, which is 98 percent dependent on petroleum and uses two-thirds of all oil consumed in the United States .  Using less energy to deliver the same or greater services helps US companies be more competitive; reduces air pollution emissions that are harmful to public health; reduces energy costs for electricity/heating/cooling services; and helps energy consumers (especially low-income residents) pay their energy bills and spend more dollars locally that would otherwise be sent to other regions or nations.  Given the strains on the power grid as evidenced by the blackouts over the past few years, improvements in the efficiency of how energy is used can lessen stress on the grid and thereby improve its reliability.  Furthermore, the volatility of oil and natural gas prices has captured the news and raised concerns around the country as escalating prices have badly squeezed many businesses and consumers and have resulted in growing oil imports and a larger trade deficit of $166 billion for oil imports alone in 2004.

     The briefing panel will discuss the Administration's FY 2006 budget treatment of energy efficiency investments in regard to both R&D and technology deployment initiatives including low-income weatherization and state energy programs, and will shed light on other key energy efficiency policy issues before the Congress and their specific roles in addressing national US energy policy.  These are issues that Members of Congress will be addressing in the coming weeks as they grapple with very important budget and energy policy decisions.  The briefing panel will include:

•  Bill Prindle, Deputy Director, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy   Presentation

•  Jeff Genzer, General Counsel, National Association of State Energy Officials; Duncan
             Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke

•  Deborah Estes, Minority Counsel, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

     This briefing is the first of a two-part series examining the role of energy efficiency and renewable energy resources and technologies in the federal budget and in major energy policy issues before the Congress.  The notice for our renewable energy briefing will be distributed shortly. 

EESI briefings are open to the public and no reservations are required.  Please feel free to forward this notice.  For more information, please contact Theresa Murzyn (tmurzyn@eesi.org), (202) 662-1884.