1. AABE recognizes that minority communities contain higher concentrations
of low- and
fixed-income households and are therefore more sensitive to changes in
energy and
environmental policy.
2. AABE recognizes the need for increased participation in the discussion of
global energy and
environmental policy by the African American community and the important
need for
enhancing current and future business opportunities, which sound energy and
environmental
policy provide.
3. AABE recognizes that access to reliable and affordable energy is
essential to low- and fixed-
income households, and it is an important element for sustaining business
development and
economic growth both domestically and internationally.
4. AABE supports efforts to enhance U.S. energy development and energy
awareness.
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1. AABE supports mechanisms to achieve cost-effective GHG reductions and
recognizes that
market mechanisms such as cap & trade, tax, a mixture, or other approaches
are currently
being discussed.
2. AABE supports the inclusion of all sectors of the economy and all sources
of GHG in
initiatives to reduce GHG emissions.
3. AABE supports consistency of GHG regulatory compliance timetables with
expected
development and deployment of needed technologies.
4. AABE supports policies that balance environmental improvements with
economic
development.
5. AABE supports policies that ensure that low- and fixed-income consumers
do not shoulder a
disproportionate impact as a result of efforts to address GHG emissions.
6. AABE supports cost containment measures designed to minimize the impact
of the cost of
compliance with GHG on low income consumers.
7. AABE supports policies that do not result in negative impact on jobs,
trade balances, and the
cost of goods and services.
8. AABE recognizes that there is no silver bullet for addressing the GHG
issue. Options that
must be pursued include but are not limited to the development,
commercialization, and
deployment of:
a. Advanced clean coal technologies,
b. Carbon capture and storage,
c. Advanced nuclear energy generation,
d. Energy efficiency, and
e. Renewable energy technologies.
9. AABE supports fostering public-private partnerships for increasing
research, development,
and deployment in:
a. Technologies aimed at reducing GHG emissions,
b. Hydrogen fuel technology,
c. Conventional hybrid vehicles,
d. Plug-in hybrid vehicles,
e. Vehicle-to-grid technologies, and
f. Electric vehicles.
10. AABE recognizes the importance of CAFÉ standards in achieving higher
fuel economy and
efficiency in vehicles.
11. AABE supports the use of alternative fuels and the development of the
needed infrastructure
to facilitate the transition to new technologies utilizing alternative
fuels.
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1. AABE supports enhancements to U.S. energy infrastructure through the
development and
implementation of technologies for energy efficiency, which optimize the
utilization of
domestic and foreign energy resources while promoting energy security,
economic
prosperity, and environmental solutions.
2. AABE is a resource for providing information and educating energy
consumers from all
sectors of society, with emphasis on low- and fixed-income households and
small businesses,
about ways to improve their efficient use of energy.
3. With increasing energy costs projected over the next twenty years and the
understanding that
rising energy costs hit low- and fixed-income households and small
businesses the hardest,
AABE believes there must be a focused national, regional, and local effort
to educate and
make available to all consumers a broad range of options to encourage energy
efficiency.
4. AABE recognizes that in order for a broad range of energy efficiency
options to be available
to all consumers, governmental and commercial entities that provide
residential and
commercial property services to many low- and fixed-income households and
small
businesses will be responsible for making necessary efficiency upgrades.
5. AABE supports an aggressive campaign for promoting energy efficiency
technologies, which
include smart buildings, smart appliances, smart grid, and smart electric
meters.
6. AABE believes that “smart technologies” can
a. Allow consumers to control their energy usage to save money,
b. Avoid wasting energy,
c. Control how and when appliances do their jobs,
d. Help utilities efficiently operate their systems and maintain
reliability,
e. Help keep supply and demand in balance, and
f. Support more efficient use of generating resources.
7. AABE supports accelerated commercialization of alternative fuel vehicles,
including plug-in
hybrid and fully electric vehicles.
8. AABE recognizes that the transition cost of smart technologies and
alternative fuel vehicles
is a factor that many consumers, most notably low- and fixed-income
households and small
businesses, will consider before implementing a full efficiency upgrade
strategy.
9. AABE supports tax credits and other incentives for energy efficiency.
10. AABE recognizes success on energy efficiency programs involves a
partnership among
energy companies, consumers, and public-policy decision-makers through
continued research
and development initiatives and associated funding. AABE also recognizes
that such
partnership involves making energy efficiency a viable, sustainable business
for utilities and
other energy companies.
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* As of 04/16/08
1. AABE supports renewables as part of an overall energy strategy for
meeting energy and
climate change challenges.
2. AABE believes that renewable programs must carefully balance the
a. Availability of renewable technologies,
b. Cost effectiveness of such technologies, and
c. Environmental benefits.
3. AABE recognizes that the renewable portfolio standards being adopted by
the various states
addresses such local issues as the availability of renewables, the
importance of fuel diversity,
the impact on and benefit to the African-American community and other
consumers created
from the use of renewables, and the importance of stimulating renewable
energy
technologies.
4. AABE supports the development of renewable technologies as an essential
element for
enhancing economic developments in parts of the nation.
5. AABE recognizes that extension of the federal production tax credit and
the investment tax
credit is helpful in accelerating the development of renewable technologies
and understands
that Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) can also stimulate the development
of
renewables.
6. AABE supports research, education, and training for African-Americans to
expedite the
development of renewable energy solutions.
7. AABE is committed to working with regional and local communities in the
administration
and implementation of renewable programs.
8. AABE seeks to become a resource for the development of renewable programs
in the
international community.
9. AABE recognizes that some renewable technology exists in remote areas and
may require the
enhancement of infrastructure in order for those technologies to be
available to meet growing
energy demands.
10. AABE supports the development of a sustainable renewable fuels industry,
including liquids
and gaseous fuels, insofar as it provides entrepreneurial opportunities for
minorities, supports
economic growth for minority farmers, enhances energy security, and
addresses the nation’s
climate change objectives.
11. AABE supports renewable liquid and gaseous fuels as a means for the
transportation industry
to reduce carbon emissions.