Consumer advocates held a "Rate Payer Revolt" at the Colorado State Capitol yesterday, urging lawmakers to address what they see as the root cause of the recent extreme spikes in utility bills - the state s reliance on natural gas. Danny Katz, executive director of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group - said lawmakers and utilities should take steps to protect ratepayers by tapping new federal funds to speed up the transition to sources such as wind and solar, which are produced locally and are not commodities traded on a global market. "And if we want to make sure that we are not getting ripped off as consumers into the future," said Katz, "we need to do more to reduce our reliance on gas to heat and power our homes and businesses." Xcel Energy has blamed spikes in heating bills on rising wholesale gas prices and market forces beyond its control. " .
A new report aims to make the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative more effective. The Acadia Center s report finds since the RGGI s creation in 2009, states like Connecticut have seen a 50% reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions from power plants. States in the program saw a 91% decrease in coal-generated electricity, and a more than 800% increase in solar and wind energy. .
Boston is set to become the eighth and largest city in the Commonwealth to implement a new state climate-friendly building code to reduce the use of fossil fuels in the building sector. The "specialized stretch code" as it is known, does not ban the use of fossil fuels for heating or appliances, but it offers strong financial incentives for developers to ensure buildings are wired for electrification. Logan Malik, executive director of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network, called it a critical step toward creating energy efficient and climate-resilient buildings. .
NORTHAMPTON Solar development, pregnancy care and the return of Indigenous lands were some of the many topics discussed by legislators representing the Pioneer Valley as part of Congregation B’Nai Israel’s 11th annual Tikkun Olam event on.