Personnel note: Energy veteran Laura Schepis takes helm at PACE
The Alabama-based Partnership for Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) — a coalition of working people, business owners, environmentalists, and trade organizations who are fighting for fair, responsible energy policies — has named energy veteran Laura Schepis as the group’s new Executive Director. Schepis, a government relations and strategic communications expert, will assume leadership of the organization on July 1st. With two decades of experience in energy advocacy on the federal level, she’s quarterbacked federal lobbying efforts on cybersecurity, disaster recovery, and telecommunications and contributed to efforts on many other issues, including transportation appropriations, commodity trading rules, energy efficiency and renewable energy standards. She also designed and led national grassroots and political campaigns for electric utilities on climate change. “We are extraordinarily pleased to have Laura Schepis lead our efforts to promote responsible energy policy and advocate for energy customers,” says PACE Board Chairman Cline Jones. “Laura’s wealth of experience in this area and passion for the cause of affordable, reliable energy will carry on the tradition PACE has built over the past decade.” After practicing law in Georgia, Schepis relocated to Washington, DC, in 2000. There, she worked for the National Association of Development Organizations, the American Public Gas Association, and the American Public Power Association. For three years, Schepis served as Vice President of Political Affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, where she led national messaging and political strategy on priority issues and presidential campaigns, designed and executed NRECA’s first significant presence at national political conventions, and delivered 1.2 million public comments to EPA on the Clean Power Plan. Schepis lives in Virginia with her husband and daughter.
State utility companies launch Energy Institute of Alabama
Alabama’s biggest utilities just launched a new joint venture: Energy Institute of Alabama. The new institute says its mission is to advocate for energy policies that will help grow the state’s economy, likely including fighting against the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan and other federal environmental initiatives. The Energy Institute of Alabama says its mission is “to promote reliable, affordable, and clean energy to help grow our economy, create high-paying jobs, and build public support for Alabama’s energy industry.” Former House Speaker Seth Hammett will helm the new endeavor as its Chairman. Hammett represented the Covington area in the state Legislature for 32 years, and later went on to work in the energy industry. Currently, Hammett works as VP of Business Development for PowerSouth Energy, one of the institute’s six major member utilities. The new policy advocacy group’s other members are Alabama Municipal Electric Authority, the Alabama Rural Electric Association, Alabama Power Company, Electric Cities of Alabama, Tennessee Valley Authority, and PowerSouth. Other key players who will steer the institute include: Chuck Karr, Dean of the University of Alabama’s College of Engineering; Corey Tyree, Director of Energy and Environment, Analytics and Strategic Growth at Southern Research; Jim Sullivan, President of The Sullivan Group and former President of the Alabama Public Service Commission; Steven Taylor, Director of Auburn University’s Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts; and Oliver Kingsley, Jr., Associate Dean of Special Projects at Auburn University’s College of Engineering. “In the past eight years, PACE has worked closely with all of the partners involved in the new Institute in our efforts to effect sensible energy policy in Alabama,” said Lance Brown of the pro-utilities group Partnership for Affordable Clean Energy. “More voices in the energy space means a richer conversation for both policy makers and the public. We look forward to collaborating with the Institute to expand the dialogue on energy issues in Alabama.”
Groups, lawmakers come together to urge court to rule on Clean Power Plan
Tuesday, Lance Brown, the Executive Director of the Partnership for Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) released a video calling for the court to rule on the controversial Clean Power Plan — the Obama administration’s flagship policy for cutting carbon dioxide emissions at power plants. Finalized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in August, the plan aims to cut power plant emissions by 32 percent in 2030 compared to 2012. While the plan sets individual targets for each state, it leaves many of the details for reaching those targets to each state legislature. “The EPA’s so-called Clean Power Plan won’t change global temperatures, but it will change power bills,” said Brown in the video. “That’s why the courts need to rule on this bad policy before we spend billions to comply with it.” Brown’s opinion is echoed by a chorus of other groups and lawmakers in the video. Senator Gerald Allen of Alabama calls the rule “a power grab by the Obama administration that will have zero impact on the global climate.” The plan is “an unprecedented attempt by EPA to set energy policy for the entire country,” said Regional Business Coalition of Greater Atlanta. National Black Chamber of Commerce says the plan will “lead to lost jobs, lower incomes, and higher poverty rates for the 128 million blacks and hispanics living in America.” Seniors advocate 60 Plus calls the rule “absolutely devastating for seniors.” These opinions should come as little surprise to those following the Clean Power Plan. Only hours after the president introduced the final version, attorney generals from 15 states across the country announced that they planned to sue the EPA over the rule, and lawmakers in over 35 states, like Alabama’s own Rep. Martha Roby stand in opposition to plan. Back in August, Roby wrote, “It’s no surprise that the EPA is once again going beyond its authority, pushing for overly burdensome regulations that have the potential to significantly affect our economy, discourage investment and stifle job creation. This agency is one of the most egregious offenders of ‘backdoor legislating’ by frequently attempting to circumvent Congress to set policy.” Roby continued, “Through the appropriations process thus far, we have used the ‘power of the purse’ to prevent the EPA from implementing harmful regulations like the ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule, which will cost Alabamians greatly. Also included in our Fiscal Year 2016 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill are provisions to prohibit implementation of the Clean Power Plan.” That’s exactly the kind of action Manufacture Alabama‘s Director of External Affairs, Molly Cagle is hoping for. In the video Cagle explained “the EPA’s Clean Power Plan is a step backwards for manufacturers.” “The President and federal lawmakers need to reverse this plan before it’s too late,” Cagle concluded. You can watch the full video here:
Alabama reactions to President Obama’s Clean Energy plan
President Barack Obama‘s effort to combat climate change by cutting greenhouse gases from U.S. power plants is drawing sharp criticism from across Alabama. Obama unveiled the final version of the controversial Clean Power Plan earlier today, which seeks to cut the nation’s carbon emissions by 32 percent, compared to 2005 levels, by 2030 — nine percent more ambitious than the original proposal. Each state will have to make specific targeted reductions by that time. According to the EPA, Alabama would be required to cut its carbon emissions by 27 percent below its 2012 levels. Below are some of the reactions from politicians and groups across the state: U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03) (via a press release): “This Administration and the EPA continue their pattern of overreach into our lives and pockets with President Obama’s clean power plan announcement. In June, the Supreme Court ruled against parts of President Obama’s radical agenda, yet he continues to push forward with his faulty environmental plans. This clean power plan will do nothing more than pass on additional costs to consumers and raise energy prices for hard-working families across East Alabama already struggling to make it paycheck to paycheck. I will continue to fight against this very flawed proposal.” U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06) (via press release): The EPA’s release of its final rule to regulate emissions from power plants continues the overreaching, agenda-driven policy that we have seen frequently from the EPA under this administration. American workers and their families, particularly the most economically vulnerable, can ill afford the real-life costs of this rule, which will result in significant utility rate increases and lost jobs with little to no measurable environmental impact. With my support, the House has already taken action by passing a bill to delay this costly rule, which faces serious legal challenges. I will continue to work to fight this rule and protect the American people from this costly agenda. Attorney General Luther Strange (via email): After years of propaganda efforts aimed at convincing Americans that they must sacrifice lower energy bills and jobs in order to meet arbitrary carbon emission goals, the Obama administration has finally unveiled its new energy mandate,” said Attorney General Strange. The Environmental Protection Agency’s new Clean Power Plan continues the Obama administration’s theme of ignoring the legal limits on its executive authority in order to satisfy a political agenda that places the lowest priority on the rights of coal industry workers and American consumers. Under the EPA rule, Alabamians’ average annual household energy bills could rise by more than $800 a year by the time the plan is fully implemented. This places an undue burden on those who can least afford it, including the poor, the elderly and others on fixed incomes. What’s more, it punishes as many as 16,000 Alabamians whose jobs are dependent upon the coal industry. As Attorney General, I testified before Congress in opposition to the illegal EPA rule and I have joined with other states in opposing the Obama administration’s unwarranted anti-coal policy in federal court. The same administration that once complained that people don’t pay enough for gasoline is now forcing Americans to endure higher energy costs and further blows to our economy. It’s time for common sense to prevail. Rep. Darrio Melton, Alabama House Democratic Caucus Chairman (via PACE email): EPA’s final version of the Clean Power Plan raises a number of important questions for many families in my district and for low-income people across this country. It remains unclear what steps will be necessary for states to comply with these aggressive carbon dioxide emission goals, but my fear is that the cost of electricity for families and businesses will rise, placing even more economic pressure on those who can least afford it. My hope is that EPA and the administration will give those concerns the attention they deserve and help ensure that this new rule doesn’t unduly burden the most vulnerable Americans. Sen. Greg Reed, Chairman of Alabama Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Energy (via PACE email): Utilities across America and here in Alabama are already moving toward lower-carbon, cleaner energy due to other EPA regulations and a host of improved technologies. Incentivizing more clean energy options is the right path forward. This rule does the exact opposite. It is another massive tax on energy at a time when the American economy needs more affordable energy to help get our economy growing again. Alabama Coal Association, George Barber (via email): President Obama continues to wage his war on coal as Alabama’s coal industry fights to keep workers employed and energy prices low. Today’s announcement in which President Obama did not even hide his intent to kill coal jobs, saying instead that he supports training coal workers for other jobs, is another example of costly and unnecessary regulation meant to force the closure of all mines throughout the nation. I am grateful that Alabama has our Attorney General, Luther Strange, standing up for our miners, their families and the many others depending on coal throughout the state. The Alabama Coal Association will continue to fight for miners throughout the state. Partnership for Affordable Clean Energy (via email): A year ago in Atlanta, we told EPA officials that while the agency’s new carbon mandate would not change the earth’s temperature, it would change power bills. Now, with the final rule made public, we can be even more certain that EPA has presented the American public with a lousy bargain. While this rule will do nothing to affect the agency’s climate change indicators, it holds the strong potential to raise electricity prices, cost American jobs, endanger reliability, and make our nation less competitive. It is critical that our nation’s leaders, particularly the President and the Congress, intervene to limit the damage from this bad rule. Manufacture Alabama (via PACE email): Last year, voices from coast to coast stood up to tell EPA that its plan to regulate carbon dioxide would hurt our nation’s competitiveness, cost jobs, raise power prices, and endanger the reliability of the power sector. This message, particularly from America’s manufacturers, was overwhelmingly
