EEFA Louisiana in February
HELP STOP THE GAS PLANT
Last week, Judges on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decided against local citizens and handed Entergy New Orleans a win in their campaign for a new gas plant in New Orleans East. According to Entergy, this new plant is now expected to begin operations in June of this summer, also adding a new charge between $7-8 to average monthly residential bills.
Entergy still needs a permit (Louisiana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit) from the Department of Environmental Quality to operate their plant and release industrial pollutants into the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
The outfall canals for these waste discharges are directly adjacent to a marshland known as the “Golden Triangle,” a piece of wetlands that is a critical part of our city’s flood protection system. In fact, the State of Louisiana is spending $54.4 Million to rebuild the grassy marshlands here, while Entergy plans to discharge toxic effluent into the same waterway.
You can give your input to the DEQ in two ways:
1) THIS Thursday, February 20, at 6:00 PM at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church, at 14001 Dwyer Road, give public remarks directly.
2) By Monday February 24 at 4:30 PM, via email to the DEQ. Click here for additional instructions.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Wednesday, February 19 at 4pm: HousingLOUISIANA Monroe Listening Tour, Monroe Public Safety Center, 1810 Martin Luther King Junior Drive, Monroe 71202
Wednesday, February 19 at 6pm: Baton Rouge Listening Tour/Fair Housing Assessment, 3351 Lorraine St, Baton Rouge, LA 70805
Thursday February 20 at 6:00pm: DEQ hearing on Entergy Gas Plant, Mary Queen of Vietnam Church
Thursday, February 27: Housing Authority of New Orleans Board Meeting, 4100 Touro St, New Orleans, LA 70122
Saturday, March 7 at 10am: Louisiana Healthy Homes Party in the Park, Stallings Gentilly Playground, 1600 Gentilly Blvd.
Saturday, March 7 at 11:00 AM: Climate Justice and Creation Care Brunch, Broadmoor Community Church.
Tuesday, March 10 at 10am: Community Development Committee Meeting, New Orleans City Council Chambers, 1300 Perdido St.
Wednesday March 11 at 9:00 AM: Louisiana Housing Corporation Board Meeting, 2415 Quail Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Wednesday, March 11 at 10am: Smart and Sustainable Cities Committee Meeting, New Orleans City Council Chambers, 1300 Perdido St.
Wednesday, March 12 at 10am: New Orleans City Council Utility Committee Meeting, New Orleans City Council Chambers, 1300 Perdido St.
Solar + Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency works by reducing energy waste and producing savings that can be used for more robust energy efficiency programs and/or infrastructure improvements.
Solar energy is one of the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy sources available that harnesses the sun’s energy for a variety of uses, including generating electricity, providing light, and heating water for domestic, commercial, or industrial use. Solar energy paired with robust energy efficiency improvements can lead to huge savings while also generating more community control of energy and improving the housing stock. In a 2016 study, New Orleans had the second highest energy burden, the percent of a person’s income spent on energy, in the U.S.
Solar and effective energy efficiency programs and policies can go a long way towards addressing New Orleans residents that are energy burdened. This month, Mayor Cantrell announced the Solar for All NOLA campaign. You can read the press release HERE and watch some of the media coverage below. 
Watch WDSU’s story on Solar For All NOLA
Solar For All NOLA is being led by the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance (GNOHA) for New Orleans’ most vulnerable working families and retirees. GNOHA will work with two respected local solar businesses, PosiGen Solar and Solar Alternatives, to provide free solar evaluations to all homeowners and small business owners interested in seeing if clean energy can save them money on their utility bills.
Solar for All offers 100% of solar feasible homeowners a financing solution, with either a no money down, no credit requirement solar lease with energy efficiency upgrades, or traditional financing for eligible homeowners and small businesses who wish to purchase their system.
The campaign will run through the end of 2020, with a goal of enabling 500 new families and small business owners throughout the city to enjoy the financial and resiliency benefits of rooftop solar.
If you’re interested in the Solar for All NOLA program, you can email info@gnoha.org or rpollard@posigen.com
New Orleans is getting Energy Smart-er
Exciting news for New Orleans Energy Efficiency! The City Council Utility Committee has approved robust and growing efficiency programs for the next three years. In December, Entergy New Orleans submitted its plan for Energy Smart to the NOLA City Council. The plan laid out two scenarios:
1) stick to the Council’s efficiency targets, set back in 2015 or 2) even MORE savings!
And the Council chose Scenario 2
__THIS IS BIG NEWS. __
Click here for the rest of the story.
Election : 2020
With all eyes on the much anticipated Presidential Election in November, it can be easy to overlook local and state-wide elections that impact our lives every day.
This year seats at the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) will be on the ballot in November. Get yourself educated on the LPSC, get registered, and vote!
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Alliance for Affordable Energy
