nergy Commission has closed solicitations for ECAA and ECAA-ARRA funded loan applications effective immediately due to an oversubscription of funds.
February 3, 2010
The Energy Commission has closed solicitations for ECAA and ECAA-ARRA funded loan applications effective immediately due to an oversubscription of funds.
Due to a very positive response to low interest financing for energy saving projects, the funding has been exhausted. Loan applications (for both the 1% and 3% interest rate loans) will no longer be accepted. The low interest loans have helped many applicants invest in energy efficiency, save money, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build new jobs.
Who does this affect?
* Cities
* Counties
* Public Care Institutions
* Public Hospitals
* Public Schools & Colleges
* Special Districts
http://www.energy.ca.gov/efficiency/financing/
(If link above doesn’t work, please copy entire link into your web browser’s URL)
News Update- California vocational education
February 2, 2010
Job Front: Placer initiative helps link job seekers to businesses
Sacramento Bee, Feb. 01, 2010
It wasn’t that long ago that Placer County enjoyed a building boom, a humming high-tech sector and a jobless rate hovering at 3 percent to 5 percent.
But the boom went bust, unemployment soared, and today, Placer’s jobless rate stands at more than 11 percent. The slide has taken a psychic toll on job seekers, said Jason Buckingham.
"We’re hearing a lot of uncertainty, a lot of caution about whether they’re going to get a job," Buckingham said. "They’re certainly scared."
Buckingham, executive director of the Auburn-based Golden Sierra Workforce Investment Board, wants to change that.
The board recently launched Golden Sierra Business Connections, offering a number of free and low-cost services including a human resources hotline for small businesses, business assistance workshops and networking events for jobless professionals in Placer, El Dorado and Alpine counties.
The board, a collection of business leaders and economic development organizations, schools, chambers of commerce and public agencies, teamed up with the California Employers Association.
The program, bankrolled in November with $210,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, was launched in January and will continue through June 2011, Buckingham said.
http://www.sacbee.com/business/story/2503554.html?storylink=lingospot_related_articles
Obama’s 2011 Budget Proposal
February 2, 2010
New York Times – Interactive breakdown of Obama’s 2011 Budget Proposal
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/02/01/us/budget.html
News Update- California vocational education
February 2, 2010
Sierra College plans to cut some sports, vocational
Sacramento Bee, Feb. 02, 2010
Facing an $11.2 million budget deficit for the coming year, the Sierra College governing board will vote today on a plan to eliminate three vocational programs, six sports teams and 35 employee positions.
If the plan is approved, Sierra College would stop offering construction, automotive and agriculture classes at the end of this semester and lay off the people who teach them. It also would eliminate men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s track/cross country and men’s water polo.
"There are no good choices," said college President Leo Chavez. "We’re trying to achieve a balanced budget while inflicting the least amount of damage to the institution. But there is damage."
Eliminating the vocational and sports programs would save the college about $1.6 million, Chavez said. Under his plan, the rest of Sierra’s deficit would be closed by reducing salaries by 5 percent for all employees on July 1. Workers still would get their "step and column" raises – increases tied to more experience and education – on the same date, so many would not experience a 5 percent reduction.
Article source/ link
February 1, 2010
Sacramento Bee, Monday, February 1, 2010
http://www.sacbee.com/walters/story/2503406.html
Dan Walters: Is California green tech salvation or a pipe dream?
As California imposes tough new emission rules – particularly on business – to reduce its carbon footprint, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger insists that "cleaning the environment, fighting global warming … it’s also great for the economy" by fostering green technology.
A few days earlier, his Employment Development Department had announced that the state’s unemployment rate in December was 12.4 percent, with employers having eliminated 38,800 jobs in just one month.
Notwithstanding chronic budget deficits, the governor proposes a sales tax exemption for green technology manufacturing equipment, warning last week that as green investment expands, "it’s going to be competitive, (and) California has to be competitive." California is one of only a few states without such an exemption.
Sacramento Bee, Monday, February 1, 2010
http://www.sacbee.com/walters/story/2503406.html
As California imposes tough new emission rules – particularly on business – to reduce its carbon footprint, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger insists that "cleaning the environment, fighting global warming … it’s also great for the economy" by fostering green technology.
A few days earlier, his Employment Development Department had announced that the state’s unemployment rate in December was 12.4 percent, with employers having eliminated 38,800 jobs in just one month.
Notwithstanding chronic budget deficits, the governor proposes a sales tax exemption for green technology manufacturing equipment, warning last week that as green investment expands, "it’s going to be competitive, (and) California has to be competitive." California is one of only a few states without such an exemption.
AB 811 News Update
January 28, 2010
Placer County Residents to Benefit as Board of Supervisors Passes $33-million Dollar Financing Program for Energy and Water Conservation Today
January 26, 2010, Business Wire
The Placer County Board of Supervisors voted today to pass a unique program giving eligible Placer County property owners a no-money down way to finance energy and water conservation improvements. The program, Placer money for Property Owner Water & Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Program (Placer mPOWER) allows property owners to apply for loans to fully pay for allowed improvements and then pay the loans back with an attractive interest rate in twice yearly payments through their property tax payments.
Link
California Energy Commission Updates
January 27, 2010
Neither CBPCA as a HERS provider or CBPCA HERS raters, or Enalasys as a Third-Party Quality Control Program, are approved under New Title 24 Residential Energy Efficiency Standards says the California Energy Commission
Link to letter posted on the California Energy Commission’s website:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/HERS/notices/2009-12-28_provider_approval.html
In a California Energy Commission letter dated December 28, 2009 (full text):
To: California building departments, contractors, HERS raters, and other interested parties.This is to inform you that the California Energy Commission has approved two Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Providers to perform field verification and diagnostic testing for the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, effective January 1, 2010. The two approved HERS Providers include California Certified Energy Rating and Testing Services (CalCERTS) and California Home Energy Efficiency Rating Services (CHEERS).
The California Energy Commission is currently reviewing the HERS Provider application
submitted by California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA) to perform
field verification and diagnostic testing for the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, but
the application has yet to be approved. As such, no HERS raters operating solely under CBPCA are approved under the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards.
In addition to applying as a HERS Provider, CBPCA has requested that Enalasys be approved asa Third-Party Quality Control Program. The approval of Enalasys as a Third-Party Quality Control Program for the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards is dependent on CBPCA’s approval as a HERS Provider, so Enalasys will not qualify for approval until CBPCA is approved for the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards.
Until approval of CBPCA as a HERS Provider and Enalasys as a Third-Party Quality Control
Program, only sample groups of up to seven homes (or HVAC systems, etc.) will be allowed for HERS measure verification of new installations and change-outs. You will receive notice if and when sample groups of up to 30 homes (or HVAC systems, etc.) will be allowed upon approval of Enalasys as a Third-Party Quality Control Program.
To summarize:
- only CalCERTS and CHEERS HERS providers and their respective raters are approved under the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards;
- neither CBPCA as a HERS provider or CBPCA HERS raters are currently approved under the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards;
- Enalasys equipment may be used for the initial testing of sample groups of up to seven (7), but not for sample groups of up to thirty (30).
If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact Jim Holland at (916) 651-
9857, or jholland, or the Title 24 Energy Standards Hotline at (916) 654-
5106 (or toll-free within California at (800) 772-3300) or title24.
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
1516 NINTH STREET
Source: http://www.energy.ca.gov/HERS/notices/2009-12-28_provider_approval.html
Energy Commission announces new Request for Proposals, State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (RFP # 400-09-404)
January 27, 2010
The California Energy Commission has released a Request For Proposals (RFP # 400-09-404) for the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program.The application package and its attachments are located online at: http://www.energy.ca.gov/contracts/recovery.html#RFP_400-09-404 Purpose of Request For Proposals (RFP # 400-09-404)
AB 811 News
January 25, 2010
Source: Sonoma Index-Tribune, January 25, 2010
Brown was one of three principal speakers at the annual State of the Valley breakfast hosted by the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce at the Sonoma Golf Club Jan. 22…She also outlined plans for energy-efficient retrofits and the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (AB 811) which is making retrofit loans from a $100 million fund. Brown reported that $40 million worth of applications have already been received.
Full article linked here: http://www.sonomanews.com/articles/2010/01/25/news/doc4b5e5908ad23e043647822.txt
