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Environment

NEMA Pressures Congress on Energy Bill

In early June, NEMA, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, announced that it will continue to press Congress to pass legislation calling for a federal product procurement standard for motors, based on the NEMA Premium™ motor- efficiency standard and to set higher energy-efficiency goals for new federal installations and retrofits.

The NEMA press release says the organization wants to preserve language in House and Senate energy bills that it has succeeded in getting written into the legislation, including two provisions "that would benefit the industry, the consumer, and the nation."

The release quoted NEMA president Malcolm O'Hagan as being satisfied that the legislation was moving toward passage. "Electric efficiency was last addressed by Congress in 1992, and electric infrastructure [transformers, exit signs, interconnection, metering, et al.] was last addressed in 1978. In the last decade, we have witnessed considerable progress in the development of energy-efficient technologies; legislation has not kept pace. Since 1978, the entire nature of the electric power business has changed. It's high time for this legislation," he said.

According to the release, the national news media has focused on politically controversial issues of the bill such as drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the automobile Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard. And, since neither of these hot-button issues passed in the Senate energy bill, the media has inferred that there is nothing notable remaining in the legislation. "That is unfortunate," said O'Hagan. "The conference committee has a very important task before it. What the conferees decide will help shape our nation over the next decade."

Although the House bill passed in August 2001, both the House and Senate bills are referred to as H.R. 4. While NEMA significantly influenced the content of both bills, the release states that significant differences still need to be worked out in conference. The original H.R. 4, for instance, had no electricity infrastructure provisions. NEMA also supports provisions for tax deductions for efficient commercial buildings.

The release also states that a Senate debate in April produced a large number of new tax and energy policy amendments. Significant to NEMA members and the motor industry are the authorization of federal cost-sharing funds for state rebate programs for energy-efficient products, as well as authorization of rural and remote community electrification grants.