Here are of the details of some of our recent projects:

2008 Legislative Session

Energy Outreach Colorado worked very hard on passing Colorado House Bill 1387, sponsored by State Rep. Buescher and State Sen. Veiga. The bill provides additional funding from state severance taxes for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). It also authorizes funds for the Governor's Energy Office for energy bill payment assistance for low-income households through Energy Outreach Colorado, and for home energy efficiency improvements. This funding was originally established by HB 1200 in 2006 and provided funding from 2005-06 to 2008-09. The latest bill extends funding through 2011-12. It also requires the existing Legislative Commission on Low-income Energy Assistance to review and make recommendations on how to improve the state's low-income energy assistance services, such as how to best target the low-income population and coordinate public and private energy assistance services. The commission must make its recommendations by December 15, 2008. The bill allows the commission to seek public and private funding for its efforts.

2007 Legislative Session

Energy Outreach Colorado is pleased that the 2007 General Assembly overwhelmingly passed Senate Bill 22, which authorizes the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to consider the needs of low-income utility customers when approving utility rates and practices and that Governor Bill Ritter signed it into law. This legislation is an important step in helping to assure that they are represented in the regulatory process and have a stronger voice as energy consumers. Dramatic increases in utility prices in recent years have disproportionately affected low-income seniors and families. Although heating costs are relatively stable in Colorado this winter, many income-limited households that depend on energy assistance are reeling from a significant drop from last year’s state and federal assistance. Colorado AARP, along with the Colorado Environmental Coalition and a large number of low-income advocates, worked closely with Energy Outreach Colorado to get this bill passed.

2006 Legislative Session

On February 3, 2006, Gov. Bill Owens signed legislation to allocate an additional $20 million for energy assistance from mineral and energy severance taxes paid to the state. This includes $17 million for the Colorado LEAP program and $3 million for Energy Outreach Colorado. In addition, $4 million goes to the Governor’s Office of Energy Management and Conservation (OEMC) for energy efficiency programs. The legislation also designates that an additional $7 million will go toward energy assistance and about $4 million to the OEMC in each of the next three years.

“We’re absolutely thrilled that Gov. Bill Owens and the Colorado Assembly recognize how critical it is for our state that all residents can afford home energy, and that the foundation has been laid to accomplish this,” said Skip Arnold, Energy Outreach executive director. “We thank all of the many supporters who have worked so hard and given so much this year to turn the tide on this desperate situation.”

Colorado Public Utilities Commission

When Mother Nature or the global economy impact energy prices in Colorado, there’s not much we can do. Along with all of you, we’ve heard how everything from hurricanes in the Gulf Coast to increasing demand for energy in China has factored into rising costs, particularly for natural gas. We understand that utility companies have no choice but to pass these costs on to their customers.

However, when Xcel Energy filed a rate case last summer asking for a $34.5 million increase for its natural gas business, we got involved as one of the state’s main advocates for low-income residents. We joined forces with AARP to intervene in the case before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Our mission was to ensure that the interests of limited-income families, seniors on fixed incomes and individuals with special needs were factored into the equation and that the outcome would be equitable for all Coloradans.

After months of negotiations, Xcel Energy, state regulators and other interested parties – including Energy Outreach and AARP – reached a settlement that goes into effect this month. Instead of receiving an additional $34.5 million, Xcel will collect an additional $22.5 million – a savings of $12 million for Colorado ratepayers.

Although we regret the need for any increase at all, we support this settlement and believe it is an acceptable outcome for all involved. We’re pleased that Xcel listened to our arguments and agreed to shift the major impact of this increase away from residential consumers. As a result, the total impact to residential base rates – the variable portion of the bill that is based on actual usage – will be an increase of 4.9%, which is far less than the proposed 13.59%.

The overall impact of this settlement is an average increase for residential customers of 73 cents a month, or about $8.76 a year. This is much easier to swallow than the original request, which would have meant an average residential increase of $2.02 a month, or about $24 per year.

Royalty in Kind

The proposed Royalty-in-Kind program included in the recently passed federal Energy Bill creates a program to transfer some profits from the sale of natural gas obtained from federal lands to benefit low-income energy consumers. These funds are intended to supplement, and not replace, LIHEAP funds.

This concept was introduced in 2001 in a letter from Colorado Governor Bill Owens to Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and Vice President Dick Cheney. John Harpole, Energy Outreach board member and president of a Colorado-based natural gas marketing company, testified on behalf of the proposed program before the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources in June 2001.

A pilot Royal-in-Kind program was included in the Energy Bill, authorizing the Secretary of Interior to grant “preference” to low income energy consumers when disposing of royalty in kind gas. Xcel Energy and Western Gas Resources have agreed to participate in the pilot and are developing a program to implement in Colorado. The program is currently being considered at the Department of the Interior.

National Fuel Funds Network

Energy Outreach Colorado works with the National Fuel Funds Network (NFFN) to secure additional federal LEAP funding. NFFN is a national membership organization consisting of nonprofit agencies, utilities, and government representatives that provide utility bill assistance raised as charitable donations. Its purpose is to increase resources available to meet the energy needs of low-income people. EOC has been a member of NFFN since 1990. To learn more about NFFN, visit them online at www.nationalfuelfunds.org