March 28, 1996

Advocates Praise Governor Lowry and the Washington Legislature for their Commitment to Renewable Resources

A regional advocacy organization today praised the passage and signing of HB 2290, the Washington State sales tax exemption for wind and solar energy. The exemption is critical to developing environmentally responsible energy resources, and will provide both economic development benefits and a cleaner energy future.

“With the passage of this bill, Washington is demonstrating its leadership and commitment to a clean, renewable future,” said Rachel Shimshak, director of the Renewable Northwest Project, a regional organization promoting environmentally responsible renewable energy resources, based in Portland, Oregon. “Investing in renewable energy sources, such as wind, geothermal and solar, will benefit both the economy and the environment in the Northwest,” she added.

Washington has some of the best wind sites in the region and strong solar and geothermal potential. The State is home to a burgeoning wind industry, and the location of two promising Columbia Hills wind projects outside of Goldendale.

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March 14, 1996

Public Opinion Polls Show Consistent Support for Renewable Energy and Conservation

A renewable energy advocacy organization today released a report detailing strong, diverse, and consistent regional and nationwide public support for environmental preservation, conservation and renewable energy resources.

This report compiles information from more than a dozen surveys and focus groups performed over the past two years on behalf of Northwest public and private utilities, public interest organizations, and renewable energy developers.

“This report demonstrates that there is strong support for clean energy across the board, from homeowners to businesses, across three Northwest states, and across many demographic groups,” said Rachel Shimshak, director of the Renewable Northwest Project. “The Northwest Governors and their representatives, currently planning the reorganization of the region’s energy system, must keep these results in mind. They show exactly what the public values and wants,” she added.

Among the key results presented are:

• When asked to prioritize energy supply resources, utility customers all over the Northwest consistently chose conservation and renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind, and geothermal, as their leading choices.

• A strong majority agreed that utilities should only acquire resources having a positive or neutral effect on the environment.

• Over 70% of people surveyed nationally last December expressed serious concern about global climate change, and want policy makers to take action to prevent its harmful impacts.

• Large segments of those surveyed are willing to pay more money on their monthly electricity bills if they could receive electricity generated from renewable energy resources.

The report was presented to the Northwest Governors’ Comprehensive Regional Review today to reinforce the need to plan for future conservation and renewable energy acquisition, which may be at risk in a more competitive electric utility industry. Shimshak added, “Utilities making renewable investments should know that their customers value those investments. Renewable investments will enhance customer loyalty, not reduce it,” she concluded.

The Comprehensive Regional Review is a process to develop, through a public process, recommendations for changes in the institutional structure of the region’s electric utility industry. These changes should be designed to protect the region’s natural resources and distribute equitably the costs and benefits of a more competitive marketplace, while at the same time assuring the region of an adequate, efficient, economical and reliable power system.

RNP is a not-for-profit advocacy organization, cosponsored by environmental and public interest organizations and private conservation and renewable energy developers. We share the common objective of creating a self-sustaining, competitive market for cost-effective, workable renewable energy technologies.

Copies of the report are available upon request.

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February 29, 1996

Advocacy Group Expresses Disappointment With Snohomish PUD Vote on Wind power Contract

A regional renewable energy advocacy organization today expressed disappointment with Tuesday’s rejection of a wind plant proposal by the Snohomish County Public Utility District Commissioners. The 2-1 vote on the proposal was followed by a resolution directing the staff to look into other renewable and clean energy options during the next two months.

“We are extremely disappointed with the Commission’s vote on the wind project, but we remain hopeful that the Commissioners will find a way to accept the repeated, unanimous recommendations of their Citizens’ Committee to invest in clean, renewable energy,” said Rachel Shimshak, Director of the Renewable Northwest Project.

Shimshak praised the leadership of Commissioner Charles Moon who voted in favor of investing in wind energy. “Commissioner Moon stood with the Snohomish Citizens' Committee and for the long-run environmental and economic benefits of renewable resources with his vote,” she added. Shimshak also noted that Commissioner Kathy Vaughn expressed interest in finding an alternative proposal for investing in clean energy.

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