Shaheen Highlights Energy Efficiency in Tour of Salem Boys & Girls Club

Press Release

U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen today toured the Salem Boys & Girls Club to learn how energy efficiency measures have helped them to reduce their energy needs and cut costs. Shaheen spoke about how energy consumers across the country could achieve similar energy savings through her bipartisan energy efficiency legislation, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act.

In just the past few months, the Salem Boys & Girls Club has achieved significant energy savings through common-sense measures such as installing energy efficient light bulbs and regulating the building's hot water heaters. These measures and others have reduced the building's energy use by 40% over the course of 60 days.

"The Salem Boys & Girls Club can serve as a great example of the savings available through energy efficient technology," said Shaheen. "My legislation would build on the success of initiatives like these and help expand energy efficiency opportunities for consumers across the country. The Boys & Girls Club has always done tremendous work for our community. I'm glad that these measures will help them save money so they can dedicate even more resources to helping our community's young people."

"It was a pleasure to have Senator Shaheen visit the Boys & Girls Club here in Salem. Her dedication to quality youth programs and facilitating community partnerships is a true asset to the community," said Michael Centor, Chief Professional Officer at the Salem Boys & Girls Club. "She has shown her commitment to New Hampshire communities and businesses during her time in the Senate and her energy efficiency legislation is a great example of that. We thank Senator Shaheen for her leadership on this important issue."

Shaheen's bill would promote projects like the ones at Salem Boys & Girls Club by making it easier for local organizations and businesses to finance energy upgrades.

Some highlights of the legislation include:

Boosts private sector investment in building efficiency upgrades.
Assists manufacturers in reducing energy use and becoming more competitive by establishing a state-based revolving financing program to help facilitate efficiency upgrades.
Works with states to strengthen voluntary national model building codes, to make new homes and commercial buildings more energy efficient.
Requires the federal government -- the single largest energy user in the country -- to adopt energy saving techniques for computers, better building standards, and smart metering technology.
Introduced with Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the legislation passed out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources with a bipartisan vote of 18-3. The bill has garnered national support from more than 200 businesses, trade associations and efficiency advocates. The nation's largest business and industrial trade groups -- the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers -- have endorsed the bill and recently joined Shaheen and Portman in calling on Senate leadership to bring the bill to the floor for a vote this year.

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