ACV's 2010 Legislative Priority Issues

This fall, Alaska’s conservation community met to discuss their priorities for the upcoming legislative session.  After careful consideration, ACV's 2010 legislative priorities are:

• Investing in Emerging Energy Technology

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• Creating Energy Efficiency Goals
  

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• Regional Public Transportation

  
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Priority Update:

After much work in Juneau and some last minute legislative scrambling, ACA is happy to announce that two legislative priorities have been included in Senate Bill 220, the Alaska Sustainable Energy Act, and were passed by both houses of the Alaska state legislature on April 18th, the final day of session.

SB 220 contains a host of provisions regarding energy issues in Alaska. Two fundamental aspects of the bill are the creation of an emerging energy technology fund, and a program to retrofit state building to conserve energy while requiring new state buildings to meet industry wide standards for efficiency.  In all, the bill is a monumental step forward for Alaska's energy future.

The passage of the SB 220 was due to the efforts a great many people beyond this list, but we’d like to thank:

• The Honorable Bill Wielechowski, Senator for District J – Anchorage, Co_Chair, Resources and Energy
• The Honorable Lesil McGuire, Senator for District N – Anchorage, Co-Chair, Resources and Energy
• The Honorable Charisse Millett, Representative for House District 30 – Anchorage, Co-Chair, Energy
• The Honorable Bryce Edgmon, Representative for House District 37 – Dillingham, Co-Chair, Energy
• The Honorable Les Gara, Representative for House District 23 - Anchorage
• The Honorable Bill Thomas, Representative for House District 5 - Haines
• Michelle Sydeman, Aide to Sen. Bill Wielechowski
• Michael Pawlowski, Aide to Sen. Lesil McGuire
• Jeff Turner Chief of Staff to Rep. Charisse Millett
• Adam Berg, Aide to Rep. Bryce Edgmon
• Linda Hay, Aide to Sen. Bert Stedman
• Jay Livey, Aide to Sen. Lyman Hoffman
• Chris Rose, Executive Director, Renewable Energy Alaska Project
• Russell Stigall, Legislative and Communications Director, Alaska Conservation Alliance / Alaska Conservation Voters
• Elizabeth Outten, Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency Coordinator
• Lissa Hughes, Strategies for Alaska’s Future Legislative Liaison at the Northern Alaska Environmental Center
• Dan Lesh, Strategies for Alaska’s Future Legislative Liaison
• Jed Smith, Strategies for Alaska’s Future Legislative Liaison
• Jim Sykes, Energy Consultant, Alaska Center for the Environment
• Lexi Fish, Community Sustainability Organizer, Sitka Conservation Society
• Kiel Renick, Alaska Conservation Alliance Legislative Liaison

A special thank you to the member groups of Voters’ sister organization, the Alaska Conservation Alliance, for their vision, help and support throughout the session.

We’d also like to thank ACV / ACA lobbyist (extraordinaire) David Rogers for helping to stitch it all together. 

Conservation News

Of course, ACV will also be supporting and reporting on other conservation-related legislation as it moves through the Legislature.   In addition to learning about our priorities, our weekly Conservation Watch tracks new bills, bills on the move and the weekly calendar of hearings.  Sign up today!

The Alliance

For more information visit the Web site of our sister organization Alaska Conservation Alliance. Alaska Conservation Voters is a 501(c)(3) organization.