Energy
Policy and the Overview The Northeast-Midwest Coalitions are bipartisan Senate and House coalitions that advance federal policies to enhance the region's economy and environment. Northeast-Midwest Coalition members have been interested in removing regulatory and market barriers to innovative electricity technologies that could meet the needs of a thriving economy and still reduce pollution. The Coalitions also host educational Capitol Hill Briefings regularly. LIHEAPNortheast-Midwest Coalition members have been the key defenders of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that helps low-income households afford heating and cooling. In fact, noting high energy costs, Coalition leaders in March 2006 obtained an extra $1 billion for the program. The Coalitions are leading efforts to obtain adequate fiscal 2006 appropriations for both LIHEAP and Weatherization. The Coalitions have a history of success on this issue. In January 2000, in response to skyrocketing heating oil prices and blasts of cold weather, they led the successful effort to release emergency LIHEAP spending to needy states in the Northeast. In 1998, they also successfully pushed LIHEAP's reauthorization, maintaining a five-year reauthorization cycle and providing "such sums" as are necessary for fiscal years 2000-2001 and $2 billion for each fiscal year from 2002-2004.
Preserve Crude Oil Data Since the Northeast-Midwest region has few energy resources, it relies on energy statistics regarding supplies, inventories, and prices in order to ensure an adequate and affordable supply of power. Unfortunately, funding for the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has been cut, and the agency's ability to provide information and analysis has been crippled. If EIA's budget is reduced further, it will not be able to fulfill its legislative mandate to provide state-by-state information on oil product price and supply. Congress deemed this information necessary so that states and the federal government can respond to price run ups and supply disruptions in emergencies. The federal government is the only entity that can provide this information, as states have no authority to collect data outside of their borders. Oil markets are particularly volatile. The futures market remains extremely sensitive to panic buying, which can quickly occur in the absence of information on inventories, stock levels, and supply trends. With the highest percentage of home heating oil consumption, oil-fired electricity generation, propane usage and high prices, the states in the Northeast-Midwest region rely heavily on this data. The Northeast-Midwest Institute has initiated an Energy Information Administration liaison group to advise EIA on users' need for energy data. Joining the Institute in drafting recommendations, evaluating the impact of budget cuts, and outlining areas of need are the National Association of State Energy Offices, American Petroleum Institute, Natural Gas Research Institute, and the National Propane Association. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Oil & Gas Division Services (pdf) Productivity & InnovationThe Northeast-Midwest Institute, working with the Congressional and Senate Task Forces on Manufacturing, has organized several conferences among manufacturing officials, utility executives, and state legislators in order to advance the deployment of modern technologies that increase productivity, accelerate energy efficiency, and reduce environmental compliance costs. As part of debates on electric industry restructuring, Institute staff examine policy options to help develop and deploy technological innovations. Several Coalition members seek the removal of numerous legal, regulatory, and perceptual barriers that block the introduction of innovative energy technologies. The average efficiency of the U.S. electricity-generation system has been stagnant over the past several decades, but the potential gains from currently-available technologies are substantial.
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