ENERGY
EFFICIENCY Women’s Energy Matters is a leading
player in a multi-year battle at the California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC) over energy efficiency programs. As an
official public interest participant ("intervenor")
WEM is working to increase energy savings from these programs
by putting more funds in the hands of cities, non-profits
and businesses that have no conflict of interest with conservation.
The CPUC allowed utilities to control all energy efficiency
funds for thirty years, although they have a fundamental
conflict of interest — selling more energy raises
their profits and their stock prices. They have wasted ratepayers'
money on ineffective, overpriced programs and high administrative
costs.
In
summer 2004, the CPUC will decide on how these programs
will be run for the next decade. WEM and its allies have
proposed a structure that opens up opportunities for hundreds
of truly independent, innovative and effective programs,
and neutralizes utilities' conflict of interest. Similar
systems in other states have been shown to save 40% more
energy per dollar than California's current system. WEM
founded the California
Coalition for Energy Efficiency to help spread the word
and persuade the CPUC to adopt this proposal.
ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE WEM is a member of the Community First
Coalition, working for environmental and economic justice
for Bayview Hunters Point, a low income, people of color
community in southeast San Francisco. Residents suffer serious
health problems and economic blight caused by five power
plants, two highways, the main sewage treatment plant for
San Francisco and Daly City, and toxic & radioactive
contamination from Navy operations and nuclear experiments
at Hunters Point Shipyard (a Superfund site). Adding insult
to injury, Redevelopment is moving to gentrify the community
and displace current residents.
