Environment Archives | Citizens Utility Board

Infrastructure bill awaits Biden’s signature, climate package faces uphill battle

Hannah — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 19:29:47 +0000

The House has passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill that would provide a much needed boost to the country’s broadband, utility and transportation services. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the $1 trillion plan in the coming weeks, but the bill’s companion, a $1.75 trillion social safety net and climate policy package, faces an uphill battle in Washington. A big thank you to CUB supporters who sent hundreds of messages to Washington urging passage of the infrastructure bill. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed the Senate in August and the House on November 5, will upgrade America’s roads, bridges, airports and rail systems while also expanding internet service and addressing the nation’s overworked electrical grid. What’s in the infrastructure package? Among other things, the Infrastructure investment and Jobs Act contains funding for: Electric vehicles. The bill would provide $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations. Electric and hybrid school buses will also be purchased with an additional $5 billion. Internet access. $65 billion is earmarked for the expansion and improvement of internet access for low-income consumers, rural areas and tribal communities. Electric grid modernization. The legislation sets aside $65 billion to improve the power grid, a system that has become less reliable and resilient in recent years. The funds would also be used to support carbon capture initiatives and cleaner electricity sources. Water. Water and wastewater infrastructure will see $55 billion from the bill. $15 billion of that total is to be used to replace lead pipes, and $10 billion is to clean up contaminated water. Public transit. Some of the $39 billion for public transportation will be distributed to state and local governments to purchase zero- or low-emission buses. The remaining funds will help expand access and improve accessibility for people with disabilities. An additional $66 billion will be allocated to expand and improve Amtrak service nationwide. According to an analysis by Illinois Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, among other benefits, Illinois should see: $1.7 billion to improve drinking and wastewater infrastructure. About $4 billion to improve access to public transit. At least $100 million for broadband improvements. About 228,000 Illinoisans currently do not have broadband access. As part of the package, about 2.9 million low-income Illinoisans would get an internet access benefit. $149 million to expand electric vehicle charging networks in Illinois. Now that the infrastructure bill has passed, legislators are now turning to its companion bill, dubbed the Build Back Better Act. The $1.75 trillion package includes provisions on child care, eldercare, healthcare and prescription drug pricing, and it would funnel $550 billion toward climate and clean energy initiatives. The bill requires passage in the Senate and the House. Senate supporters have said they hope to pass it by Thanksgiving. The legislation does not have bipartisan support, so the climate package’s future is uncertain. Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators and let them know you support necessary action to mitigate the effects of climate change and protect utility customers. (Send a message to Washington now!) Build Back Better contains funding for: Clean energy tax credits: Over 10 years, $320 billion in tax credits […]

The post Infrastructure bill awaits Biden’s signature, climate package faces uphill battle appeared first on Citizens Utility Board.

Take the Earth Day Pledge, You Could Win an Energy Efficiency Kit

Hannah — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 16:45:05 +0000

Earth Day is Thursday, April 22, but we know the battle for a cleaner, healthier environment can’t be limited to one day a year. The fight for the planet takes place in homes across the world every day. For some, helping the environment might look like practicing energy efficiency, conserving water or growing your own produce. Others bike or walk to work. Some are vegetarians and compost at home. However you help the environment, we want to hear from you. Take our Earth Day pledge and tell us how you are celebrating Earth Day and fighting for clean, affordable energy 365 days a year. We’ll enter you in a giveaway for the chance to win an Earth Day Efficiency Kit, which includes: Three LED bulbs. At 9 watts each, these LED bulbs use 85 percent less energy while providing as much light as a traditional 60 watt bulb. You get up to 15,000 hours of reliable light from one bulb, meaning you’ll spend less money on replacing burnt out bulbs. A smart power strip. This device is an energy-saving surge protector. It saves you money on your electric bills by reducing standby power waste. Plug your central device (usually a TV or computer) into the dedicated control outlet and plug supporting devices (speakers, DVD player, monitor, etc.) into the “switched” outlets. The power strip senses whether the central device is either on, off or in a standby state, and automatically removes or restores power to the “switched” outlets based on the status of the control device. A Kill-A-Watt. This handy device can help you identify which appliances in your home are costing you the most money. Simply plug the meter into the outlet and plug your appliance into the meter. The screen displays the number of kilowatts your appliance uses over an hour. Knowing which appliances suck up the most energy can help you cut your electric bills. Take the pledge today and tell us how you care for the earth at home. Take our Earth Day Pledge!

The post Take the Earth Day Pledge, You Could Win an Energy Efficiency Kit appeared first on Citizens Utility Board.

CUB-Northwestern partnership yields new outreach materials

Hannah — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 20:59:45 +0000

A class of Northwestern undergraduate students worked with CUB over the spring semester to fill gaps in the utility watchdog’s outreach efforts. Although COVID-19 and Illinois’ stay-at-home order caused the student teams to rethink aspects of their projects, CUB now has new and improved outreach materials, as well as new connections with community organizations. The course — Community Engagement — was taught by Matt Easterday, an associate professor in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern. Matt Harvey, CUB’s Program Coordinator, worked closely with the students and advised them on their projects. “It was informative, interesting, and a lot of fun working with the students,” Matt said. “CUB learned a lot, and now we have some new connections and resources thanks to the partnership. We hope the students will continue to have an interest in working with nonprofits like CUB. Who knows, maybe there’s a future consumer advocate or two among the students.” Below are short descriptions of the student projects. Gus, Ryley and Jasmin This team coordinated a virtual town hall event to discuss Evanston’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan and vulnerable populations in the area. Coordinating with and inviting community organizations and local leaders, the three Northwestern students helped spark environmental dialogue and foster better collaboration in the community. The event also provided an opportunity for CUB to better engage with area residents and organizations as well. Brenda and Meredith One of the challenges CUB faces is convincing consumers that small changes around the home can add up to big savings on utility bills. This duo developed a scorecard to provide consumers with guidance on how to make their home more efficient. Consumers answer questions on the scorecard, which then gives them a score out of 100. The scorecard offers suggestions for improving their score through affordable efficiency products, behavioral changes, and free, smaller-scale adjustments that can save consumers hundreds of dollars. Austin, Han and Gladis To raise awareness about reducing your carbon footprint and the Clean Energy Jobs Act, this group was planning to set up a table on campus to hand out flyers on the two topics. Unfortunately, their on-campus tabeling efforts were thwarted by the pandemic, but they pivoted seamlessly to create a video instead. The 5-minute video explains CEJA and offers tips to cut carbon emissions. The team also created two flyers that can be used by CUB in the future. Grace, Michelle, Nell, Julia and Isabel This team also targeted younger audiences with their project. The students created a series of videos geared toward a younger demographic to demonstrate ways to be energy efficient at home during the pandemic. Each 30-second video offers a few easy-to-follow tips on a different room in the house.

The post CUB-Northwestern partnership yields new outreach materials appeared first on Citizens Utility Board.

Environmental justice communities could see pollution problems addressed with CEJA

Hannah — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 15:39:46 +0000

All people are entitled to live in clean communities free from health hazards, but not everyone enjoys this guarantee. “Environmental Justice” — or EJ — communities are regularly exposed to harmful pollution, but the Clean Energy Jobs Act aims to change that by helping the state make an equitable transition to clean energy. CUB staffers live and work in Environmental Justice communities, so we thought it was important to discuss what the term actually means. Although different entities may use different criteria to determine EJ status, the designation is mostly based on two factors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency: 1) disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards and 2) increased vulnerability to those hazards. For example, a coal plant near City A regularly spews dangerous pollution (also called “particulate matter”) into the air. This same city shows significantly higher numbers of asthma in children and COPD in older adults when compared to similar cities. City A would be classified as an Environmental Justice community because it experiences environmental hazards (particulate matter) and the people living there are more vulnerable to those hazards (respiratory diseases). Louisiana’s Cancer Alley is one of the most infamous and devastating examples of Environmental Justice communities in the U.S. As the name suggests, the 85-mile strip of land along the Mississippi River — home to more than 150 refineries and plants — has a cancer rate nearly 50 times the national average. In Chicago, the Little Village neighborhood is dealing with airborne debris after a retired smoke stack was demolished while COVID-19 — which affects the respiratory system — is still running rampant with daily cases and deaths still on the rise nationwide. All too often, the communities impacted by pollution are home to majority people of color, low-income, tribal or idigenous communities. Studies conducted across the U.S. have shown time and time again that not only are people of color more heavily impacted by pollution, but they are also more likely than white people to live next to polluters. To help right some of the wrongs committed against these communities, some Illinois state programs use the Environmental Justice designation to focus their outreach and operations. For example, Illinois Solar for All, a program CUB supports that makes solar more affordable and accessible for low-income households, has a goal to put at least 25 percent of its funding toward EJ communities. Similarly, the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), legislation before the Illinois General Assembly, would focus clean energy workforce development initiatives on workers from environmental justice and former coal plant communities, providing work training to those who are most impacted by dirty energy. The bill would also take advantage of the falling cost of wind and solar energy and put Illinois on a cost-effective path to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050, another win for EJ communities. Moving away from notorious polluters and industries with questionable environmental practices — such as coal mining and natural gas fracking — and pivoting toward renewables is a necessary transition for all of Illinois. Nobody wants to breathe dirty air or pay higher bills to prop up dirty power, especially the […]

The post Environmental justice communities could see pollution problems addressed with CEJA appeared first on Citizens Utility Board.

Home Heating quiz winner no stranger to energy efficiency

Hannah — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 19:29:01 +0000

Congrats to Joel of Evanston! He was randomly selected to win a free CUB energy efficiency kit out of more than 1,000 people who took CUB’s Home Heating Quiz. Joel has won two LED light bulbs, a Kill A Watt electricity-usage monitor, a smart power strip, and an insulated CUB tote bag. “Naturally, I’m excited,” he said. “I’m glad the quiz had good participation, and I was lucky enough to win!” No stranger to energy efficiency practices, Joel has done away with most of the incandescent lighting in his house, opting instead for LED bulbs. He recently upgraded some of the older windows in his house and has plans to soon replace his inefficient boiler. Joel also takes advantage of his programmable thermostat. On average, 45 percent of a home’s energy is used for heating and cooling, but according to Energy Star, properly using a programmable thermostat can save consumers about $180 every year. “I just took the quiz just to see what I knew and to see if I could be doing more,” he said. “I’m an advocate for the rest of my family to step it up.” To maximize his money-saving opportunities, Joel is also enrolled in Commonwealth Edison’s Hourly Pricing program. Instead of paying a flat rate per kilowatt of electricity, program participants pay a rate that varies from hour to hour based on wholesale market prices. If program participants use electricity during low-demand periods such as nights and weekends, they can potentially save. Joel runs his dishwasher on a timer set to 2 or 3 a.m., and he does laundry on the weekends when running the washer and dryer will cost less. ComEd estimates Hourly Pricing participants like Joel have saved more than 15 percent on the electricity supply portion of their bill. The lifelong Illinois resident said he is “definitely” saving money, and he says he will continue to depend on CUB for his energy and utility questions. “CUB is one of only a few organizations that can give you good utility and efficiency information,” he said. “I’ll be happy to proudly carry the CUB tote bag.” Below are the quiz questions and answers: Question: My gas bill measures usage in? Answer: Therms. Your gas meter measures the volume of gas in cubic feet, but then it’s converted to therms on your bill. A therm is about 100 cubic feet. Megawatts measures electricity, and gallons is a measure of…milk (among other things). Question: I’m a fixed monthly charge–I NEVER go down, no matter how careful you are about saving energy (tee-hee). CUB calls me an enemy to energy efficiency, and utilities just LOVE to increase me. I am…? Answer: The monthly customer charge. It never goes down, no matter how energy efficient you are. That’s why utilities push to increase the customer charge in rate cases before the Illinois Commerce Commission. A CUB review in September found customer charges for residential heating customers ranging from about $16 a month to more than $32 a month (for Peoples Gas). Question: Which of these actions is your best bet for saving energy and money and staying comfortable? Answer: Installing attic insulation or […]

The post Home Heating quiz winner no stranger to energy efficiency appeared first on Citizens Utility Board.

South suburban mom scores smart thermostat

Samantha — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 16:48:14 +0000

Saving energy and money have always been top priorities for Anam El-Jabli and her family. But the purchase of a new air conditioner last year made it hard for them to afford other appliances. Then the stay-at-home mom read about CUB’s Smart Thermostat Giveaway in the group’s weekly e-newsletter. “I’m an active follower of CUB’s emails and take action regularly,” Anam said. “That includes signing petitions to state regulators, and participating in polls and giveaways.” For Anam, the giveaway served as a chance to score a high-tech thermostat—which would allow her to remotely control her home’s temperature from a smartphone or tablet. She knew it was an opportunity she just couldn’t pass up, especially since entry into the drawing was quick and simple. All she had to do was answer a quick poll asking if she owned a smart thermostat. Anam didn’t own one—until now. The Alsip mom beat out 1,600 Illinois consumers to take home the ecobee3—a device that can “learn” her family’s behavior over time to optimize comfort and generate savings. It could save her up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs. “The giveaway came just at the right time,” Anam said. “This will be the first smart device we’ve ever owned, and we couldn’t be more excited to win.” Besides being an avid CUB supporter, Anam advocates for environmental and human rights issues in her community. That gives her even greater respect for the work CUB does for Illinois consumers. “I really appreciate that [CUB] champions for utility consumers,” Anam said. “We need more people to get involved and learn about our rights.”

The post South suburban mom scores smart thermostat appeared first on Citizens Utility Board.

Q&A: The Attorney General’s Settlement with Ethical Electric

Jim Chilsen — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 16:06:21 +0000

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has reached a settlement with a Washington, D.C.-based alternative electricity supplier, Ethical Electric Inc., for misleading direct mail solicitations of its “green” offers. Under the settlement, Ethical, which has been a top source of consumer questions or complaints to CUB, promises to pay customers refunds. What was wrong with Ethical’s offers? The Attorney General’s office said the company misled consumers about its “Clean Energy Option” offer, making it appear that customers would get power exclusively from renewable sources, like wind and solar power. The company also made it seem as if its price would only be slightly higher than ComEd’s price, when in fact it was at least 5 percent higher, the attorney general said. CUB has discovered Ethical prices that were more than 30 percent higher than the utility price. The offer would only stay fixed for a few months, before switching to a variable rate that changed monthly. What are the terms of the settlement? Ethical must…… issue refunds to customers discontinue use of the product name “Clean Energy Option” provide clear and detailed information on what its “green” energy plan actually is. Also, if the company references ComEd’s prices in its marketing, it will have to provide a side-by-side comparison of its price with the utility’s rate, under the settlement. Who is eligible to receive a refund? Residential customers in Illinois who enrolled in the Clean Energy Option through Ethical’s mailings will automatically receive a refund of about $10. That will be in the form of a credit for current customers and via check for former customers. Customers who believe they were misled by Ethical Electric’s marketing materials may request an additional refund for the amount they overpaid compared with ComEd’s price. All customers will be mailed a refund-request form within the next 45 days, Madigan said. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that Ethical will have to pay at least $191,673, but the Attorney General’s office estimates that the refunds could amount to nearly $3 million, depending on the number of consumers who request them. What is a green offer? Attorney General Madigan said Ethical’s Clean Energy Option solicitations gave customers the false impression that their homes would be powered exclusively by renewable energy, such as wind and solar. In reality, it’s impossible to guarantee that. The electricity that gets pumped into your home comes from a mixture of sources, including nuclear and coal plants, as well as renewables. As with all green plans, Ethical’s so-called “Clean Energy Option” offered renewable energy certificates or “RECs.” Basically, that’s a promise that for the electricity you use, an equal amount will be used somewhere on the grid. Read CUB’s fact sheet on RECs. Also, read our electricity shopping guide for ComEd and Ameren customers.

The post Q&A: The Attorney General’s Settlement with Ethical Electric appeared first on Citizens Utility Board.

Winners of CUB’s giveaway take home smart thermostats

Samantha — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 15:53:20 +0000

Congratulations to Thomas, of Walnut, and Richard, of Mount Prospect, on winning CUB’s smart thermostat giveaway. The two lucky winners beat out more than 2,000 other participants to take home the free, money-saving devices valued at about $250. For Thomas, who is in the process of moving to Putnam, winning the smart thermostat means he can say goodbye to the old thermostat that’s been adorning the walls of his old home for years. “The smart thermostat will be a great addition to the new house we’re moving into,” Thomas said. “It will be our first-ever smart device.” The Schneider smart thermostat, pictured above, allows users to control their home’s temperature with their smartphone, tablet or laptop. It can save consumers up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs. “I’m looking forward to controlling my home’s temperature from my smartphone,” Richard said. “I can’t do that with the programmable thermostat I have now.” Besides the power to control his home’s temperature, Richard also is excited to be adding onto his extensive hub of smart devices. The smart thermostat will be another tool he can use to save energy and money. Even if you didn’t win, now is a good time to get a smart thermostat. Many Illinois utilities (ComEd, Nicor Gas, North Shore/Peoples Gas) offer residents a free personalized home energy assessment and installation of free or discounted energy-saving products–including a smart thermostat (the ecobee3). The ecobee3 and Nest thermostats also are eligible for up to $120 in rebates for households that include WiFi, central air and a furnace. The rebates nearly cut the cost of the smart device in half. Interested consumers should contact their utility to schedule an assessment: Peoples/North Shore Gas: 1-844- 367-5867 Nicor Gas: 1-877-886-4239 ComEd: 1-855-433-2700

The post Winners of CUB’s giveaway take home smart thermostats appeared first on Citizens Utility Board.

Results of quick poll on Exelon Bill

Jim Chilsen — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 16:35:52 +0000

Nearly 1,900 people responded to our informal survey about a push by Illinois’ biggest energy company, ComEd-parent Exelon, to raise electric bills by up to $1.6 billion–and eight out of 10 said NO to the idea. Exelon says keeping its nuclear plants open will fight climate change—and they need economic help. Opponents say Exelon just wants bigger profits. Here’s how you answered our unscientific poll: Should Illinois give unprofitable nuclear plants more money if it helps fight climate change? No: 1,583 (about 84 percent) Yes: 298 (about 16 percent) This is the biggest energy question facing the Illinois General Assembly in 2016, and CUB’s spending long hours in Springfield fighting to defend your bottom line. Haven’t weighed in? Please take CUB’s poll today, and help CUB fight for you in Springfield!

The post Results of quick poll on Exelon Bill appeared first on Citizens Utility Board.

Supreme Court decision big win for all electricity customers

Jim Chilsen — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 13:45:24 +0000

On Monday regulators and consumer advocates won a major victory against big power generators at the U.S. Supreme Court—and that’s good news for anyone who pays a power bill. In simple terms, the case (FERC v. Electric Power Supply Assocaition) was an argument over whether the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) had the jurisdiction to develop, promote and regulate an important efficiency program called “Demand Response.” If we would have lost this battle, it would have killed or at least severely limited the program’s effectiveness in reducing power prices. You’re not alone if “Demand Response” makes your eyes glaze over. But you should care about Demand Response if… You pay a power bill. Demand Response (DR) is an umbrella term for any program that pays consumers and big industries to shift their electricity usage away from “peak” times—when electricity usage is at its highest point. DR programs help reduce electricity demand, and that reduces power prices across the market. In fact, the former director of the Illinois Power Agency estimated that removing such a program could jack up ComEd power prices by 20 percent! Of course, DR eats into energy company profits—and that’s why the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA), which represents power producers like ComEd-parent Exelon and Dynegy, sued to defeat the program. You want to keep the lights on. The more you reduce demand during peak times, the less stress on the grid, so DR is great for power grid reliability. You want to protect the environment. During peak demand times, power plants are working their hardest—including coal plants. So reducing peak demand also means you reduce pollution. We expect to see Demand Response programs get even better in years to come, as utilities install new digital electric meters across Illinois. And thanks to the Supreme Court ruling, big power generators won’t be able to get in the way. So, that’s why this court victory–what CUB called a “slam dunk” for consumers–has us smiling, including CUB Policy Director Kristin Munsch. She helped write an Amicus Brief, supporting demand response for the big case. Nice job Kristin, and thank you to FERC for taking this fight all the way to the High Court. It’s important to encourage federal regulators to fight for lower power bills. Please, sign our thank you note to FERC!

The post Supreme Court decision big win for all electricity customers appeared first on Citizens Utility Board.